Approved: Impala Staying Front-Wheel Drive

[nsap]

Approved: Impala Staying Front-Wheel Drive
Is the Impala saga finally over?
www.gminsidenews.com
October 6, 2009
By: Nick Saporito

The future of the Chevrolet Impala has been one of constant questioning since the Zeta replacement for the car was axed back in late 2006. There was speculation a few months ago that the car would merge with the Holden Commodore several years from now on a variant of the Alpha rear-wheel drive platform; however it appears that those plans have been axed as well. Fortunately this time the bosses at GM have spoken and approved which direction the Impala will be taking on.

GMI was told that late yesterday the GM Executive Committee approved plans to build the Chevrolet Impala on the dubbed “Super Epsilon II” platform. The Executive Committee is the new governing body at General Motors that makes all decisions surrounding products. The Super Epsilon II that will be underpinning the Impala is going to be dimensionally very similar to the upcoming “Premium Epsilon” Cadillac XTS. The XTS will have unique suspension and a high end all-wheel drive system to differentiate the two versions of the platform.

The new Impala is slated to go into production in 2013 as a 2014 model-year vehicle at the Oshawa, Ontario assembly plant. Sources also stated that the Cadillac XTS is slated to be produced at Oshawa as well. GMI was not told of which powertrain options either car will have.

What will happen to the Impala between now and 2013 is still a mystery. Some sources have indicated that GM will have a stop-gap Impala on the market sometime between now and 2013, but it has not yet been confirmed. The current car dates back to 2006 and is showing its age. We assume any revisions to the Impala will take place on Epsilon II to hold the car over until the all-new one arrives in 2013.

Rear-wheel drive fans may still get their chance of glory going forward. GMI was told that if Chevrolet gets a rear-wheel drive sedan, it will not be named Impala anyway. With yesterday’s announcement of the 2011 Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle, we are starting to understand why.

[zmanjr]

how about merging the malibu and the impala into one product? Then have a new rear wheel drive car the caprice or bell-air based off of alpha or zeta?

Is GM only doing this to save money right now? That would be my guess since it costs money to develop a new platform or change a current one to make it large size as the aplha is small size.

[nsap]

Originally Posted by zmanjr

how about merging the malibu and the impala into one product? Then have a new rear wheel drive car the caprice or bell-air based off of alpha or zeta?

Is GM only doing this to save money right now? That would be my guess since it costs money to develop a new platform or change a current one to make it large size as the aplha is small size.

Actually, I like this move. They will have a full-sizer to compete with the Taurus, Maxima, etc. This also leaves room for Lutz to say, "Alright, we're going to secure our volume with the FWD Impala, so now we have room for a RWD niche."

[wescoent]

So Super-Epsilon will be spawning an Impala, Lacrosse, and XTS...?

Wait... I think I've seen this movie before...

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by nsap

Actually, I like this move. They will have a full-sizer to compete with the Taurus, Maxima, etc. This also leaves room for Lutz to say, "Alright, we're going to secure our volume with the FWD Impala, so now we have room for a RWD niche."

A good move indeed. Impala for the average family wanting a large sedan, Caprice for those who want something big with a performance edge. Works for me.

[jwrebholz]

Whine all you want, this was the best move. The Impala is a high-volume car, and it needs to be what 90% of the public will want--and 90% of the buying public wants a quiet, comfortable, economical car that'll get them from A to B without any hassle. That 90% has been taught that FWD is safer, more efficient and in general better in every way than RWD, and since they won't be doing anything serious with the car it's completely fine for them. We, the enthusiasts, are the ONLY ones clamoring for a RWD Chevy sedan, and we make up a depressingly small segment of the market.

If General Motors has to choose between something exciting and something profitable, they have to go for the money. They are too hard up for cash NOT to.

[civilzues]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

A good move indeed. Impala for the average family wanting a large sedan, Caprice for those who want something big with a performance edge. Works for me.

What about the Malibu? They will eat at each others sales..
Bad move.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by wescoent

So Super-Epsilon will be spawning an Impala, Lacrosse, and XTS...?

No. Impala and XTS. Not XTS if Lutz gets his way.

[GMC-70]

Why call it Caprice though --wouldn't Chevelle be a better fit? To me Caprice does not say "performance" but Chevelle certainly does!

[Stéphane Dumas]

Originally Posted by nsap

Actually, I like this move. They will have a full-sizer to compete with the Taurus, Maxima, etc. This also leaves room for Lutz to say, "Alright, we're going to secure our volume with the FWD Impala, so now we have room for a RWD niche."

A little step further and to compete more head-to-head against the Taurus, since Epsilon was also be conceived to have an AWD version, how about an optionnal AWD system for the Impala going against the Taurus SHO?

[PHAT-JAY]

snooooooooooze!!!!!!!!!! Not really breaking news here, another GM fumble, no body will buy this car then because nobody buy's this car now, the next generation impala will be another GM flop, why buy this car when you can get a better malibu for less money and almost the same size, this would be okay in my book only if they give us a civie version of the Caprice or HSV Grange.

[JoeT]

good. I would prefer to see Holden RWD based products as Buick's or Cadillac's anyway.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by civilzues

What about the Malibu? They will eat at each others sales..
Bad move.

As long as the Impala is a considerable amount larger than Malibu, it should be fine. It's the same way at Ford with the Fusion and Taurus.

[PHAT-JAY]

Originally Posted by zmanjr

how about merging the malibu and the impala into one product? Then have a new rear wheel drive car the caprice or bell-air based off of alpha or zeta?

Is GM only doing this to save money right now? That would be my guess since it costs money to develop a new platform or change a current one to make it large size as the aplha is small size.

GREAT IDEA, this will give all buyers who love chevrolet what they want, and prefer to drive, the consumer will actually have a choice........

Since this makes since, they will not do it.......

[nsap]

Originally Posted by wescoent

So Super-Epsilon will be spawning an Impala, Lacrosse, and XTS...?

Wait... I think I've seen this movie before...

Super Epsilon is bigger than LaCrosse. LaCrosse is simply LWB Epsilon II.