Spy Shots: New Impala sighting?
UPDATE: It's been confirmed from about a half dozen sources that this is not the next Impala, which won't be on its way until the end of the decade and will likely be riding on a rear-wheel drive Zeta platform(!), but rather the next Malibu. Our friends at Winding Road have new spy photos of what appears to be the next Chevy Impala. The telltale bowtie is visible under the checkerboard tape on the car's nose, and the the body seems be the right size (Winding Road's photo gallery bears this out). The bold-looking grille recalls the 2003 SS Concept -- a good thing -- and round taillamps peek through the masking in back (though that doesn't necessarily mean that's what the final lamps will look like.) The car is even a confirmed front-driver that's likely riding on the General's veteran G-body platform, which is evident from the kinked C-pillar shared with the Buick Lucerne.
If this is indeed the new Impala, it looks like the General managed to inject some real style into the car's look.
Editor's note: The current Impala was refreshed for the 2006 model year, and despite its lack of stimulating style has enjoyed favorable reviews from critics and better-than-decent sales. Last month the current model sold 30,716 units, an 85.3-percent improvement over the prior year and enough to make it Chevy's best selling passenger car for the month over the econo-Cobalt. If these spy shots are of the next Impala, the current model may not be around much longer to enjoy its success.
[Source: Winding Road]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Nick 12:28PM (7/30/2006)
Is it just me, or do the pictures of the impala in the dust look like the rear wheels are providing the power?
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SKluck 12:29PM (7/30/2006)
Thank God. The current Honda-lite Impala (In fact Chevy's entire car lineup) is appalling. Appliance cars sell, but I wouldn't buy one.
This mule looks very good even with the zebra decals.
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Tommy 12:35PM (7/30/2006)
Maybe this is what Chevy needs, a 300C look alike that is FWD. They might as well make a hybrid while their at it.
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Beanspants1 12:45PM (7/30/2006)
the regular impala is a decent looking car. the SS is the one that looks absolutely ridiculous.
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iQuack 12:48PM (7/30/2006)
"Pontiac Lucerne?" That's what that article said!
Well, the Impala redo looks fine to me, so far.
There was a time when GM cars were the best-looking on the road and then GM blew it.
Maybe GM's best designers were hired away to import brand design studios in California. I'd heard years ago that head hunters called GM stylists in January or February when the weather in Detroit was horrible and flew them to La Jolla for job interviews. The best designers were hired away from Detroit--no surprise!
I hope GM recovers--some of their upcoming cars are encouraging. Saturn could be a major part of GM's recovery with an entire car line that's modern and competitive.
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I know things. 12:55PM (7/30/2006)
Its the Malibu. Impala is going RWD.
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starlightmica 1:19PM (7/30/2006)
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_16/b3980095.htm
iQuack, here are a couple:
Franz von Holzhausen: Pontiac Solstice & Saturn Sky, now Mazda Kabura (would be really ironic if he penned the next MX-5)
Joel Piaskowski: Buick Lucerne, now head of Hyundai design
Tom Kearns: Cadillac CTS, now chief of Kia design (Just last week, Kia also snagged Peter Schreyer from VW)
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justme 1:57PM (7/30/2006)
I don't they're off the Honda kick quite yet, this looks like a double-size Honda Civic to me.
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Chris 2:12PM (7/30/2006)
That's the 2008 Malibu, not the Impala. The next gen Impala is due about 2010 on the zeta platform.
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Arthur 2:26PM (7/30/2006)
I also think this is not the Impala. Just look at the C pillars. If it were the Impala there would be the trapezoidal shaped quarter windows that appeared on the last three Impala models. Even though that area is covered up, it does not appear on the other side as seen through the rear window. They really should tint the windows on these test mules.
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donald douglas 2:32PM (7/30/2006)
this is absolutely the 2008 malibu due to hit dealers late 2007 and is front wheel drive ! makes ya wonder if autoblog checks anything out ?????
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Tom 2:37PM (7/30/2006)
Exactly how retarded is GM? Would they really bring back the horizontal bar to the grille after they introduced it and then got rid of it on all their models?
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Steven T. 2:56PM (7/30/2006)
Judging from the links, this photo appears to be of a mule that has the front of a Chevy attached to a Buick Lucerne body (with crude circular taillights added).
Not sure what to draw from that. Might Chevy be contemplating a facelift of the current Impala? That wouldn't be out of the question at the two-year mark for a design.
I don't think this his the Malibu, because it looks too big. I suppose the theory that the Impala is going rear-wheel-drive is as good as any, and perhaps this mule's exterior was purposely used to hide such a configuration.
Whatever the context, I like the grille design much more than the current Impala's, which is entirely too generic.
I also hope that Chevy returns to using the two-circle taillights across the board rather than only with coupes. This is Chevy's single most iconic styling theme.
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Chris 3:33PM (7/30/2006)
"Judging from the links, this photo appears to be of a mule that has the front of a Chevy attached to a Buick Lucerne body (with crude circular taillights added)."
LOL...uh not quite, no. But you are right about the light clusters, they are not production at all.
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Howard Kerr 3:45PM (7/30/2006)
I would be more inclined to think this is a POSSIBLE replacement for the Malibu, also. The timing would be about right for a re-do, but what cinches it for me is the very short distance from the trailing edge of the front wheelwell to the leading edge of the front door. I haven't looked at a Lucerne or an Impala up close...but I have to believe they have a longer wheelbase and/or better packaging than this car seems to.
Sure, it's a big car, but look how big Toyota just took the new Camry/Avalon. Could GM/Chevy finally be getting close to having a CREDIBLE competitor to the Japanese "mid-sized" sedans?
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scott 3 3:51PM (7/30/2006)
This is the Malibu. It is near the same size as the present Impala since the sedan will be based on the Malbu Max platform.
Also the new Impala will have a lot more 60's highlights in it when we see it. Think 1967.
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Matt 4:33PM (7/30/2006)
I don't know if anyone noticed but that plug in the front appears to be a power cord. I mean I originally just thought it was some kinda of diagnostic plug hanging down, but upon second inspection it looks a lot like a power plug. Could this be some kinda of plug in hybrid? If so GM might actually be ahead of the game for once.
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JP 4:37PM (7/30/2006)
As mentioned, this is the '08 malibu (still on epsilon, maybe EPII). The next-gen Impala will be RWD ala zeta maybe around 2010.
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Arthur 5:19PM (7/30/2006)
To #17 ya that sure looks like a power plug. But I highly doubt that this is a plug in hybrid. Nearly every car in Canada has a plug sticking out the front grill. We use it for the block heater.
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Chris 5:22PM (7/30/2006)
"I don't know if anyone noticed but that plug in the front appears to be a power cord. I mean I originally just thought it was some kinda of diagnostic plug hanging down, but upon second inspection it looks a lot like a power plug. Could this be some kinda of plug in hybrid? If so GM might actually be ahead of the game for once"
It's nothing special actually, we see those plugs on prototypes all the time.
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