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Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS
Back in the late 60s, Chevrolet product planners had the idea to enter the personal luxury segment with a new model. Since Chevrolet was a mid-priced car brand, moving up the ladder was a big deal. Chevy knew they needed a fresh design, cool name and powerful engine. So, in 1970, they introduced the Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Built on a modified Chevelle platform, the Monte Carlo was a handsome coupe-only car.
They gave it a V8 engine, updated interior and decent performance. Most Monte Carlos came with a smaller V8 engine since most drivers wanted the luxury aspects of this model. However, there was one crazy muscle option in form of the SS 454 package.
The SS 454 version was a luxury beast with a monstrous 7.4-liter V8 engine that pumped 360 HP. It could propel the heavy Monte Carlo to amazing 0 to 60 mph times. For just $420 above the base price, buyers could get this trim level. It transformed this coupe from a somewhat lazy cruiser into a quarter-mile beast.
However, only around 3,800 people decided to go for the muscle package, so the Monte Carlo SS 454 is one of the rarest classic luxury muscle cars ever. The reason for such a low number is obvious. At that time Chevrolet had a few muscle cars in their model lineup, so enthusiasts turned to the Chevelle, Camaro or Corvette for performance. The typical Monte Carlo buyers preferred comfort and luxury, and the SS 454 option fell in the middle, contributing to low sales numbers.