A storied nameplate, the Impala left the Chevrolet lineup for the 2020 model year over dwindling sales. A shadow of its former self, the full-size sedan can trace its roots back to the 1956 General Motors “Motorama.”
Named after the African antelope, the original concept car gave us the Bel Air Impala for the 1958 model year. Chevrolet remarketed the Impala as a standalone series for the second generation from the 1959 model year although it shared the B platform with GM’s other full-size cars.
The fourth-gen Impala can be considered peak Impala for a couple of reasons. First things first, Chevrolet sold more than a million examples in the United States for the 1965 model year. The U.S. had to wait two decades for the Toyota Corolla to welcome a new member to the millionaire club. Secondly, the fifth-gen Impala left much to be desired in terms of styling.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Chevrolet had to lower the compression ratios of every engine in the lineup to permit the use of 91-octane gasoline. The 1973 energy crisis made things worse, which is why the sixth generation had to be downsized in the name of fuel economy. Discontinued after the 1985 model year only to be revived as a sleeper sedan in the 1990s, the Impala lost its prestige for good in 2000 by switching to front-wheel drive.
A boring car by all accounts, especially as crossovers and SUVs keep getting more popular with motorists, the Impala fell to 44,978 sales in 2019 in the United States of America. Given these circumstances, it was obvious that GM had to discontinue the sedan in favor of more desirable products.
Although the 11th generation hasn't been confirmed and probably won't ever happen, pixel artist Shoeb Kalania had a go at imagining the Impala for the 2025 model year. “Targeted at individuals who seek value-for-money products that look and feel luxurious,” the design sketch features Tesla-like door handles and a fastback roofline that would make the Kia Stinger blush.
“Created under the guidance of Leandro Trovati,” the design study has no chances of going into production. As fate would have it, GM is currently invested in EVs of all sorts and sizes, including a Corvette-styled electric SUV as well as the SUV version of the GMC Hummer all-electric pickup truck.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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