Spy Shots: New Impala sighting?

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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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