Giddy up 409???

I just saw the new Imapala SS commercial and the song they play for it is 'Giddy up 409'

I am just wondering why, its not as though it has a 409 in it. Would be nice if it did though:eek:

Just wondering what others though of this.

I think the commercial is cool, but referncing 409 is a slap in the face to the Beach Boys and Impala history....

A supercharged 3800 FWD sedan does NOT even come close to measuring up...its a sell out tactic :(

:rolleyes: I havnt seen it yet, I dont think I want to. Its bad enough to have the legendary Impala name on a front drive heartless car. But then slap the 409 heritage in the face with the car..:mad: :mad: Everything would have been just fine if they would have used a new name for the car. Ok, enough ranting for now...just hurry up and make the car v8rwd again:cry:

I had to LOL at that ridiculous commercial, but I was kinda pissed at the same time.

Yeesh.

It isn't like 409 Impalas were that impressive in the first place.

They were GROCERY GETTERS. Just like the current Impala. If you wanted to be fast you bought a Corvette.

The 409 was so bad that Zora Duntov wanted NO PART of installing them in Corvettes and FINALLY got his arm twisted to the point that he relented when the Rat first became available. The 409 was PIG HEAVY, didn't make much power, and didn't impress anyone... except the clowns that wrote the song.

The Hemi made it's reputation against the 409, along with Ford romping all over them.

Did you ever wonder why there is virtually ZERO performance aftermarket for these engines? Cause they were DOGS. Small block Corvettes ate 409 powered Impalas FOR LUNCH.

Give 'em a break and enjoy the commercial.

If they screw up the Corvette or Camaro we can be pissed, but the Impala has ALWAYS been grandpa's/mom's putzing around car. Even though the "SS" models dressed it up a bit for intermittant periods, and I personally LOVE the 1994-1996 Impalas.

Originally posted by PacerX
Small block Corvettes ate 409 powered Impalas FOR LUNCH.


Well, DUH! :) There's a 1000 lb difference between the two.

Say what you will about the 409 (it was basically a truck motor that was punched out as a stop-gap measure to get GM into the racing scene), but it's an interesting piece of GM history. Some of those '64s that came out of the back doors at GM were pretty neat cars.

I'm not so annoyed by the use of the Beach Boys 409 song. It's the driver in the commercial that really annoys me.

Doesn't he know how fast he's going?
Does he know that his fancy Impala SS comes with a speedometer?
Does he know how to use a speedometer?
Did he poop in his pants when he saw the police car?

What is the message to consumers here?

Originally posted by Z284ever
I'm not so annoyed by the use of the Beach Boys 409 song. It's the driver in the commercial that really annoys me.

Doesn't he know how fast he's going?
Does he know that his fancy Impala SS comes with a speedometer?
Does he know how to use a speedometer?
Did he poop in his pance when he saw the police car?

What is the message to consumers here?

heheheh :lol:

Ya, I had to think this one out a bit too... :think:

I guess the idea is that you get so wrapped up in the driving experience of the car that you may not pay attention to how fast you are going... or he thinks his car is a cop magnet and is worried or something? :confused:

Originally posted by Darth Xed

I guess the idea is that you get so wrapped up in the driving experience of the car that you may not pay attention to how fast you are going... or he thinks his car is a cop magnet and is worried or something? :confused:

Yeah, I'm sure that's the message they think they're getting out.

Chevy needs a new ad agency, really bad!

"Say what you will about the 409 (it was basically a truck motor that was punched out as a stop-gap measure to get GM into the racing scene), but it's an interesting piece of GM history. Some of those '64s that came out of the back doors at GM were pretty neat cars."

We agree.

Neat? Yes.

Interesting? Yes.

Great cars? I love 'em. They're absolutely beautiful, and the 1996 Impala SS is on my "short list" of cars I need to own some day.

Fast? No.

Originally posted by Z284ever
Yeah, I'm sure that's the message they think they're getting out.

Chevy needs a new ad agency, really bad!

Actually... I have sort of liked the current ads using songs with Chevy referenced in them... this is the first one that is a head scratcher to me.

Still waiting for the "Bitchin' Camaro" one though...

I don't know....none of those ads makes me feel that I should buy a Chevy because it's a great car .

They've tried every tie in except that.

Lemme see...

Buy a Chevy....they are mentioned in some songs.

Buy an Impala.....

*the Maytag repair men like it.

* if you are a rent-a-cop, it will keep up with robbers in an old beat up Alfa Romeo 164 (yeah right!) This one actually made me want to go out and buy an old Alfa.

* because even wimpy nimrods can own them (Impala SS)

Buy a Monte Carlo.....

* Because it's brakes are so responsive...you can make your dorky friend spill his coffe at a stop light while listening to music.



Compare these ads to any Nissan/Mazda/ VW/Honda ads.



FIRE THE AD AGENCY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did you also notice the cop car was an impalla, Or at least had impalla taillights. (I dont remember what it had for a grill.)

Originally posted by jawzforlife
Did you also notice the cop car was an impalla, Or at least had impalla taillights. (I dont remember what it had for a grill.)

Actually, the cop car was a 91+ Caprice. :)

Originally posted by Darth Xed
Actually, the cop car was a 91+ Caprice. :)

I could swear there wasnt any chrome around the taillights though. (my dad has a 91 caprice) I guess I was too distracted by the lame song.

Think I could buy the cop car?

Originally posted by Z284ever
FIRE THE AD AGENCY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm entirely with you on this one. Their new ads are lacking.

My favorite GM commercial is the firebird at the stoplight ripping through an exotic. 5 years later, and that commercial is still on my mind. That's some good marketing right there, since not a single car commercial has had that kind of “pull” affect on me. Judging by that commercial alone, i wanted a firebird Trans Am ram air:D.

Originally posted by PacerX
Yeesh.

It isn't like 409 Impalas were that impressive in the first place.

They were GROCERY GETTERS. Just like the current Impala. If you wanted to be fast you bought a Corvette.


Some 409s had 425 hp. And actually, and couple of years ago Chevy High Performance ran something like low or mid 13s in an all original '62 409 4-speed Impala. If I'm not mistaken that's at least as quick as a '62 Corvette. :confused:

Actually, you can see the front of the police car in the commercial too.

Lol, "Bitchin Camaro" would be a great song.. But I don't think "got no insurance", "ran over some old lady", "doing donuts on your lawn", "with an Exxon credit card" would go over very well for the majority of the people out there.. The energetic mood of the song would do great while showing clips of a Camaro peeling out off stop signs leaving two healthy strips of rubber, zipping thru open roads, carving corners, and the "sliding oversteer with tons of smoke shot" - but instead of doing it on a dusty desert plain, do it on a nice flat dry blacktop with bleachsoaked tires pouring smoke out of the wheel wells. ;)


I can see getting away with showing it in the movie theaters in the previews before a rated R movie ( if your old enough to see people shot up and killed in a movie, I'd think the comericial wuoldn't be offensive for that group )

The Impala has always been Chevrolet's bread and butter affordable family sedan, and still is. Not many people hate the Grand Prix oor Regal for being Supercharged and FWD...I don't understand all the hatred for new Impala SS. It performs probly just as well as any factory big block Imapala ever did.

NEWSFLASH-This just in, there are NO affordable RWD family sedans they are all FWD...

Think Chrysler's LX cars will be affordable...well you are mistaken...they are moving upscale in the $30+ area. The Stratus and Sebring will be getting larger and taking the market now held by the LH cars.

Also GM plans on keeping a family sedan round like the Impala (possibly still named that) because the new RWD cars will cost too much to be a bread and butter family sedan.



I swear GM can do no right in some peoples eyes.

Honda makes a 240 HP Accord every one is :D

GM makes a 240 HP Impala and everyone is :mad: and swearing GM off.

Last time I checked you want a RWD performance sedan you were looking at something German and expensive.

Originally posted by formula79
The Impala has always been Chevrolet's bread and butter affordable family sedan, and still is. Not many people hate the Grand Prix oor Regal for being Supercharged and FWD...I don't understand all the hatred for new Impala SS. It performs probly just as well as any factory big block Imapala ever did.



Agreed, agreed, agreed.

I just think the car is fine (real fine...my four.....), it's the commercial that I find lame.

When I saw the commercial I felt like throing something at the TV.
Originally posted by formula79
Last time I checked you want a RWD performance sedan you were looking at something German and expensive.
Yeah, and WHY exactly is that?



Because GM killed off the cars that the enthusiast, BowTie lovers wanted.. And now they're trying to force feed them FWD 6 banger replacements packaged and marketed as if they are throwback "Super Sports".

The SS means so much more than just an acceptable time slip. "Well, this new car is just about as fast as the original"

It's still not an SS. Call it an LS or some other trim designation that won't slap people in the face.

Originally posted by kick Z tail out
When I saw the commercial I felt like throing something at the TV.

Yeah, and WHY exactly is that?



Because GM killed off the cars that the enthusiast, BowTie lovers wanted.. And now they're trying to force feed them FWD 6 banger replacements packaged and marketed as if they are throwback "Super Sports".

The SS means so much more than just an acceptable time slip. "Well, this new car is just about as fast as the original"

It's still not an SS. Call it an LS or some other trim designation that won't slap people in the face.


Yeah GM killed every RWD car made by an American manufacturer?:rolleyes:

People don't realize you average buyer thinks FWD is better than RWD. Talk to any woman or non automotive fanatic and they tell you how horrible thier 197X [insert american car's name here} was in the rain or snow and how much better thier new FWD sedan is.

RWD is great for enthusiasts, but to sell it to the Accord, Camry, and Impala market just won;t work. Not after the auto industry spent the last 20 years force feeding america that they needed RWD.

For the record there were plenty of straight 6, three on the tree Impala SS's made. SS was meant to be the enthusiast minded trim level of Chevrolet essentially. Saying that just because 30 years ago all SS's were RWD so they should be now is assenine. 95% of teh cars made 30 years ago were RWD. Now that has reversed, 95% of the cars made are FWD, and IMO a 240 HP Impala SS or 200 HP Cavlaier is just as worthy as a 100 HP straight six powered sixtys Impala of the "fabled" SS badge.

Originally posted by formula79
Yeah GM killed every RWD car made by an American manufacturer?:rolleyes:
Did I say that? :rolleyes:

FYI: Ford still has RWD cars. That's why they're kicking ass in the LE market, and GM is sitting there trying to sell the Tahoe to fill the 9C1s shoes.

There were no 6 cylinder "SS" Impalas until now. Please, don't tell me you fall for every rebadged "I6 3 on the tree SS" Impala you see with a For Sale sign on it...

BTW: "Sport Coupe" does not = SS

I think the Impala SS will aquit itself nicely in the performance arena, especially when compared to the mid 90s Impala SS.

I think if it were simply RWD, it would have a warmer reception. I always like the idea of adding more power, and the engine has the same torque and the car's within 30 pounds of the GTP. Guess that means the car should be at least as quick (assuming it has the same axle ratio).

Translation: Where the '96 Impala ran about 7 seconds flat to 60 and mid 15 quarters, the new one should do mid 6s to 60, and the quarter at about 15 flat, based on the GTP.

Not too shabby. It's FWD, but still not shabby.

Originally posted by kick Z tail out
Did I say that? :rolleyes:

FYI: Ford still has RWD cars. That's why they're kicking ass in the LE market, and GM is sitting there trying to sell the Tahoe to fill the 9C1s shoes.

There were no 6 cylinder "SS" Impalas until now. Please, don't tell me you fall for every rebadged "I6 3 on the tree SS" Impala you see with a For Sale sign on it...

BTW: "Sport Coupe" does not = SS

Yup kicking ass...departments are threatning to stop buying them cuz they explode...

Originally posted by guionM
I think the Impala SS will aquit itself nicely in the performance arena, especially when compared to the mid 90s Impala SS.




Not only that...but the S/C 3800 already has a highly developed aftermarket and enthusiast following.

Mark my words: This time next year....13sec. Impala SS's will be commonplace.

Originally posted by formula79
Yup kicking ass...departments are threatning to stop buying them cuz they explode...
These are the departments in your head, right? :lol:

There were no 6 cylinder "SS" Impalas until now. Please, don't tell me you fall for every rebadged "I6 3 on the tree SS" Impala you see with a For Sale sign on it...

[/B]


Actually, the SS package was a trim option on the first Impalas. It could be combined with any engine (except during 61), including the inline 6...although it was fairly rare.

Some of the top engines in Impalas could almost equal the Vette in 1/4 mile times. The 63-64 409 made 425 hp.

Heres my 425hp engine going in my 64 this summer:
www.members.aol.com/mdewb409/dscf0038.jpg

If the new Impala was either rwd, or not called Impala, I think most of the complaints would stop.

Originally posted by kick Z tail out
These are the departments in your head, right? :lol:

You mean like the Dallas, Texas police department?

http://www.detnews.com/2003/autosinsider/0306/02/b01-178659.htm

Originally posted by kick Z tail out
These are the departments in your head, right? :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I don't remember the exact quote, but it's been said that the CV's chance of catching fire is no higher than the caprice's (sp?).

Originally posted by RiceEating5.0
:lol: :lol: :lol:

I don't remember the exact quote, but it's been said that the CV's chance of catching fire is no higher than the caprice's (sp?).

I have seen no facts on this...

CV's are also having trouble in AZ and a few other states....

Also of note...the Impala is gaining Police sales rapidly and as RP will gladlly point out, thier average maintence costs are lower than the CV.

I also remember reading a C&D article a few years back that the Impala was as fast or slighly faster than a CV in full Police trim. That was before they got the power boost they had a few years ago. If GM decided to offer the supercharged engine in the PI Impala though it could be a whole new game.

And 2007 when a the small block powered, large Chevy sedan fuggetabout it.

Sure you can say... "Oh 2007, big deal!', but I a feeling Ford will still be offering pretty much the same CV in 2007 they are now. Ecpecially considering they just got a freashning.

Originally posted by IMPALA64
Actually, the SS package was a trim option on the first Impalas. It could be combined with any engine (except during 61), including the inline 6...although it was fairly rare.

Some of the top engines in Impalas could almost equal the Vette in 1/4 mile times. The 63-64 409 made 425 hp.

Heres my 425hp engine going in my 64 this summer:
www.members.aol.com/mdewb409/dscf0038.jpg

If the new Impala was either rwd, or not called Impala, I think most of the complaints would stop.

Kick Z :Owned:

Originally posted by formula79
I have seen no facts on this...


I do know one thing the old B-body weighed more and had alot more metal in the rear than a CV does. It is actually very similar to Guion's comparison of the F-body and Mustang in terms of how solid the F-body was. GM cars in general seem to be heavier and use higher guage steel, ect then thier Ford Counterparts. When the local PD's around here witched from Caprices to B-bodies they had to send all thier cops back to a breif driving school because the CV is so much lighter in the rear it has vastly different driving dynamics.

CV's are also having trouble in AZ and a few other states....

Also of note...the Impala is gaining Police sales rapidly and as RP will gladlly point out, thier average maintence costs are lower than the CV.

I also remember reading a C&D article a few years back that the Impala was as fast or slighly faster than a CV in full Police trim. That was before they got the power boost they had a few years ago. If GM decided to offer the supercharged engine in the PI Impala though it could be a whole new game.

And 2007 when a the small block powered, large Chevy sedan fuggetabout it.

Sure you can say... "Oh 2007, big deal!', but I a feeling Ford will still be offering pretty much the same CV in 2007 they are now. Ecpecially considering they just got a freashning.

Not so sure on Crown Vic lasting 4 more years. At least half of Crown Vic sales go to law enforcement, and if this boycott catches on, there isn't enough public sector sales to keep CV going (since most all civilian "Panther" sedan buyers choose the Marquis instead of the CV).

The quicker Chevy rushes it's RWD sedan to market, the better methinks.

Originally posted by guionM
Not so sure on Crown Vic lasting 4 more years. At least half of Crown Vic sales go to law enforcement, and if this boycott catches on, there isn't enough public sector sales to keep CV going (since most all civilian "Panther" sedan buyers choose the Marquis instead of the CV).

The quicker Chevy rushes it's RWD sedan to market, the better methinks.

I always wondered why they don't dump the CV and just sell a police Grandpa Marquis? Also another question is what is it about the Grand Marquis that makes it appeal so much more than the CV to the civilian market?

Originally posted by formula79
Kick Z :Owned: me
You can say that again :D ;)

just another way GM is showing they dont have a clue. that is in bad taste IMO.:rolleyes: