 The Chevrolet Impala often topped the full-size Chevy line. Here is a 1961 model. See more pictures of the Chevrolet Impala. |
The Chevrolet Impala is one of America's most-enduring automotive nameplates. In this article, you'll learn about the genesis and evolution of this iconic badge and why it outlasted so many others.
Impala was first used for the 1958 model year to denote the Chevrolet Bel Air Impala, Chevy's new top-of-the-line model.
The original Impala gussied up the Chevrolet Bel Air with more trim and more chrome. It came as a two-door hardtop and was the only full-size Chevy model to offer a convertible body style for 1958.
Impala continued to identify the top-of-the-line big Chevy until 1966, when General Motors' best-selling brand jumped aboard the "personal luxury" bandwagon by gilding the Impala to create the even-plusher Chevrolet Caprice.
As you'll see in this article, the Impala floated around a bit within the hierarchy of Chevy nameplates. It rested comfortably just below the Caprice until 1976, when Chevrolet used the once line-topping nameplate to identify the entry-level big Chevy model.
Fittingly, however, the resurrected Impala name flourished in 1994 when Chevrolet created a Corvette-powered full-size muscle car under the Impala SS banner.
Explore the pages of this article and learn about the Impala's evolution as well as its revival. Also, check out our article on the Chevrolet Caprice to discover more about the lineup that produced the Chevrolet Impala SS.
 The Chevrolet Impala SS of the 1990s recalled the model's high-performance legacy. |
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