Should Chevrolet revive the Monza as a budget rival to the BMW M2?

The Forgotten Nameplate: The History of the Chevrolet Monza

A relatively unknown marque in General Motors’ rich and long history, the Chevrolet Monza was once a flashy, compact rear-wheel drive coupe that replaced the European-styled Chevy Vega, produced since 1974. until 1980 Its most notable rival during that period was the Fordt Mustang II, hence the family tree. a surprising amount of muscle for his size. Despite its uncompact stature, Chevrolet offered some relatively large engines in the Monza, including Buick V6 units and small-block V8s with displacements ranging from 4.3 to 5.7 liters. Of course, many smaller and more economical four-cylinder engines were also available.

Its compact proportions made the Monza an exceptional platform for racing cars, even if its V8 engines barely managed 150 horsepower. Monzas were popular entrants in the IMSA series, winning several IMSA Camel GT championships in the late 1970s with modified small-block V8 engines. The Monzas even found success on the track, where their lightweight bodies combined well with powerful V8 engines and rear-wheel drive to produce impressive quarter-mile times. So while the Monza might not have been the most exciting sports car around, the compact, rear-wheel drive model made it an impressive platform when purposefully modified for more exciting use, both on the track and on the street.

How a budget competitor to the BMW M2 can match Chevrolet’s lineup

That’s exactly what enthusiasts and sports car buyers crave these days: a compact, rear-wheel-drive sports coupe platform that lends itself well to modifications and offers exciting, engaging driving dynamics at an affordable price. Obviously, there are some shining stars that still offer this sort of thing, like the Subaru BRZ and Mazda MX-5, but as someone who’s owned both, they’re a bit lacking in power. They’re so compact that everyday life with them can be a challenge for anyone who isn’t completely single, and to be honest, I’d like to see more competition in this segment at this price point, even if Subaru and Mazda are great vehicles.

I really miss the days when the list of new, affordable, compact sports cars seemed endless. I remember playing games like Need For Speed ​​or Midnight Club as a kid and being tasked with picking a starter car and coming across a lot of interesting choices ranging from examples like the Chevrolet Cobalt SS, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Hyundai Tiburon, Volkswagen Corrado, Mazda RX-8RT, Dodge Forcus ST4, Ford Protege, BMW 128i and so on. Once a rich segment full of variety, the affordable sports coupe class has disappeared these days.

Knowing that I’m far from lacking cars like this, I couldn’t help but wonder what it might look like if Chevrolet took another stab at a compact sports car, especially since they seem to have given up on competing with the Ford Mustang and Dodge Charger with their Camaro. So, with the help of Adobe Photoshop, Midjourney 7.0 and Gemini 2.5 Flash Image, I imagine what a revived Chevrolet Monza could look like. The following images are fictitious only and do not represent any actual Chevrolet or General Motors products.

What the 2026 Chevrolet Monza could look like.

Think BMW M2 proportions, but Subaru BRZ pricing. Or, perhaps more realistically, Ford Mustang EcoBoost pricing when equipped with a more powerful powertrain, shorter wheelbase and more agile handling. Take the philosophies of GM’s more recent performance classics, namely the Chevrolet Cobalt SS and the Pontiac Solstice, and combine them, and that’s basically what this idea suggests. Perhaps it could sit on a shortened version of GM’s Alpha platform, the same one that underpinned the latest Chevy Camaro and Cadillac CT4.

Under the hood, I’d imagine the Chevy Monza could borrow even more from the Cadillac CT4, specifically the three powertrains it shares. First, the most basic powerhouse might be the base CT4’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder unit, which produces 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque — numbers not far from the VW GTI — mated to either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic. Second, the CT4-V’s 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which produces up to 325 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, can offer BMW M240i-like performance for a lot less dough. And, of course, why not include the CT4-V Blackwing’s twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter V6, which offers up to 472 horsepower and 445 pound-feet of torque—more than enough to put the coveted BMW M2 to shame.

Alternatively, and perhaps for better affordability, Chevrolet could simply fit this hypothetical Monza coupe with the same 335-horsepower naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V6 engine offered in the late Camaro, along with the buyer’s choice of a six-speed manual transmission or a ten-speed automatic. That powerplant would stay true to the Monza legacy, offer a more linear powerband, and maybe Chevy could even throw in the Camaro’s 455-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 small-block in a limited-run special edition. Now that would seriously turn buyers away from the BMW M2.

Final Thoughts: Should Chevy Bring Back the Monza?

It’s a shame to think that so many automakers these days have abandoned affordable “fun” cars that offer truly exciting and dynamic performance at an attractive price in favor of crossovers. The “fun” cars just became regular old passenger cars, dressed up with “sporty” look packages or some all-purpose tires and plastic body cladding for a more “rugged” look. I wish more manufacturers would spend time on genuine performance on a budget, not only to appease all the enthusiasts asking for such a thing, but also to inspire new enthusiasts to really care about driving for the fun of it, rather than seeing the activity as just a chore to convince more and more people to sit back and buy a car. commuting is the most desirable solution.

Do you think car manufacturers should do more to remind people that driving is possible and should-be cheerful Do you think there is a huge shortage of cheaper sports coupes on the market right now, or do you think they should just disappear simply because crossovers are so much more profitable? Let us know what you think in the comments!

This story was originally reported by Autoblog in 2025. on Nov. 9, where it first appeared in the Features section. Add Autoblog as a preferred source by clicking here.