Autoblog

2014 Chevrolet Impala [w/video]

Jeffrey N. Ross — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Chevrolet, First Drives

Can A Fleet Queen Become a Fullsize King?

On paper, the Chevrolet Impala is a pretty strong seller, posting annual sales that have hovered right around 170,000 units for the last two years, but it only takes one trip to practically any rental car agency to discover where the majority of those sales have come from. In fact, General Motors told Autoblog that a full 70 percent of Impala sales last year went to fleet companies for things like rental cars and government vehicles. Logic tells us that this is neither good for resale values nor name equity, so Chevrolet is getting ready to roll out an all-new Impala with improved comfort, styling and technology, hoping to turn the tables on its retail-to-fleet ratio.

Chevrolet's sedans have come on quite strong in the last few months with the introduction of the Cruze diesel and the SS sedan, but while these will likely be low-volume sellers, there's more pressure for the new Impala to perform well as GM looks to slash fleet sales and compete with the wide variety of full-size sub-luxury sedans. Riding on a platform shared with the Buick LaCrosse and Cadillac XTS, the 2014 Impala will compete against the Hyundai Azera, Ford Taurus and Toyota Avalon on the more traditional side, while also looking to take a bite out of somewhat sportier models like the Chrysler 300/Dodge Charger twins and the Nissan Maxima. We headed to sunny San Diego to see if this totally new Impala can stand on its own without the assistance of fleet companies and rental agencies.

Continue reading 2014 Chevrolet Impala [w/video]

2014 Chevrolet Impala [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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C7 Corvette makes inaugural ad appearance in Chevy's first spot with new slogan

Chris Paukert — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Chevrolet, GM

Chevrolet's "Runs Deep" tagline has finally been run into the ground, replaced with the Bowtie brand's "Find New Roads" slogan that's part of parent General Motors' plan to unify its everyday brand's marketing efforts worldwide. The new Chevrolet campaign was ushered in on prime time last night during the Grammy Awards on CBS, and the first spot, a 90-second full-line ad, also marks the first appearance of the 2014 Corvette Stingray in a commercial.

Being a full-line ad, the commercial is composed of vignettes centered on different vehicles in the brand's lineup. The all-new 2014 Impala also makes its first commercial appearance in dapper fashion, and time is spent on a skateboarding Sonic and a bouquet of brightly colored Spark hatchbacks driven by fashionable women. The ad starts and ends with Chevy's green halo car, the Volt, along with a young girl with her robotic dog (yes, really).

Chevrolet's "Runs Deep" campaign got off to a rocky start in the fall of 2010, but it did last for a couple of years with some tweaks. This new one, "Find New Roads" seems more intent on drawing new customers into the fold than the outgoing tagline, which seemed to play more toward the brand faithful. It admittedly reminds us more than a little the short-lived "Find Your Own Road" Saab motto (which, we note, was conceived while the Swedish brand was under GM's control), but no matter, we still think it's got more long-term potential than "Runs Deep."

Scroll down to watch the video.

Continue reading C7 Corvette makes inaugural ad appearance in Chevy's first spot with new slogan

C7 Corvette makes inaugural ad appearance in Chevy's first spot with new slogan originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Feb 2013 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2014 Chevrolet Impala priced from $27,535*

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Chevrolet, GM

Something to be thankful for this holiday weekend? A price for the 2014 Chevrolet Impala, which will sticker from $27,535 (*inclusive of an $810 destination charge). The latest headline-grabber on the Epsilon II platform, the coming Impala - which will go on sale in Spring 2013 - can be had with either a new 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 195 horsepower and 187 pound-feet of torque or a 3.6-liter V6 with 305 hp and 264 lb-ft. A 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 182 hp and eAssist light hybrid technology will come soon thereafter, with all powerplants yoked to a six-speed automatic.

The $27,535 base price gets the 2.5-liter in LS trim. It will take another $2,250 to get up to an LT, and then another $4,770 for the top-flight LTZ that runs $34,555. You'll have to wait for that LS model, though, because the 3.6-liter will be the first one to market. Not available in LS trim, the 3.6-liter will command $30,760 in LT spec and $36,580 in LTZ trim.

The conclusion of the most simplistic comparison with the $26,685 2013 Impala is that the sedan's base price has gone up by $850. However, the 2014 Impala is completely new and the base version gets a smaller, less-powerful engine. It's possible that performance figures could be similar even with the price-leader model if tuning and weight are improved, but we'll have to see, as Chevrolet hasn't released any figures yet.

For the moment, a better comparison could be the 3.0-liter LT trims, the 2014 model representing a $2,550 increase over the long-serving outgoing car, albeit with more available features like MyLink with natural voice recognition, ten airbags, adaptive cruise control, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Side Blind Zone Alert.

There's a bit more info in the press release below about the Oshawa, Ontario and Hamtramck, Michigan-built model range, but not prices for the 2.4-liter eAssist - those will be announced later.

Continue reading 2014 Chevrolet Impala priced from $27,535*

2014 Chevrolet Impala priced from $27,535* originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 24 Nov 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM, CAW reach tentative agreement

Zach Bowman — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 13:03:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, GM, UAW/Unions, Canada

Automotive News reports General Motors and the Canadian Auto Workers have reached a tentative labor agreement that will see the automaker invest $692.8 million into Canadian facilities over the life of the four year-deal. The two groups closed a 30-hour negotiating session that touched on everything from wages and benefits, to plant closings and new model manufacturing. The agreement covers around 8,200 workers currently, and GM has agreed to add or maintain 1,750 positions over the next four years. That means the automaker will postpone the consolidation of the company's Oshawa plant, where the current Chevrolet Impala is assembled. The manufacturer had planned to completely shutter the line, impacting around 2,000 workers.

GM will continue with plans to assemble the next-generation Impala at its Hamtramck facility, but will now also build the 2014 model on one shift in Oshawa. The move will employ around 750 Canadian workers, though that number may grow if the production is moved to two shifts later in 2014.

Even so, the CAW isn't entirely happy with the proposed settlement. The union was not able to secure the production of another vehicle. Union leaders say that's largely due to the fact that GM is in market share decline in Canada.

As you may recall, the CAW recently reached a similar tentative agreement with Ford.

GM, CAW reach tentative agreement originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Sep 2012 13:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #278

Dan Roth — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:15:00 EST

Filed under: Podcasts, Government/Legal, Safety, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Design/Style

Dart pricing, non-retro Mustang, Impala SS, brake override mandate

Episode #278 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Chris, Dan, and Zach are joined by David Kiley of Autoblog and AOL Autos to chat about Dodge Dart pricing, the next Ford Mustang shying away from retro styling, Chevrolet quietly developing an Impala SS, and a NHTSA proposal to mandate brake override systems. Your questions and comments power the end of the 'cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. We've embedded our Q&A module after the jump for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!

Autoblog Podcast #278:

In the Autoblog Garage
2012 Fiat 500
2012 Volvo C30 Polestar
2012 Volvo XC70 T6
Long-Term 2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman

Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Zach Bowman

Runtime: 01:34:50

Get the podcast
[UStream] Listen live on Mondays at 10PM Eastern at UStream
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
[RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator
[MP3] Download the MP3 directly

Feedback
Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com

Review the show in iTunes

Autoblog Podcast #278 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Chevrolet Impala mascot over the years

Dan Roth — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Classics, Chevrolet, Design/Style

The 2014 Chevrolet Impala just made its debut at the New York Auto Show, and stuck there on its vaguely-Hofmeister-esque C-Pillar is a new version of the classic Impala mascot. The gracefully leaping African antelope is a little smoother and more rounded, but still the well-established icon it's been since its 1958 introduction. It may seem a small detail, but changing a long-established bit of iconography is tricky. Designers must carefully balance any tweaking against recognizeability and consumer goodwill.

"We kept the stylized interpretation of the animal, and made the impala more muscular. We also added defined edges, to give the impala a sleek form and make it look like it was running fast" says Joan Kallio, lead creative designer for Chevrolet global badging, and the latest version of this chrome animal glyph is surely smoothed and stylized compared to the squiggly 1958 original. If the car is as successfully refined as its logo, the new Impala will do fine. Check out the press release after the jump.

Continue reading The Chevrolet Impala mascot over the years

The Chevrolet Impala mascot over the years originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 14 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No all-wheel drive option in sight for 2014 Chevrolet Impala

Jeff Sabatini — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:44:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Chevrolet, Rumormill

While the 2014 Chevrolet Impala may have many charming qualities and boast a plethora of engine options, one feature it reportedly won't be offering is all-wheel drive. According to GMInsideNews.com, Chevrolet reps have said all-wheel drive is not part of the short-term or long-term plan for the new large sedan.

While the Impala will share a platform with the Cadillac XTS and Buick LaCrosse - both of which do offer AWD - apparently General Motors wants to keep the Impala front-drive-only to help differentiate it from the Buick and Cadillac. While it remains to be seen whether the lack of all-wheel drive will hurt the Impala's chances of competing with the Ford Taurus and Dodge Charger, which both offer it, Chevy's people have reportedly called all-wheel drive a "very slim piece of the full-size sedan market."

No all-wheel drive option in sight for 2014 Chevrolet Impala originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2014 Chevrolet Impala is a full-size improvement [w/video]

Zach Bowman — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 08:59:00 EST

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Sedan, Chevrolet

General Motors has officially unveiled the 2014 Chevrolet Impala at this year's New York Auto Show. Riding on the same bones as the 2013 Malibu, the next-generation Impala boasts a considerably more attractive exterior with plenty of personality. Borrowing the best elements of design from the GM stable, we see more than a little Camaro and Lacrosse in the sedan's front fascia and stylized hips. Buyers can look forward to either standard 18-inch wheels or a slew of larger options, including massive 20-inch rollers. Under the hood, GM has graced the 2014 Impala with a range efficient direct-injection engines, including a 2.4-liter four-cylinder paired with the automaker's eAssist hybrid system.

With 182 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque, the drivetrain falls well short of the 288 horsepower offered up by the Ford Taurus, though it does so while returning significantly better fuel economy. GM Says the four-cylinder Impala will return 35 mpg highway, six mpg better than the full-size Ford.

Those who need a little extra grunt can step up to the company's tried-and-true 3.6-liter V6 with 303 horsepower and 234 lb-ft of torque, and there's also a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder available that produces 195 horsepower, while all three engines are mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox. Keep scrolling for the official press release from Chevrolet, and check our galleries of live and official images while you're at it.

Continue reading 2014 Chevrolet Impala is a full-size improvement [w/video]

2014 Chevrolet Impala is a full-size improvement [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York Auto Show confirms 2014 Chevy Impala debut via Facebook [UPDATE]

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:20:00 EST

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Sedan, Chevrolet, GM

News of an impending automotive debut, especially one as big as the next Chevrolet Impala, generally come straight from the mouths of the automakers. Interesting, then, that the New York Auto Show's Facebook page is the first bit of confirmation we've seen that the 2014 Impala will be making its worldwide debut in The Big Apple.

All we have to go along with that confirmation is the teaser image you see above (click on the pic to enlarge), so we can't glean too many details just yet. We can see a Hofmeister-esque kink in the C-pillar, strongly accented in chrome trim, along with the well-known leaping impala emblem.

Past that, recent spy photos have revealed that the front-wheel-drive Impala will boast plenty of passenger room from its Epsilon-II architecture, the same guts that underpin the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu and Cadillac XTS. We're also expecting GM's well-regarded 3.6-liter V6 underhood, along with a possible turbocharged four and e-Assist hybrid setup.

This news comes on the heels of last week's announcement by General Motors that it plans to replace the Impala in its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series effort with a new nameplate that will also see a production model offshoot, leading to renewed speculation that the automaker will not only sell a new full-size Impala, but potentially a large rear-wheel drive sedan to offer as well, possibly based on the company's Zeta platform that underpins the Holden Commodore and recently introduced Chevrolet Caprice PPV law enforcement special.

The 2012 New York Auto Show is slated to kick off on April 4, but in the meantime, feel free to go over the teaser above with a fine-toothed comb, and stay tuned for any more details we find ahead of its debut.

UPDATE: GM has confirmed the Impala with the issuance of a press release and official image. In addition, it has confirmed that a revamped 2013 Traverse crossover will also bow in New York. The Traverse will be available with GM's new front, center-mount airbag first revealed in the updated Buick Enclave, the Traverse's twin. See the official release after the jump and note the addition of a Traverse interior image above.

Continue reading New York Auto Show confirms 2014 Chevy Impala debut via Facebook [UPDATE]

New York Auto Show confirms 2014 Chevy Impala debut via Facebook [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2014 Chevrolet Impala takes shape

Steven J. Ewing — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 18:41:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Chevrolet, GM

There isn't a whole lot to get excited about in the world of near-luxury, full-size, front-wheel-drive sedans. Stalwarts like the Ford Taurus and Toyota Avalon continue to make their way into the driveways of gray-haired shoppers, and new entries like the redesigned Hyundai Azera are attempting to add a little bit of spice to an otherwise bland segment. In recent years, the Chevrolet Impala has nearly fallen off the map in this class simply because it hasn't been seriously updated since its launch in 2005 as a 2006 model. (The big four-door did get a new engine for 2012, finally.) But that's all about to change.

The 2014 Impala will be based on the same front-wheel-drive Epsilon-II architecture that underpins the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu and Cadillac XTS. But instead of sharing many of its components with the 'Bu, reports indicate that the Impala will use a lot of the features of the XTS in an effort to give it a much more premium feel than the current model. And while the majority of the new car's styling details are still covered up by the heavy camouflage, we can see premium features like large alloy wheels and what appear to be LED running lights up front. We just hope General Motors hasn't just taken the easy way out and created a Malibu on steroids.

Mum's the word on powertrain offerings, but earlier reports have suggested that GM's direct-injected 3.6-liter V6 will be on board, as well as the new 2.0-liter turbo four that's slated for use in the Cadillac ATS. An eAssist version is also rumored to be in the cards.

Look for the 2014 Impala to launch sometime during the 2013 calendar year. Production is slated to be split between GM's Oshawa, Ontario plant, as well as the Detroit-Hamtramck facility where the Malibu and Volt are built.

2014 Chevrolet Impala takes shape originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Mar 2012 18:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2014 Chevrolet Impala to move upmarket, share platform with Cadillac XTS

Steven J. Ewing — Tue, 31 May 2011 10:31:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Chevrolet, GM

2011 Chevrolet Impala - Click above for high-res image gallery

The aging Chevrolet Impala is finally getting a major overhaul for the 2014 model year, and General Motors has just shoveled $69 million into its Detroit-Hamtramck plant to support production of the next-generation sedan. According to Automotive News, GM will work on repositioning the Impala within Chevrolet's lineup. Currently, the automaker feels that there is too much price overlap between the Impala and smaller Malibu.

Automotive News reports that the 2014 Impala will be built on the longer version of GM's Epsilon platform, destined for use under the new Cadillac XTS flagship. The new, larger Impala will offer more standard equipment than the smaller Malibu, and the two cars will be positioned similar to how the Taurus and Fusion are within Ford's lineup.

In an effort to keep the Impala fresh until its overhaul, GM has fitted the car with the 3.6-liter direct-injected V6 found elsewhere in the automaker's portfolio, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The first sales of the 2014 Impala are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2013.

2014 Chevrolet Impala to move upmarket, share platform with Cadillac XTS originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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