Chevelle is the wrong name for it.

......and for what it's worth? The car is breathtaking

 

Impala sounds like the correct name for a car like that.

 

Bel Air?

The biggest thing is...what happens to the FWD Impala if it is still being made? Impala and Impala Classic?

 

Isnt the new Malibu supposed to be everything to everybody ?

Man , I cant wait to see Chevrolet a couple years from now

 

I thought the Impala was like the 8th best selling nameplate? Is this a good move to switch all those buyers over to the Malibu while the Impala gets all the flashy, I-like-my-RWD people?
Not that I'm against heritage inspired cars rather than these Honda jellybeans we have now.

 

if we think of the "Impala" as just a name, would it be possible to have "Impala" on both a FWD and RWD platforms? The VIN will obviously identify the architecture, but have models that will separate out the FWD from RWD. Maybe have some similarity in the way they look on both architecture. The LT, LTZ can remain on the FWD with V6, and come up with model names for the RWD platform. If the 2 cars are similar in looks, then you won't need a V6 in the RWD platform, nor a V8 in the FWD lineup.

 

Car tease!

 

About the only other thing that might fit is Belair.... oh wait.... nevermind.


As for what will happen to current Impala customers, consider what could happen to cost of manufacture and volume if (using an out of thin air number) you could round up 100% of Malibu buyers and say 60% of current Impala buyers and put them into a single great looking FWD model?

Chevrolet would be making alot of money, and potentially challenge Toyota for best selling car.

(As for the a new RWD Chevy sedan, if it pulled 2/5 of it's sales from current Impala buyers, and the rest from other barnds, Chevy would increase in overall size by conquest sales.

Though the numbers are out of my neather reagion's, Im guessing this is the gameplan.

 

I have no facts to fall back on, but I always understood that one of the killers of the station wagon (and to some extent large cars in general) was the CAFE standards that auto makers had to meet. Since SUVs (and mini-vans) were classified as "trucks" their (poor) mileage did not count against the overall passenger car average. The "family truckster" station wagons that were a mainstay for families for years were mileage killers for the industry and had to be phased out to keep the averages up.

Now that the engine and fuel management technology has improved to allow for reliable DOD (or whatever each company calls it) larger cars can be produced with enough power to be useful and get more reasonable mileage.

As for the possibility of a new "breathtaking" Impala, I hope GM stick with inspirational design that really falls into the "gotta have it" catagory before the bean-counters get in the way!

Allen

 

Many wagons, like the Dodge Magnum for example, are classified as trucks.

 

Any guesses as to the current FWD Impala SSs yearly volume? That could likely be all (or most) movedover to the RWD models. Also what is the Charger's volume vs the last Intrepid?

 

Hmmm.... didn't know they had classed the new ones as trucks. Wonder how they sold that based on the shared platform on their passenger cars??

I was referring to the old "classic" station wagons like the ones the old Caprice and Crown Vics.

As I said, I have no factual reference for this. I had heard this years ago and it seemed plausable....

Allen

 

I think it's the way they calculate cargo carrying ability.

 

I thought it was the fold down rear seats.

 

Bottom line is a new Impala with RWD/AWD, classic lines instead of import following and some V8 power......

Gives me a chubby!

Allen