The automotive market is a busy one; with a constant stream of models entering and exiting the market. It is hard to stand out in such a congested space but every once in a while, a model comes along that completely redefines standards and set new benchmarks in the industry.
The Chevrolet Impala is one of such cars; one of the most enduring symbols of the American automobile industry. It was first introduced in 1958 and over a period of six decades, almost 17 million units were rolled out to customers’ homes, making it the top-selling Chevrolet vehicle. Interestingly enough, it's also the most stolen vehicle in certain parts of the country, such as Chicago.
In the early days, the Impala was known for its wild rear designs and iconic grilles before evolving into more modern styles in the name of functionality and practicality. Today, we examine this iconic vehicle and the various highlights in a rich and colorful history, from the moment when it first emerged to the current situation of the modern-day Impala.
15 The Origin Of The Name
The Chevrolet Impala owes its name and logo to the fleet footed African antelope that’s one of the fastest land animals on earth. It can sprint at speeds of almost 40mph and leap up to 3 meters to escape predators. The Chevy logo shows the outline of the impala at full sprint and it was meant to highlight the graceful profile of the car when it debuted back in 1958.
14 Started Out As A Bel-Air
Interestingly, the Chevy Impala started out as life as part of the Bel-Air range, a model that had been in existence for about 8 years prior. It was designated as a top-of-the-line model trim and incorporated most of the features present in a large and luxurious family sedan at the time.
13 The Break-away
The Impala was an instant hit and it did not take long for Chevy to realize that they had struck a gold mine. In 1959, just a year after its launch, the Impala was redesigned and reintroduced as a standalone model with its distinct styling and flowing lines. Also, the car maker added the 4-door hardtop and 4-door sedan to the existing 2-door lineups.
12 Flight To The Top
In those early days, it was love at first sight for consumers and the Impala rode on a fast-track to fame and popularity. In 1960, almost half a million units of the car were produced, in its different variants, to satisfy the growing public demand and till date, it is Chevrolet’s top-selling model, with almost 17 million units sold.
11 The Muscle Car Heritage
The Impala was one of the cars that kick-started the muscle car craze that swept through the automotive world and persists even today. The particular model was the 1961 Chevrolet Impala SS 409, a V8 engine powered model that put out about 360hp; this was a significant number then and the ’61 Impala SS had several modifications that enabled it to put all that power on the road.
10 The Model That Won’t Go Away
First introduced more than 60 years ago, the Impala has proven to be a resilient model, one that has survived attempts to cut it off from Chevy’s product lineup. It has been discontinued on more than one occasion, only for Chevrolet to revive the model name and reintroduce it into the market. It’s not so much of a surprise though, given how successful the car has proven to be.
9 Bumpy Roads
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the Impala. In 1968, it was again Chevy’s best-selling model but shortly after this period, sales took a hit. This was partly a result of unappealing design changes and the oil crisis that swept through the automotive industry in the early ‘70s. Options like the Impala wagon and the Super Sport were axed during this period.
8 Regulation-Enforced Changes
In order to keep up with stiffer regulations in the early ‘80s, Chevy introduced some significant under-the-body changes instead of the usual styling tweaks and headlight redesign. A special Computer Command Control system was introduced to keep emissions within acceptable limits and a new 4-speed automatic transmission helped improve fuel economy to 26mpg.
7 Out Of Steam, Out Of Gas
By 1982, the Impalas were no longer as popular as they once were and they had lost ground to the ‘pony’ cars, symbolic of that era. Low sales forced Chevrolet to end production of the sport coupe, leaving the Caprice – introduced as a top-end Impala model – as the only full-size sport coupe left standing in the lineup. By 1986, the Impala had faded completely from view and would not return for several years.
6 Into The Modern Era
At the 1992 Los Angeles Auto Show, GM reintroduced the Impala, then as an Impala SS Concept. Production began in 1994 with a 260-horsepower V8 engine model that was met with lukewarm reception. One of the complaints was that the engine was only mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission; with the gear-shifter located on the steering column.
5 False Hope
The reintroduction of the Impala in 1994 proved to be a false glimmer of hope on the horizon. A lot had changed in the automotive world and the Impala struggled to gain market share in a congested space. Two years later, the model was discontinued again and moved off the production line.
4 Big Changes In The Twentieth Century
This time, the Impala was gone for 4 years before it reappeared in 2000 to replace the Lumina, an out-going model that didn’t have many fans. For the first time in its history, the Impala switched to front-wheel-drive set-up. It also ditched the V8 engine from its line-up and focused instead on V6 offerings.
3 Reemergence Of The SS Impala
In 2004, Chevy decided to expand the existing lineup by bringing back the much-loved SS Impala. This time looking quite evolved from the Super Sport models of the early days. Horsepower output was bumped up to 240hp, from 200hp, and a stiffer suspension setup made for a sportier handling experience. The engine remained a V6 though.
2 Anniversary Edition
2008 marked half a century of one of the most iconic Chevy names and GM decided to celebrate by launching a 50th Anniversary Impala Edition. The car was equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 flex-fuel engine and also came with features like anti-lock brakes, 18-inch wheels, 2-tone leather seats, and a spoiler. The anniversary badge was also fixed to several places on the car.
1 The Impala Today
In February 2020, the last Impala rolled off the production line as GM drew the curtain yet again on the model. The Impala has proven to be one of the most resilient Chevy cars but that was not enough to save it as it joins 4 other vehicles scrapped by GM within the last 2 years. Don’t write it off yet though. If the past is any indication, the flying antelope logo may just reappear somewhere in the future.