I can easily see where a RWD Impala might be a questionable business proposition. The current FWD Impala's sales had to be restricted to 250,000 annually. Even if 60% end up in rental fleets, that restricted number still means over 100,000 end up in retail customers hands.

Outside of performance and law enforcement, a RWD Impala doesn't make sense.

Sure, I'd like to see one as much as anyone. But if I were in Bob Lutz's position, and I was entrusted to allocate resources for new preoducts to where it will do the most good, and be of the most needed, I'd have to ask does Chevrolet really need a RWD Impala when the current formula is working stunningly well?

A sports RWD sedan of that size is almost mandatory at Pontiac. It's a requirement at Buick. And Cadillac will actually be worse off without it. But being the the Police market is relatively small.. too small for a devoted new car line, Pontiac's DNA includes a V8 powered sports sedan, and Buick can easily contain a RWD "near" luxury, it becomes a tough sell.

IF there is a RWD Chevy sedan in the future, I can see it as a Caprice. But I haven't believed that it would be called Impala since I saw the sales figures of the current version.

 

GM had a large FWD sedan and killed it due to lack of sales (Bonnieville). The Malibu just doesnt cut it for the big people out there, myself included. The Grand Prix is as small of a car that I can fit into. A FWD Bonny sized Impala would sell if it wasnt up near $36000 (GXP).

 

The Malibu is bigger than it looks though. I had a much easier time climbing into one than I do with my son's A4.

 

I thought that Buick was staying FWD in the U.S.?

I.e. Lexus RX, ES, and ES+ models

Has that changed? I know about the Holden Buick in China, but I thought that was China-only....

Maybe Buick will also have an LS competitor?

 

Comparing any such proposed new car to the Bonneville simply isn't fair. Bonneville didn't sell not because of its configuration, it didn't sell because it was an awful car, period. Ask Guy.

 

Its a fair point that large car sales are nothing to write home about -- Ford Taurus/500, Nissan Maxima, Buick Lucerne

 

True, but to be a full-line marketer (as GM has said Chevy will be) can you NOT have a full-size offering? And if not, then why not a RWD full-size car? If it is not expected to be a high-volume model (Malibu is to take this position) then build a nice, big, rear-drive sedan that the big, fat retiring baby-boomers can be comfortable in. And then stick an optional diesel in there (in addition to gas V6 and, possibly V8) to get acceptable mileage.

 

500 is slow and boring, Maxima is cannibalized by cheaper Altima and Lucerne, well I would say it does as well as expected.

Personally what I want to know is what the hints about the Impala name mean? The Lambda Malibu is the same size and W-body is on the way out... So what are they going to do, make the Malibu the Impala and create a larger FWD Caprice, that doesen't make any sense to me...

I can understand the decision to kill a Zeta Impala, G8 and DTS should cover 60% of the large RWD market, both will be at a higher price point then Impala, yes, but if market forces are pushing Impala past it's target price then I don't see what difference it makes.

 

I'd love to see a small diesel in the balt.

 

They somehow have managed since 1996. The W was stretched out, but its not really "large".

I'm not really arguing against the idea, just that by recent historical standards the Malibu is quite big enough for most people so a large-sized Impala isn't going to sell in enormous numbers whichever wheel drive.

OTOH, it provides a SUV-alternative and a police/government car and it keeps the nameplate alive if GM decides to downsize their lineup to meet CAFE.

 

So GM dumped $1 bil into a global RWD platform, Zeta, and put a handful of Holden-built cars and the Camaro on it?


2+2 <> 4, there has to be more to the story.

 

The G8 is a great machine. I hope it sells there in good numbers but GM's best bet (due to unfavorable exchange rate) in reaching the masses is to build a RWD VE-based car.

I'm hoping the axe doesn't fall. There's just so many great opportunities out there with Zeta and future derivations thereof.

 

The irony here for me is that GM wanted to base it's "little" ponycar on a fullsized sedan architecture in order to spread costs. The Zeta Impala would have been a huge cornerstone of this cost sharing strategy.

So, no sedan to share costs with - but the baggage of being based off of a two ton sedan.

 

Hey, if Hyundai can design, build and sell a large, rear-drive sedan (Genesis), why can't Chevy?

 

Good question...