The Chevrolet Beretta was a two-door coupé produced from 1987 until 1996. It shared its front-wheel-drive L-body platform with the four-door Chevrolet Corsica and replaced the Citation, sitting between the Cavalier and the Lumina and Monte Carlo coupés.
Chevrolet Beretta at a glance
| Production | 1987–1996 |
|---|---|
| Class | Compact coupé |
| Platform | GM L-body, shared with the Chevrolet Corsica |
| Assembly | Wilmington, Delaware and Linden, New Jersey |
| Base engine | 2.2 L four-cylinder |
| V6 engines | 2.8 L, 3.1 L and 3100 V6 |
| Sport versions | GT, GTU, GTZ, Z26 |
| Performance flagship | GTZ with 2.3 L Quad 4, 180 hp |
| Last car built | 30 July 1996 |
| Motorsport | Trans Am championship winner in 1990 |
History of the Chevrolet Beretta
The Beretta arrived in 1987 as the coupé half of a pair, with the four-door Corsica taking the family role; together they succeeded the Chevrolet Citation. The L-body platform was designed by Chevrolet while the rest of General Motors used the Oldsmobile-designed N-body, and the body was drawn in the same studio as the contemporary Camaro and Corvette. The most distinctive detail was the vertical door handle mounted on the B-pillar, a feature later copied by the Lumina coupé and its GM W-body relatives. Cars were assembled alongside the Corsica and the Canadian-market Pontiac Tempest in Wilmington, Delaware and Linden, New Jersey.
Base Berettas used the same 2.2-litre four-cylinder and three-speed automatic as the Cavalier, with a five-speed manual available only to special order. The GT of 1988 brought a 125 hp 2.8-litre V6, later enlarged to 3.1 litres, and the Z51 suspension package with 15-inch wheels and Goodyear Eagle GT tyres. The GTU of 1988–1989 added 16-inch alloy wheels, ground effects and a rear spoiler, and Chevrolet claimed 0.92 g on the skid pad. From 1990 to 1993 the GTZ took over as the performance model with Oldsmobile’s 2.3-litre Quad 4, 180 hp, a Getrag five-speed and the FE7 suspension; a 3.1 V6 with automatic was optional from 1991.
The 1991 model year brought a new dashboard, centre console and a driver’s airbag. In 1994 the GT and GTZ gave way to the Z26, which sat between the Cavalier Z24 and the Lumina Z34; the 3.1 V6 became the 3100 with 160 hp and a four-speed automatic, while the Quad 4, in its last year, fell to 170 hp. Sales declined every year as the market turned away from two-door cars, and Chevrolet ended both the Beretta and the Corsica in 1996; the last Beretta was built on 30 July 1996 and the Corsica’s place was taken by the Malibu. A 4.5-litre V6 Beretta won the Trans Am championship in 1990. General Motors was also sued over the name by the Italian gunmaker Fabbrica d’Armi Pietro Beretta; the case was settled out of court in 1989 with a GTU coupé and a pair of shotguns exchanged.
Design and features
- B-pillar door handles: the Beretta’s vertical handles became a Chevrolet design signature of the early 1990s.
- Quad 4 power: the GTZ’s 2.3-litre engine gave 180 hp and a 0–60 mph time of 7.6 seconds.
- Corsica twin: the coupé and sedan shared the L-body platform and most mechanical parts.
- Motorsport success: a splayed-valve 4.5-litre V6 Beretta won the Trans Am series in 1990.
Chevrolet Beretta versions
- Base and CL: the 2.2-litre four-cylinder cars with three-speed automatic.
- GT (1988–1993): the V6 model with Z51 suspension in its first year.
- GTU (1988–1989): 16-inch wheels, ground effects and a rear spoiler.
- GTZ (1990–1993): the Quad 4 flagship with FE7 suspension.
- Z26 (1994–1996): the final performance version with the 3100 V6.
The Beretta shared its platform with the Chevrolet Corsica and was replaced in the range by the Chevrolet Malibu. More cars are in the Chevrolet collection.
Video: 1994 Chevrolet Beretta
Video by MurphRocks86 on YouTube.
Sources
- Chevrolet Beretta, English Wikipedia: history, versions, engines, trademark case
