Chevrolet Impala

The Chevrolet Impala is a car developed and built by division Chevrolet of General Motors. ED Stick, the chief engineer of Chevrolet towards the end of the year 1950, defined Impala as being a prestigious vehicle accessible to the average American citizen.

Before 1958

Impala was in the beginning a prototype emanating of the Corvette during the beginning of the year 1950 until half of the decade. Several models Chevrolet have as bases the Corvette, for example the Corvair and NOMAD. Impala seemed a half-compartment sport, and was the vehicle which resembled the Corvette less, because it had not been introduced with the original one.

1958 to 1972

Impala was introduced in 1958 like a sporting and short option of the cut and convertible Bel Air. The model was single owing to the fact that it had six back lights, a traditional style which quickly became its brand name. The name comes from the antelope African Impala. Impala became a true model in 1959 of versions two and four doors and is the vehicle became the best salesman of the mark Chevrolet. In 1960, Impala became the vehicle best sold in all the the United States and is remained during all the decade. Between 1958 to 1996, the sales of Impala exceeded the 13 million units, more than any other large vehicle in the history of the car. In 1965, Impala was sold to 1 million units, a record of auto industry.

In 1965, Chevrolet introduced the Chevrolet Impala Caprice. This version in option of Impala was a truck four doors which had single modifications, like one finished out of wood on the instrument panel and of the handles of special doors inside. The model will have lasted only one year because the Chevrolet Impala Caprice was introduced like independent model in 1966 under the name of Chevrolet Caprice, taking the pole position in the Chevrolet models. Impala is remained the vehicle more sold until worms the end of the year 1970, exceeding the sales of the Whim, as in 1969 for example when 611.000 Impala moreover than the Whim found taking.

Largest Impala is that which was introduced in 1971. Platform GM B was not changed until 2000 much. Impala is remained the vehicle more sold of all the Chevrolet range until 1977.

Impala S

It is not a secrecy for anybody, Impala began the era from the Muscle Bus (muscular vehicles). In the years 1960 in North America, the price of the gasoline was low and the consumers sought powerful vehicles and not economic gasoline vehicles. The purchasers asked space, performance, approval of control and for quality which them money could allow them. In 1961, the first true “muscle because” was presented with Impala S. The badge S (for Super Sport) was becoming the signature that Chevrolet put on all its high performance vehicles, even if in many cases the S were only esthetic options. The model Impala S 1961 was really a model of performance, by beginning with an engine 5,7 liters from 348 inches ³, available into 305,340 and 350 horsepowers or the engine 6,7 liters of 409 inches ³. The model S included/understood also special wheels, a better suspension, and other options sport. As from 1962 Impala S could be ordered with any engine of the Impala range, and until 1969 Impala S was a version sport only from the esthetic point of view, even if the options sports could be ordered. Impala S could be identified with the symbol S present on the back shock absorber and the cover of the bag. The inscription “Super Sport” was present on the wings close to the front doors during a few years. In 1964 and 1969 Impala S was a model distinct rather than an option from Impala. The year 1969 will have been the last year of Impala S until 1994.

1973 to 1985

Years 1970 saw a change of culture for the car in North America. The impact of the crisis of oil in 1973 on the motor-car industry was disastrous: prices of the gasoline having doubled between 1973 and 1979. The new sales of vehicle decreased by 20% between 1973 and 1974, and for the first time in the recent history, the average voyage by passenger dropped in the United States. The sales of Impala are gone down to 176.376 units in 1975, the lowest year since are introduction in 1959.

This market evolution of the car made so that Chevrolet redrew Impala in 1977 in order to create a new request. The Impala news was shorter, but higher and narrower. It énergétiquement borrowed the image of the new American “big car” - smaller, lighter and more effective. Even with its reduced dimensions, the Impala news offered more space for the head, the legs and in the back trunk. The production of the Impala news increased substantially compared with 1976 and Impala is become again the first in the sales of American vehicles.

Engines:

1978 to 1985: Chevrolet Small-Block 350,5,7 cubic liters, 350 inches, V8
1985: 4,3 cubic liters, 262 inches, V6

1994 to 1996

In 1991, platform GM B was redrawn, but it kept all the same the small gauge of the model 1977.

In 1994, Impala S returned on the market, two years after a vehicle concept of the same name presented to the media and the public. In fact, the vehicle concept had been so much received that the version put in production was practically identical, the only difference being the logo Chevrolet color chromium plates rather than red as on the concept.

Impala S 1994 was a more powerful version of the Caprice, and she is often regarded as one of the best vehicles ever built by the General Motors. From a mechanical point of view, Impala S used the option 9C1 Police Package (intended for the police vehicles) of the Whim as bases, with the result that Impala S was equipped with certain options hitherto available only for the government agencies and the police services. This included a suspension sport reforcée, a cooling system of the engine with great capacity, discs broader and more effective for the four brakes, a cooler with transmission, two tailpipes, a more powerful electric exit and other minor modifications. Other options, the external cooler oil-with-air and the made safe amounts, were reserved for the police force. However these “options” became popular at the owners of Impala S who obtained them retailers.

Impala S was equipped with a differential postpones 3.08 with limited slip and a suspension a lower inch. An engine reconfigured GM LT1 5,7 V8 liters was standard on all the models Impala S, delivering 260 horsepowers and 330 pounds of torque (couple). The great difference between the LT1 of Impala S and that of the Corvettes and Camaro was that of Impala was equipped with heads of cast iron iron cylinders instead of the aluminum, and of a camshaft drawn to obtain a power of high torque rather than for more horsepowers.

From a cosmetic point of view, Impala S had received a balance of coloring which helped to reduce the sometimes inflated effect of the Whim, a grid before equipped with only one bar without any ornament on the cap, a back aileron and, in 1994, an insert on the small back window which raised the Impala logo. It had aluminum hub caps brushed of 17 inches which supported some 255 mm very broad tires (Z-Rated Tires). Inside, the vehicle had a central console with support with cups (models 1994-1995) and a storage, leather seats decorated with the logo Impala S, and a wrapped leather wheel.

For the year 1994, Impala S was available only in black with a gray interior and 6.303 units were sold. In 1995, the colors “Dark Metallic Cherry” (red cherry metallized) and “Dark Grey Green Metallic” (gray metallized dark green) were added like options, and the panel of the small back window was modified to reflect the cosmetic efforts of the insert. 21.434 vehicles were sold in 1995. 1996 will have been the last year of production of this generation of Impala S and 41.941 units were sold. Some minor modifications were made this year, like the numerical speedometer which was replaced by an analog, in addition to one tachometer. The site of the gear shift lever passed from the column to the central console, and mechanically the vehicle used then the system of computer OBD-II.

The whole line of platforms GM B/D included/understood in addition to Impala and the Whim the Whim Coach, Buick Roadmaster and Cadillac Fleetwood, whereas the General Motors wished to use its factories to produce more commercial vehicles sports (SUV/VUS), more advantageous for the company. Another factor is that the Whim was the only one of all the cars of the platform B to being still sold in great number since the sales for the police vehicles had exceeded those of the standard vehicles of the platform. A majority of body of police force preferred then the Whim with the Ford Crown Victoria, even if ironically the latter were regarded as being surer at the time of control at high speed. Crown Victoria did not have a top speed as raised as the Whim 9C1, n the other hand it slowed down better and it was easier to operate.

Engines:

1994-1996: LT1 5,7 liters V8

2000

Impala reappeared in 2000 like intermediate model 4 doors in order to replace the Chevrolet Lumina. It was built in Oshawa, Ontario with the Canada. Contrary to its predecessors, this model was only available with a V6 engine. This vehicle was based on platform GM W. the news Impala S with superchargé a V6 engine appeared with the model 1994.

For the police services

With models 2000 the versions 9C1 Police Package (options appeared organizes) and 9C3 Undercover Police Package (options organizes standardized). These two models were available only for the police services and had much more success than their predecessors, Lumina 9C1. Engines:

2000: GM 3100 Engine 3,1 liters, V6
2000-2005: GM 3400 Engine LA1 3,4 liters V6
2000-2005: 3,8 liters V6 (option for the civil, standard vehicles on the 9C1 and the 9C3)

2006

The Chevrolet Impala 2006 was introduced in Los Angeles Auto Show (the exposure of cars of Los Angeles, California) in 2005. The basic engine is V6 producing 211 horsepowers.

The most remarkable innovation however remains the use of the model S of engine GM LS fourth V8 generation with small block (small block) on a front traction for the first time at Chevrolet. The new engine 5,3 V8 liters produces 303 horsepowers. One of the characteristics of the models S been driven by this engine is that it uses only four of the eight cylinders when the maximum power is not necessary, which allows a great saving in gasoline. Moreover, the version S of Impala 2006 seems to be the return of the “muscle because” in a more modern version, and it is sporting so much from the mechanical point of view than esthetic, the letters S being well at sight on the front doors and the center of the wheel.

As regards the Impala model as such, it is a completely redrawn version (as well inside as outside) which is offered in 2006. The logo of General Motors is affixed on the doors fronts, the Chevrolet logo of one is gilded very bright, like all the Chevrolet 2006. Criticisms covered with praises this new version of Impala, available in four versions (LS, LT, LTZ and S). Impala 2006 always uses platform GM W.

Engines:

3,5 liters VVT V6 211 horsepowers (model LS and LT)
3,5 liters VVT Bicarburation (gasoline-ethanol) V6 211 horsepowers (options LS and LT)
3,9 liters VVT V6 242 horsepowers (model LTZ)
5,3 V8 liters rolled with the request 303 horsepowers.

2009

With the closing of the factory of Oshawa envisaged in 2008, Chevrolet reported that the platform W will cease being used for Impala and that it will use new platform GM Zeta.

References

This is a translated version of the english language version of the article Chevrolet Impala, with some exception.

External bonds

Official site
AutoGuideWiki.com
Chevy Impala S At Muscle Because Facts - year-by-year history
RoadTests.com has - Chevrolet Impala

Random links: