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Tuesday, January 06, 2009
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History of the Impala - The 1950's
Introduction |
1950's |
1960's |
1970's |
1980's |
1990's |
2000 |
Production Figures |
Insignias
The year was 1958. At Chevrolet and throughout the auto industry, change was in the air. GM's legendary styling chief Harley Earl had left an indelible mark on Chevrolet (Corvettes, tail fins and lots of chrome were but a few of his myriad contributions) and was on his way to retirement, leaving understudy Bill Mitchell in the driver's seat as vice president of the GM styling staff.
Meanwhile, the auto industry was booming. Americans were hitting the road in droves. According to government statistics, the number of passenger car miles traveled on America's roads grew 62 percent from 1950 to 1960. And since gasoline was cheap, consumer demand for power exceeded the need for efficiency. Buyers were clamoring for as much room, performance, amenities and quality as they could get for their hard-earned dollars. Chevy filled that need with the Impala.
The One That Started It All
In 1958, Chevrolet introduced its new full-size passenger cars, redesigned from the ground up with a new frame and sheet metal. A new uplevel, sporty trim package was created for Bel Air coupes and convertibles, along with a new name - Impala.
The Impala brand was born. To consumers, Impala offered an uplevel image that was still within an affordable price range. From the beginning, the Impala nameplate carried with it images of fun, youthfulness, spontaneity and pride.
In 1959, Impala made up an entire model line with both two- and four-door versions. According to press materials of the day, mechanical advancements of improved brakes, new suspension and easier handling point to a luxury liner that is marked for top popularity.
The theory worked, and Impala production reached 473,000 units in 1959 - Chevy's top-selling car nameplate. Impala became America's best seller just one year later.
Introduction |
1950's |
1960's |
1970's |
1980's |
1990's |
2000 |
Production Figures |
Insignias
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