The Chevrolet Impala

The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United States, competing against the Ford Galaxie 500 and the Plymouth Fury when full-size models dominated the market. The Impala was distinguished for many years by its symmetrical triple taillights. The Caprice was introduced as a top-line Impala Sport Sedan for the 1965 model year becoming a separate series positioned above the Impala in 1966, which itself remained above the Bel Air and Biscayne.

The Impala continued as Chevrolet's most popular full-size model through the mid-1980s. Between 1994 and 1996, Impala was revived as a muscular 5.7-liter V8–powered version of the Caprice Classic sedan. In 2000, the Impala was re-introduced again as a mainstream front-wheel drive full-size sedan. Ed Cole, Chevrolet's chief engineer in the late 1950s, defined the Impala as a "prestige car within the reach of the average American citizen."

Chevrolet’s famed 409 engine was immortalized in the 1962 Beach Boys song of the same name, and was the desire of many muscle car enthusiasts in the early 60′s. In ’62 the hot set-up was to order the 409 in the lightweight “bubble-top” Bel Air 2-door hardtop. Well, kicking it up a notch in 1963, Chevrolet introduced the Z11 option package for its Impala line. The package included a modified 409 increased to 427 cid by way of a stroked crank, and had special heads, valves and a two-piece aluminum intake manifold sporting dual quads. Output was rated at 430 hp. The additional Z11 features were not limited to the engine compartment however, as the hood, fenders bumpers and other items were made of aluminum to lighten its overall curb weight. This was a RPO (regular production option) package supposedly available to the general public, but appears to have only been selectively sold to racers with the intent of furthering Chevrolet’s cause at the drag strip. No matter, the ’63 Impala SS with a standard 425 hp 409 was plenty fast for the average joe, regularly turning sub-15′s in the quarter mile. Only 50 or so (qtys vary by source) Impala Z11s were sold in 1963, and there are 7 known to be still in existence today.

Plymouth Road Runner

Plymouth Satellite

Dodge Challenger

Mercury Marquis

 

L'Impala è una vettura Full-Size prodotta dalla casa statunitense Chevrolet a partire dal 1958. Nel periodo in cui le vetture così definite, cioè quelle con ingombri particolarmente elevati, dominavano il mercato statunitense l'Impala era l'automobile più venduta.

シボレー・インパラ (Chevrolet Impala) は、ゼネラルモーターズ (GM) がシボレーブランドで販売している大型乗用車。現在、日本では正式発売されていない。 1958年～1964年モデルは、ローライダーと呼ばれるカスタムのベース車として日本、アメリカで人気が高い。

Chevrolet Impalu osmislio je Chevrolet, dio General Motorsa uvodeći prvi model 1958. godine. Automobil je nazvan po južnoafričkoj antilopi. Ovaj model je do 1965. godine postao najprodavaniji u Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama, natječući se protiv Forda Galaxyja i Plymoutha Furya koji su tada dominirali na tržištu. Impala se razlikovala dugi niz godina svojim simetričnim trostrukim svjetlima. Chevrolet Impala ostao je najpopularniji model do sredine osamdesetih godina. Chevrolet je devedesetih godina proizvodio Super Sport limuzine temeljene na Chevroletu Capriceu, opremljene 5,7-litarskim V8 motorom.

Chevrolet Impala je automobil střední třídy, který od roku 1958 vyrábí americká automobilka Chevrolet. Původně byla nejvyšším modelem automobilky. Tento post ale získal v roce 1965 typ Caprice. Poprvé se jméno Impala objevilo na studii General Motors Motorama 1956.
La Chevrolet Impala est une automobile développée et construite par la division Chevrolet de General Motors. Ed Cole, l’ingénieur en chef de Chevrolet vers la fin des années 1950, a défini l’Impala comme étant un véhicule prestigieux accessible au citoyen américain moyen.