2020 is the final year for the Chevrolet Impala. There will be no 2021 Chevy Impala gracing the streets and in its current avatar.

The Impala nameplate was first used in a 1956 concept car that looked very much like a Corvette but was larger and wore the A-Body platform. It was later introduced in 1958 as the top trim of the Bel Air, and with a sale of some 180,000 of these, Chevrolet sales bounced back in what was a recession year.

It was only in 1959 that the Impala became a full-fledged model of its own, a superb full-sized car and expensive, much like Chevy’s very own Cadillac. This also marked the second generation of the Impala and sales were in the whereabouts of 490,000.

For the third generation that lasted from 1961 to 1964, the Impala SS was also introduced, and sales kept up their onward march, with Impala entering its fourth generation in 1965, lasting till 1970.

Out of these, the 1969 model is often a bestselling classic. So this is how much a 1969 Impala costs today and why it's so highly valued.

The Handsome Chevy Impala Gen IV

In 1965, The Chevrolet Impala Was Completely Redesigned To Become A Full-Sized Sedan
via Hemmings

In 1965, the Chevrolet Impala was completely redesigned to become a full-sized sedan that came with the top-of-the-line luxury and power and sold a record of one million units.

The Impala was now a runaway success and carried on its streak all through its generation-four years, which ended in 1970. Of course, even the 1967 Impala is quite a hit, the craze sparked by the TV series Supernatural, in which Dean Winchester drives a black ’67 Impala, called ‘Baby’.

The body and size of the car remained more or less the same throughout 1965-70, but the 1969 model was special indeed, and the secret lay in the engine and the power. Of course, all of the five years of this car did well and sold well, and the success did carry forward in the fifth generation, although, with the oil crisis and tighter emission controls, it started to lose power year after year to keep sales viable.

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The 1969 Chevy Impala: A Bestseller

For 1969, The Chevy Impala SS Could Be Called A Muscle Car
via Motoriuos

For 1969, the Chevy Impala could be called a muscle car. The standard engine in the Impala was a 5.4-liter V8 that made 235 horses on a minimum. Further engine options were a 5.7-liter Turbo Fire V8 that made between 255-300 horses as well as a 6.4-liter Turbo-Fire V8 that made 265 horses. The last and most powerful option was the 7.0-liter Turbo-Jet V8 that went into the Chevrolet Impala SS 427 Package and was rated between 335 and 390 horses and basically turned the Impala into a muscle car for this year.

There was a COPO Impala package as well, with a 425-horsepower L72 V8 that came with an 11.1 compression as well as a big Holley carburetor.

All the V8s were paired with three-speed Turbo Hydramatic transmission, although the two-speed Powerglide was still an option in the lower displacement V8s. A new GM-designed variable-power steering unit was also an option for the first time this year as was a Liquid Tire Chain option with a vacuum activated button that sprayed ice melt on the rear tires for safer driving in the winters.

Unofficially, the horsepower of the Chevy Impala SS 427 Package was higher but to keep insurance premiums low, it was capped at 390 horses on paper. The Impala also came with a special suspension called the F40 package, and it carried heavier duty front and rear shocks, springs as well as a larger anti-roll bar. Buyers could also opt for larger wheels and better brakes for more stability.

The body was longer and larger and bulged a little more for a bulkier road presence, along with a blacked-out grille. The cloth seats were thrown out in favor of vinyl with an SS badge on the steering wheel. A sprint of 0-60 mph took just six seconds and a quarter-mile was completed in 14.5 seconds, with top speeds of 130 mph.

RELATED: The Greatest Forgotten Muscle Car: The 1969 Chevrolet Impala SS

The Value & Legacy Today

The Prices Of A 1969 Impala Can Range From A Very Cheap $10,000 To A Rather Steep $60,000
via ClassicCars

Some 777,000 1969 Impalas were sold back in the day, making it one very profitable car for Chevrolet.

According to Hemmings, the prices of a 1969 Impala can range from a very cheap $10,000 to a rather steep $60,000; the price variation a result of engine displacement and power as well as the condition and mileage of the vehicle. A Concours vehicle, one that is in prime and mint condition is the one that is very often the highest priced with a well-run and somewhat shabby 1969 Impala going even below $10,000 at times.

Big-sized cars, the 1969 Chevrolet Impala remains a gorgeous piece of automotive history, like a blast from the past, only with plenty of bone-jarring power. It continues to be a much-vaunted classic and there's no eye on the road that does not follow a '60s Impala, especially a fast-moving 1969 model.

Sources: AutomobileMag, CurbsideClassic, Hemmings

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