Cars - Chevrolet Impala

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	Cars - Chevrolet Impala

The Chevrolet Impala is an automobile developed and built by the Chevrolet car division of General Motors. Ed Cole, Chevrolet's chief engineer in the late 1950s, defined the Impala as a "prestige car within the reach of the average American citizen."

Pre-1958

The Impala was originally a Corvette-based prototype car in the early to mid-1950s. Many Chevrolet models originated as Corvette-based experiments; examples include the Corvair and Nomad. The Impala originated as a sports coupe, and was the least Corvette-like of the few because it wasn't introduced with the originals.

1958–1972

The Impala was introduced in 1958 as a new up-level, sporty trim package created for Bel Air coupes and convertibles. Unique to the model were its six taillights, a classic styling cue that became its trademark. It was named for a southern African antelope. The Impala became a separate model in 1959 in both two and four-door versions and became the best selling car in the Chevrolet product line. For 1960, it became the best-selling automobile in the United States and held that position for the next decade. From 1958 until 1996, Impala sales were in excess of 13 million units, more than any other full-size car in the history of the automobile. In 1965, the Impala set an all-time industry annual sales record of more than 1 million units, which has never been bettered.

In 1965, Chevrolet introduced the Impala Caprice. Beginning with the four-door hardtop sedan body, Impala Caprice's received unique upholstery, wood grained accents on the dash board and specialty pulls on the insides of the doors. A one year model, the Impala Caprice was reintroduced as the Chevrolet Caprice in 1966, taking the top position in the Chevrolet lineup. The Impala however, remained Chevrolet's top-selling model until late 1970s. During the 1969 model year, for example, Impala production topped Caprice production by 611,000 units.

The 1971 redesign introduced the largest Impala. The Impala's chassis would not be this extensively changed again until the introduction of the 2000 Impala. The Impala would remain Chevrolet's best-selling model until 1977.

Impala SS

The Impala is often credited with starting the muscle car era. In the 1960s, gasoline was cheap and consumer demand for power exceeded the need for efficiency. Buyers were clamoring for as much room, performance, amenities and quality as they could get for their dollars. In 1961, the first true muscle car was introduced with the Impala SS (Super Sport). The SS badge was to become Chevrolet's signature of performance on many models, though it has often been an appearance package only. The Impala's SS package in 1961 was truly a performance package, beginning with the high-performance 348 in³ (5.7 L) engines (available with 305, 340, and 350 hp (230, 255 and 260 kW)) or the new 409 in³ (6.7 L). The package also inclued upgraded tires on station wagon wheels, springs, shocks and special sintered metallic brake linings. Starting in 1962, the Impala SS could be had with any engine available in the Impala, right down to the 235 in³ 135 hp inline-6. From this point until 1969, the SS was an apearance package only, though the heavy-duty parts and big engines could still be ordered. The Impala SS could be identified by SS emblems on the rear fenders and trunk lid. The Impala SS became its own series (separate model rather than an option package) for 1964. In 1968, the Impala SS once more became an option package rather than having its own model. In 1969, the Impala SS again became a performance option, coming only with a 427 in³V8 of 390 or 425 hp. This was the final year for the Impala SS until 1994.

1973–1985

The 1970s showed a change in the American view of the automobile. The impact of the 1973 energy crisis on the industry was dramatic. Gasoline prices doubled between 1973 and 1979. Industry car sales plummeted 20 percent between 1973 and 1974, and for the first time in recent history, annual passenger car travel in the U.S. actually went down. The Impala's sales dropped to 176,376 units in 1975, the weakest sales year since its introduction in 1959.

This change in the automobile market resulted in Chevrolet redesigning the Impala once again in 1977 to meet changing demands. The new Impalas were shorter in length, taller in stature and narrower. The Impala embodied the new image of the full-size American car — smaller, lighter, more efficient. Even with its trimmer dimensions, the new Impala featured increased headroom, legroom and trunk space. Production of the downsized model increased substantially versus 1976, and the full-size Chevrolet regained the number one US sales position.

Engines:

1978–1985 350 5.7 L (350 in³) V8
1985 4.3 L (262 in³) V6

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Chevrolet Impala ]

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Cars - Chevrolet Impala

Pre-1958

1958–1972

Impala SS

1973–1985

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