2008 Chevrolet Impala 50th Anniversary Edition
A front-drive V-6 Impala to recall glory days of the past.

BY JAKE HOLMES, Car and Driver December 2007

The Impalas of today are a far cry from their rear-wheel-drive forebears such as the first stand-alone 1959 model with a 355-hp, 348-cubic-inch V-8 or even the 1961 “SS” model that tore up drag strips with a 409-inch V-8 that inspired the Beach Boys’ song “409.” Gone, too, are the coupe and convertible models that used to fill Chevy dealerships.

But in a wave of nostalgia, Chevy plans to introduce the Impala 50th Anniversary Edition at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January.

The anniversary model uses the same 3.5-liter V-6 and four-speed automatic of the regular Impala LT on which it’s based. But with only 211 horsepower powering the front wheels, there’s little similarity to Impalas of yore.

That didn’t stop Chevrolet from increasing the sporting factor. The anniversary model gets anti-lock brakes (they’re only optional on the LT) and the FE3 sport suspension normally reserved for the Impala SS. A trunk spoiler and 18-inch chrome wheels add to the sporting image.

It’ll be hard to miss these anniversary Impalas with all their nostalgic touches. The doorsill plates, the C-pillars, and the front headrests wear “50th Anniversary” badges. The car also gets two-tone leather seats and ebony carpeting and floor mats.

So, essentially, aside from an eight-way power driver’s seat and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, this special Impala is an LT with some extra options.

The 50th Anniversary model will go on sale this spring, a last hurrah of sorts before the next-gen Impala potentially shifts to GM’s Zeta global rear-wheel-drive architecture, a move that has been in question following program delays over concerns about new fuel-economy and emissions standards.