Older American RWD cars (a category your Impala falls into) had lots of front and rear overhang. Minimal front overhang on RWD started in Europe and spread.

The other difference between FWD and RWD is distance from front axle to passenger compartment. It's greater with RWD.

 

Those B-bodies were probably the most extreme case of overhang.

I don't think it's front versus rear wheel drive, just that modern car design pushes the wheels out to the corners to maximize passenger space over the hood/trunk. Look at the 300C for example.

 

guionM, do you know when are we going to see Chrysler's redesigned LX cars???

 

Couldn't some of the drivetrain and chassis engineering already developed for the new Camaro be used in another RWD platform? Your company's own research seems to indicate that such a car would not be a big seller- why not have both versions available, FWD and RWD- sort of an economy line or a luxury/performance line? There is a small but dependable segment of the buying public that want such a vehicle, and will buy elsewhere if need be- whether at the Ford/Mercury store, re-furbed, or an SUV- which sort of knocks down the CAFE numbers if the truck/utility vehicle mileage numbers end up being included-

What about fleet markets? Taxi, rental, police and municipal? GM gave these markets away when they had a vehicle that was stellar- on paid-for tooling, already designed and running. I know Arlington plant went to truck production, but I would have to say that this may have been short-sighted on management's part- nice to make money on one segment of the market, by cannibalizing another part-

I don't know- I realize that the market is shrinking, and the government is stacking the playing field against big vehicles, but there is a consistent section there that GM continues to give to Ford, and now Chrysler- the POMS market- not high volume, but steady, and much like other low-volume lines that are flagships, such as corvette or camaro, a fleet vehicle is a rolling billboard that shows there are still people who believe in your product.

 

I agree with most of your post. As much as I like the B-bodies, the Arlington plant probably made a lot larger profit from the Tahoes, Denalis and Escalades it has built there over the past 12 years than it would have if it continued to make full-size cars.