Damn it! Every car needs a bench seat and column shift. That way you get very rare but completely worthless cars like an LS7 F5 with a benchseat and manual trans, that will be garge kept and lovingly restored then attmpeted to be sold for a gozillion dollars at Barret Jackson 2045.

 

Figure that Impala will be Commodore sized.

 

What is going to be Caprice/Statesman size?

 

Buick?

 

Nice and tidy without being the land barge it was with overhangs long enough to hide a small car. Although the Commodore to me is a "small" fullsize car, the long wheelbase would make for a car every bit as roomy inside than any of its predecessors including the 121.5 inch wheelbase models in the early to mid 70s. I'm OK with that although a WM sized Impala would not be so bad either even if it would be a more Buick appropriate model.

 

Nope, Statesman sized.

When Impala changes to Zeta, it's going to remain roughly the same exterior size as it is now.

Statesman is 5160mm long. That's 203". Current Impala is 200.4". Holden Commodore is 4894mm, or 192.5". The 2008 Malibu is about 190".

Statesman looks larger because it's wheelbase is a monsterous 118".

The Impala will essentially be a reskinned Statesman & made here. Buick will share the structure.

The Commodore will be sourced from Holden for Pontiac.

 

You sure about that?

 

for the record the 91-96 Caprice/ImpalaSS had a 115.9" wheelbase and was 214.1" long.

 

BTW-I'm still wondering if there is any chance that we may get a GM RWD (Or possibly AWD also?) V8 wagon out of this car?

 

Here's a vote for him being wrong

My old Cutlasses with their 203-205" lengths are great and all that, but they don't fit in my garage very well. I'd love it if they were 4" narrower and a foot shorter. They'd be so much easier to park (and lighter and more maneuverable, though that's not really the point on the old cars).

 

About Impala staying "roughly" the same size as it is currently (+/-203") and not shrinking to the size of a G6 sized Malibu (+/-190") ???

Yep.

 

Hows does the Camaro fit?

 

Much better. It is a couple of inches narrower and a foot shorter. Unfortunately, the doors are long, so it's still hard to get in and out of when a Cutlass is next to it.

Unfortunately, the Cutlasses both leak (one is a convertible and the other is a 4 door), so when winter hits and it starts raining, the 4 door goes inside and the Camaro comes outside.

I should sell the 4 door and get a 442, but that's another story...

 

Good to see we have a consensus - yep

Either way this new Impala stands to be the best in quite some time - driving the proper wheels no less - whether a bench seat is offered or not (had to get back on topic) - be it Commodore or Statesman based. Those long wheelbases and short overhangs should make for some very roomy interiors.

I love Camaros, but I also love the big car - a nice Impala can surely turn my head - and get the cash too. I wonder if there's any chance of a sneak peek around the corner or a concept at NAIAS - the MT artwork from a couple of months ago didn't strike me as all that appealing given the "based on mid 60s Impalas" rhetoric we've been hearing for a while now.

It will be tough I must admit - Commodore in Pontiac clothing or Statesman masquerading as a Impala - both much easier sells to a wife and kids where a new Camaro is also in your sights but not necessarily as family friendly. It will be nice to have multiple RWD choices again.

 

You've probally heard this before, but the size isn't important.

The real thing is that by all accounts, this Impala is going to be even better and have a far bigger impact than even the Malibu.