Chevrolet Impala
The Chevy Impala, built by the Chevrolet division of the General Motors Corporation is one of the most successful models in the history of the automotive industry. It was introduced in 1958, and is still available today. The record of one million units sold in 1965 still stands, and the Impala regularly appears in the top ten vehicles sold in the United States.
Perhaps the most famous modern day Impala is that driven by the Winchester brothers on the TV show Supernatural. That is the 1967 model.
The Impala was introduced in 1958 at the start of an economic recession. The timing was impeccable with the Impala filling a niche in the market for a lower priced and economical car, relative to the times. It was a luxury car that still delivered performance. Ed Cole described the car as a "prestige car in the range of the average American citizen". It remained Chevrolets top priced model until the introduction of the Caprice in 1965, competing with the Ford galaxy and the Plymouth Fury.
The Impala set its mark with a distinctive six taillight set up that set it apart from other cars in styling. Its distinctive sporty appearance was popular. Initially it was not even a separate model, just a trim package available for the Bel Air. In 1959 it was introduced under its own banner, soon taking the number one spot in the Chevrolet sales line up.
From 1960 to 1970 it was the best selling car in America, selling over thirteen million cars. To keep this number one position Chevrolet continually redesigned and improved the Impala. Cosmetic and engine changes were made to keep the car up to date and give better performance. Safety features were introduced such as seat belts, collapsible steering wheels and side indicators.The cars were also made in a right hand drive form for export to the UK and Australia until 1969.
In 1971 the full body design became the largest car ever offered by General Motors. This model became unpopular with the onset of the energy crisis. During this period reliability and quality became a concern and the Impala sales fell, as did the sales of all cars. By 1977 Chevrolet had redesigned the Impala once again, introducing a smaller car with better fuel economy. The improved Impala rejuvenated sales and the Impala regained its number one position.
In 1980 some slight design modifications were made and the Impala continued to sell well as a bottom of the range car. In 1985 production was discontinued, except for the concept car the Impala SS.
The Impala name was reintroduced in 2000. In reality the recent models are not true to the original Impala name, rather they are using a successful name on the replacement of the Lumina model. The true Impala for car lovers is still the late sixties muscle car with its throaty roar.
The Impala is the best selling car of all time in the United States. The car stayed at the top of the market due to the responsiveness of the company to public demands with foresight and planning allowing for modifications that kept the car up to date.
