Rumors of next gen Impala, Silverado upgrades

[EldoFan]

Originally Posted by kgm777

The last real Impala was the 1996 model.

Agreed.

FWD Impala = Lumina by any other name.......

[T'Cal]

The current Impala traces its lineage directly back to the Lumina, which began production in the late 80s, 1987 I believe. That means that it was conceived and designed almost 25 years ago! The current V6s are based on the one that was available in the Citation, et.al., which came out in 1979 as a 1980 models. How many all-new Accords, Camries, and Maximas have come and gone in that same period? The Crown Vic/Marquis/Town Car go back even farther. Cars such as these have made it so much easier for the Asians and the Europeans to seize the market from the domestic carmakers. A brand new Impala should've come out in 1997 after the last Caprice/Impala was killed off to make room for trucks and SUVs on the production line. While the Grand Marquis may be a great deal, it sells so few that its age gives away sales to so many other cars. If Ford had a better car, it wouldn't have to sell it's top of the line Mercury for less than a Civic.

Chevy needs to provide a bigger step up from the Malibu and a version of the G8 is a great place to start. To keep costs down, its engine line up should be all OHV starting with the 210 hp 3.5L V6, the 240 hp 3.9L V6, the 320 hp 5.3L V8 (available on the LTZ and 9C1), and the 360 hp 6.0L (for the SS).

[stillen]

Agreed with the Mlaibu selling well and the EPS 2 comming out bigger it will be in comparison to the Impala but making it ear Wheel drive well thats just

super Maximum BOb

[wescoent]

Originally Posted by T'Cal

The current Impala traces its lineage directly back to the Lumina, which began production in the late 80s, 1987 I believe. That means that it was conceived and designed almost 25 years ago! The current V6s are based on the one that was available in the Citation, et.al., which came out in 1979 as a 1980 models. How many all-new Accords, Camries, and Maximas have come and gone in that same period?

Not as many as you think. Honda and Toyota very rarely do a full ground-up redesign. The only things all-new are the sheetmetal and interior... all the mechanical bits are usually refined and carried over from the prior generation

This was the last time a Camry was all-new (even though the engines were carried over:



This is the last time the Accord was all-new.



All models since have been refinements of the existing floorpan, suspension, and engines.

[h1942]

What the Impala needs is all wheel capability. Now everyone would be satisfied.Hank

[T'Cal]

Originally Posted by wescoent

Not as many as you think. Honda and Toyota very rarely do a full ground-up redesign. The only things all-new are the sheetmetal and interior... all the mechanical bits are usually refined and carried over from the prior generation

This was the last time a Camry was all-new (even though the engines were carried over:



This is the last time the Accord was all-new.



All models since have been refinements of the existing floorpan, suspension, and engines.

Are you saying that those imports are on platforms as old as the Impala's? Not a chance. Those vehicles are usually on an 8-year cycle with interior and trim upgrades done after 4 years. When the new models come out, if they aren't completely new, the parts that are carried over are heavily massaged and refined. That simply can't be said for the Impala. The Impala shares way too much with the Lumina to be a real contender. I wouldn't be surprized to learn that the demographics for buyers of the Chevy are noticeably older than those who buy Accords, Camries, and Maximas. Also, as a police car, they don't hold up as well as the C/Vs. GM needs to completely redo the Caprice/Impala and I believe the Zeta platform (Monaro/G8/Camaro) is the way to go. Let the Malibu (G6 and Aura) go toe to toe with the Accords and Camries.

PS: These cars above never, NEVER stood up to their Asian competition. I probably could've included the illustrious Celebrity as the Lumina was closely related to that POS, and by extention, the Citation as well. Good God!

[HoeyHimself]

Im still holding out for a RWD Impala

[stevecmh]

Originally Posted by AMcA

Sorry. No. The Caprice name has none of the umpf of Impala name. None. It was a trim package, that devolved down in GM fashion into a taxi cab. There was never a great Caprice. There were many great Impalas. (Indeed, the only notable Caprice was re-named Impala.)

agreed no one remembers teh caprice name unless they are car people

[munger]

The Impala FWD in Minnesota is the only way to go!! Had a 69 Impala RWD does not go though the snow like a FWD!

[T'Cal]

Originally Posted by munger

The Impala FWD in Minnesota is the only way to go!! Had a 69 Impala RWD does not go though the snow like a FWD!

The new FWD Malibu is a much better car than the aged Impala, sadly. No V8 SS though...

[Buick61]

Originally Posted by HoeyHimself

Im still holding out for a RWD Impala

Where have you been?

[T'Cal]

This debate could be resolved if GM pared down its nameplates to Chevy, Buick, and Cadillac.
Chevy- Aveo, Cobalt, Stingray (formerly Solstice/Sky), Camaro, Malibu, Impala (Zeta-based coupe and sedan), Corvette, Equinox, Traverse, Silverado, Tahoe, and Suburban.
Buick- Regal (coupe and sedan/formerly G6/Aura), Riviera (Zeta-based coupe and convertible), and Invicta (Zeta-based sedan)
Cadillac- CTS (coupe, wagon and sedan), STS, SRX (Lambda-based crossover), Evoq (Theta-based suv), Escalade suv, and XLR.

[Stovebolt]

Originally Posted by stevecmh

agreed no one remembers teh caprice name unless they are car people

I don't know, I think a lot of people, when they hear the name again, will go, "oh yeah...I remember Dad's/Mom's/Grandma's"

That's not as bad as you might think though, because those cars were TANKS. My grandma's went for 150,000+ miles with no major repairs before she died, and it still lives on for my uncle Bobby who I think has logged another 40k on it. I have a lot of fond memories of that car - borrowed it in college (when the Olds was on the fritz) after grandma stopped driving, the bench seats were comfy...

Originally Posted by T'Cal

This debate could be resolved if GM pared down its nameplates to Chevy, Buick, and Cadillac.
Chevy- Aveo, Cobalt, Stingray (formerly Solstice/Sky), Camaro, Malibu, Impala (Zeta-based coupe and sedan), Corvette, Equinox, Traverse, Silverado, Tahoe, and Suburban.
Buick- Regal (coupe and sedan/formerly G6/Aura), Riviera (Zeta-based coupe and convertible), and Invicta (Zeta-based sedan)
Cadillac- CTS (coupe, wagon and sedan), STS, SRX (Lambda-based crossover), Evoq (Theta-based suv), Escalade suv, and XLR.

I'd prefer to keep as many as possible, except saturn. I think Buick and Pontiac can coexist with minimal (1 platform) overlap.

[T'Cal]

It still amazes me how the domestic auto makers have pared down their models. Back in the 70s and even 80s, each model came in more than one form, usually sedan and coupe, and often wagon and convertible, too. Now, there are only a few that are available as both coupe and sedan and even fewer that offer convertibles. The Big Three have had to mimic their Asian competition because they handed so much of the market over to them.

I wish we had more choices from American vehicle manufacturers. I want to be able to choose between a sedan and a coupe for the Impala, Malibu, G8, Aura, LaCrosse, CTS, 300, Avenger, Taurus, Fusion, Sable, and Milan. I think a big factor in the lack of coupes is that The Big Three made such poor ones for so long that the sales plummeted. With the introduction of better products from our country along with some of the high-end European manufacturers building coupes again, I'm hopeful this part of the market will expand and GM, Ford, and Chrysler will start building them again.

[Dr. Show-Me]

There should be coupes, in addition to sedans, from the same platforms. For example, the Impala is the sedan, while you would call the coupe a Monte Carlo, the sedan a G8 and the coupe a LeMans or GTO, with the coupes having somewhat different exterior styles. The V8 versions could be SS and GTOs.