Spy Shots: 2008 Chevy Impala
by Erin Mays on Jun 5th 2006 at 8:06AM 
Behold... the 2008 Chevy Impala-- or at least, that's what The Car Connection thinks it is. The mystery vehicle in question sports round rear taillights, a grillw that looks suspiciously like the 2003 Chevy SS concept, and a long wheelbase. TCC makes a good case that the prototype is rear-wheel drive based on its similarity to the Zeta-based Holden Commodore that spy photographers shot tearing around GM's practice tracks. All of this follows the now-conventional wisdom that GM will swap driveline ends with the Impala, which in recent guises has been suffering the ill effects of torque-steer due to massive power increases.
Of course, it helps that with the increasingly common use of technologies like traction control and improved snow tires, rear-wheel drive has once again come into vogue (read: "Thanks, Chrysler 300!").
[Source: The Car Connection]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
JZeke 8:36AM (6/05/2006)
The site mentions "relatively short front and rear overhangs" but looking at the profile pic the front wheel still looks pretty close to the cabin.
If this truly was rwd, shouldnt that front wheel move farther out?
Either way, I hope its a rwd.
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JC Whitless 8:44AM (6/05/2006)
Other websites are calling this the Malibu, not the 'pala.
Either way though, the styling is bland at best. At least the recalls will be new and exciting!
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Mr. Phister 8:51AM (6/05/2006)
And the comments from dumbasses like JC Whitless will still keep coming. Prototypes never look great, but they're still better than Toyotas.
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gorglesmith 8:52AM (6/05/2006)
I have an 03 Impala. I love it.
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An American Consumer 8:54AM (6/05/2006)
JC Whitless,
Take your sorry ass somewhere else, like a damn rice parlor. Jerk!
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DarkKnight67 8:54AM (6/05/2006)
If you look closely, you can see the similarities to the current Impala's front end design -- inlets, grille, lamps. However, I'm not sold on that roofline or tail end.
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doug 8:55AM (6/05/2006)
Looks like the new Malibu to me. Side windows look like the Aura. Definitely FWD. Go to Cheers and Gears to see photos of the new Holden RWD car. looks nothing like this.
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me 9:09AM (6/05/2006)
Definitely FWD. Not even GM would build a RWD with such a huge front overhang.
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DJ 9:15AM (6/05/2006)
Side shots have a lot of Buick Lucerne in them. Maybe GM is simply rebadging that into the next Impala, which wouldn't be horrible.
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Blake 9:26AM (6/05/2006)
"grillw"?
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Nick 9:37AM (6/05/2006)
There is doubt that this is the next impala. Go to GMInsidenews.com ( http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32319 ) to see the discussion -- it looks as thought it might be the next Malibu rather than the upcoming Impala -- one of the insiders has the scoop.
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Howard Kerr 9:54AM (6/05/2006)
It's a toss-up, but these pix (at least to me) show a car with enough front overhang to be FWD. It also looks like it's the size of the Malibu, too. Since the current Malibu hit the showroom ahead of the current Impala, isn't it MORE likely to be replaced in '08?
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Corey W. 9:57AM (6/05/2006)
I wonder what happened with the Chevy SS, I thought it was a really good concept.
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ron 10:04AM (6/05/2006)
For Chevy's sake I hope it's the Malibu. That car needs some help! The current Malibu is one of the blandest looking cars out there. Nearly invisible! I'm not saying every car has to have knockout styling, but compared to some of GM's other world-wide offerings the Malibu has definately been short-changed in the looks department. Given the styling of the current Impala, a junior-Impala may not be a bad thing. After all, it seems to work for Benz, Caddy, BMW, and a host of other mfgs.
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pauln 10:13AM (6/05/2006)
Look at how close the front wheel is to the front door leading edge. FWD, not RWD, for sure.
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Jim 10:21AM (6/05/2006)
Definitely FWD
http://www.sbftech.com
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Bob 10:36AM (6/05/2006)
If Impala is goign RWD, then I could see the Malibu going larger to fill the gap for larger FWD cars. Since all new Malibu's will be built on the longer wheelbase version of the platform that is basically the Malibu Maxx's platform, this could definately be the next Malibu.
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Lithous 10:43AM (6/05/2006)
The front end looks like it has a small Cadillac grille. The rear looks like a Lucerne. Overall it reminds me of the Catera a bit.
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s 10:59AM (6/05/2006)
I seem a very striking resemblance to the Buick Lucerne.
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Stphane Dumas 11:01AM (6/05/2006)
speaking of the next Impala, someone caught the next Holden VE Commodore/Statesman, the body basis is the Zeta platform who'll be used for the next Impala as well as Buick and Pontiac in the open http://carpoint.ninemsn.com.au/car-review/1806797.aspx
http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32314
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