By all accounts, the Impala is going to have a bigger impact on the market than Camaro, yet very little is being talked about here.

Camaro is a downright stunning looking car. However, the Camaro is actually rediscovering a market segment that has always relyed on stunning looks to survive. The sporty coupe market, despite the ramblings of some, is heavily based on looks, not 0-60 performance. This is an extremely style conscious market in which cars typically have a life span of 3-5 years with a distinctive life cycle that goes from hot to mainstream to yesterday's news, then a new style comes out.


However.....
The family sedan market is completely different. People buy family sedans because of value, safety, quality, & dependability. NO ONE buys a Toyota Camry or Honda Accord rates styling as one of the top reasons they bought the car. It's the car's image and reputation that's sold the car. That's why GM (and other makers) have failed to steal back buyers despite the fact that current Malibus and Impalas are actually on par (and in many ways better) than competing foreign cars.

The way GM is going to compensate is by putting traffic stopping design on their upcoming bread & butter cars. 2 cars that are known to be stunning are the next "Impala" and the next "Malibu" (in quote because names might be repositioned).


The Impala is described by everyone I've talked to as beautiful. Unlike the non descript character lines on the current Impala and the swishes that look like afterthought on the Malibu, the next Impala has sculptured sides that resemble Impalas of the mid 60s. Circular lights (perhaps even "squished" like Camaro's) adorn the rear. The front end has what's being described as the "NEW" Chevrolet front end.


The next Impala is a full-size car.

Although there's no released or postable numbers, the Chevrolet "Zeta" had it's debut on the Camaro. The car's 76" width can be expected. About 3" wider than the current Impala and 2 wider than the Chrysler LX cars. Length isn't likely to be much longer than the current Impala's (and Chrysler 300's) 196". Wheels are pushed to the ends of the car. Some call it extreme. Also, the interior to front wheel distance can be altered in the Zeta. Chrysler's LX cars have a long 120" wheelbase (110 on the current Impala). I'd expect Impala to have something similar, with Camaro concept-like front & rear overhang.

Interestingly, simply adding a 10" longer mid-floorpan section between the wheebase of the 186" long, 110" wheelbase Chevrolet Camaro concept makes a car that is 196" long with a 120" wheelbase keeping Camaro concept's short overhangs... of course, keeping the 77" width (the 79" width in the press release was a misprint).


While the Camaro is visual candy, Impala is really the groundbreaker. It's going to be RWD, it's going to be on a somewhat revolutionary (and adaptable) chassis, it's not only going to be well made, but it's going to be drop-dead goregous by all accounts, it's going to be very quick (.....perhaps very very quick), and it's going to probally have a manual (that new automatic based RWD one that's described in another thread).

I don't know much about the next LX cars (due about the same time as the next Impala). But GM is SERIOUS about the Impala, and it seems that while Camaro is getting all the press, it's Impala that going to have the big impact.



BTW: speaking of Chrysler, they aren't sitting still. The LX cars will get a new interior for 2007 that is both better styled and supposedly closes any gap between imported cars.

 

So when can we see it? 2010?

 

Current plan is to close Osh 2 after the 2008 model run.

I suspect Osh 2 will be redone (6-8 months best guess) and start production in late 08 for the '09 model year, and Osh 1 will be idled.


One other item.

I fully well expect the new bigger Malibu to come out the same time as the new Impala, or even slightly before.

Much like Saturn is bringing out 4 vehicles within 12-18 months, it's shaping up that Chevrolet will have at least 3 entirely new models (Camaro, Malibu, and Impala and maybe even a new Monte Carlo) all well within a 2 year period.

It's becoming obvious that THIS is what Scott was refering to when he mused aloud on here that he was going to eventually have trouble fitting all the new models GM planned on his display.

 

Guy, the reason no one is talking about the Impy is that we haven't seen it. LA??

By the way, interesting to hear the the production Camaro won't be more narrow than the concept. It's a good idea IMO.

 

I just hope the name Impala stays. Because if it looks like an Impala, well, what else do you call it. Been waiting 10 years for a rear drive Impala.. I cant wait to see it!!

 

I have nothing to add to this thread, except to say that I am very interested.

IREngineer nailed it -- nobody is talking because we haven't seen it. Right now it's just a rumor, and it will continue to be that way at least until some spy shots are distributed.

*subscribe*

 

Pics would be nice, and I am very interested in seeing it also. Granted it doesn't have a high bar to leap over (the current 06+ Impys) though.

 

I can tell you this: NO one is referring to it as anything other than Impala.

 

I'm wondeirng, since this all based on the same platform, if GM is going to release the Camaro first, to test out the paltform and its common components in a model thats _relatively_ low in volumn, before they ramp out the "bread and butter" varients.

 

Can't wait to see it. Honestly its the truth though, the new Impala is probably way more important to GM than the new Camaro. Impala is a hot seller to a mainstream market and I can only imagine what will happen once it gets better looking and more power and proper configuration (RWD )

 

I used to have a 66 Impala Convertible as a daily driver in High School, and now I have a 94 Camaro. Believe me, I'm as excited to see the new Impala as I was before I saw the Camaro concept. Now if I can just get these stupid college degrees done so I can afford one in a few years...

 

Sweeeeeeeet!

 

yeah i can see the new Impala being much more important for the future of Chevy than the Camaro.. i too have been looking forward to seeing it, and reading every tidbit i can on the car..

of course, until we can actually see the car.. the buzz will not be very big

 

I am wondering about Willmington, DE. We know the current Kappa cars won't fill it at all. I have a gut feeling but it is really out there.

Didn't GM make a poll on the GMfastlane blog about a compact RWD car series?

 

Sure did. Quite a few of us have been thinking along these lines lately.