Last Chevrolet Impala Rolls Off Assembly Line, Marking End Of An Icon
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We previously reported production of the Chevrolet Impala would officially cease on February 28th, 2020, but the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant appears to be operating slightly ahead of schedule, as the final example of the full-size sedan came rolling off the line earlier this morning.
It’s not clear what trim the final Chevrolet Impala is, nor what options it is equipped with, but Detroit ABC affiliate WXYZ Detroit published a photo of the vehicle as it approached the end of the assembly line. To our eye, this looks to be a Premier trim level, based on the chrome door handles, lower grille and headlight bezels. It also features a Cajun Red Tintcoat exterior with what appears to be a Jet Black interior. The only engine offered in the Impala Premier is a 3.6L LFX V6, which is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and FWD.
This Cajun Red sedan may end up being the last Chevrolet Impala ever built. GM has no known plans for a next-generation version of the sedan, with the automaker shifting away from passenger cars to place more focus on crossovers, SUVs and pickup trucks. It is also investing heavily in future electric vehicle programs, such as those based on its new BEV3 and BT1 EV platforms, leaving fewer resources for new passenger car programs. It’s not likely the Impala name will be used on a future GM EV, either, as it is often associated with classic GM offerings, having first gone into production in 1958.
That said, the Impala has been brought back from the dead not once, but twice before. It went on a rather lengthy hiatus between 1985 and 1994 and was not offered between 1996 and 2000, either. All hope is not lost for the storied GM nameplate, then, but the future certainly isn’t looking bright.
As we’ve pointed out in the past, sales of the current, tenth-generation Chevrolet Impala have been in decline every year since its 2014 introduction. Sales of the sedan were the highest in its first model year, reaching a very respectable 140,280 units in 2014, but have steadily tapered off every year since. GM sold just 44,978 new Impalas in 2019.
Detroit-Hamtramck will now undergo a major transformation, with the Metro Detroit facility slated to become GM’s first dedicated electric vehicle plant. It will build the new Cruise Origin autonomous shuttle and GMC Hummer EV and is expected to add more EV programs to its roster in the future – including the new electric Cadillac crossover. GM announced a planned investment of $2.2 billion in Detroit-Hamtramck late last month.
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Still a good looking sedan. I’d bet name returns at some point.
Sam, do you know the story about the front end styling of the Impala? Both the Impala and Gen 1 Traverse MCE share a face that is distinctly different from vehicles introduced before and after. Specifically, there is no cross bar present. Did Chevrolet plan a new styling direction then change their minds? I vaguely remember official statements that they were influenced by the Camaro.
I feel the same way Mark. If I were after a larger family car; I wouldn’t think twice about buying one!
R.I.P.
A big part of the can -do America family sedan legacy died with the last Impala coming off the line at Hamtramck today and Oshawa Plant #1 late last fall.Lets hope that those in charge of GM have a vision of their CUV’s and EV’s being as good or better and more cost effective as this vehicle was over many years in serving the daily travel needs of North .American customers !
I Want to say in kind words, Thank you Chevrolet and general motors for 62 amazing memorable years of this great automobile, it had it’s ups and downs, but it was a legend and always will be.
frank Sinatra (rip) did it his way, now the chevy impala does it it’s way.
#ripchevyimpala 1958-2020, gone but not forgotten.
Did you read the article? There’s been two time periods when the Impala wasn’t produced. Get over it, trends and taste change.
Should have never converted to fwd in 1997.
I know and that was a big mistake, although the 2014-2020 fwd impala was smooth, that was the only good fwd impala they did correctly.
The Chevrolet Impala like the Cadillac XTS offered value to the consumer; but this doesn’t necessary mean the end of the Impala name as General Motors can build a Chevrolet variant of the Cadillac CT4 to create a new Impala although the Chevy variant would feature the LT4 supercharged 6.2L V8; another possible road to take is that Chevy gives the Impala to a new CUV.
GM, if you are going to resurrect the Impala, it better be a RWD sedan with a comfortable interior and smooth propulsion (whether that will be Gas, Electric, Diesel, or Hydrogen in the future).
Ever since GM went FWD and ditched the V8 for Impala’s, the popularity plummeted. The entire point of an Impala was a large cruiser with a lazy yet reliable V8 under the hood. Stay true to your roots, and please don’t sabotage the nameplate.
Eh General Motors says that the Impala is gone but it’s not going to be gone everybody knows it because, the economy will tank again and, everybody will be craving cars they should have never quit building cars in the first place. I personally would be more interested in a full-size Coupe or a two-door SUV if I were to get another vehicle but, I know it’s not 1970 where you can look at 5 different model names of the same bodied vehicle.
Sad. Great car, always was too except maybe that ’07-’13 car which was very blah but still tough as nails and dependable. Read somewhere it’s still the number 2 selling car in the segment. Probably would have sold more had GM gave it some love, promoted it, kept it fresh.
Hate to see GM will not even compete in the segment anymore but even more so I hate to see another piece of Americana die.
Sad to see this carline come to an end. The Impala has always been a good-looking car, and back in the day, the 409 and later, 427/454 big-block cars were strong performers as well.
I have owned 9 Impalas over the years, including five bought new (2000, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2007). I liked eight of them (bought a 2006 LT with a 3.5 and hated how it drove… traded it six months later for a 2007 SS that is the car I have put the most miles on of anything I have ever owned). I would have likely bought another new one, but a performance variant was never offered and that combined with the price kept me from actually buying one, even though I like the styling.
To me, Impala represents solid, dependable transportation that offered a lot for the money. Five of mine were SS models with varying powertrains from a supercharged 3800 to the LS4 and LT1 V8s. I like the large sedan with solid performance as an everyday driver, but it seems to be a lost art. I am glad that my sons first car is a 2008 SS and I will always keep my 1994 (complete with an LT4 and 6 speed combo). It is sad that they are out of production, but that has happened before so there is hope of a return to the formula one day if people wake up to the fact that CUVs are an inherently less efficient design than cars and we don’t end up forced off the road all together by autonomous cell phone chargers…
I rented an Impala several years ago and Cadillac had nothing over it. The ride was smooth and incredible. I can only imagine how much better this one is.
GM is running out of feet to shoot itself. Bad idea to discontinue the Impala…
I think it’s appropriate that it’s that great shape of red. I think that sedans will be back in the future.
Great car that sold 140k the first year of this generation and ended at 44k sales. Let’s see how many electric cars GM sells total for the next 2-3 years.
The last generation was an incredibly roomy, smooth, powerful, and highly competent sedan. The dashboard design is one of the best I’ve ever owned. I will miss seeing these cars at the dealership showrooms. Impalas have been a part of every family’s life in America for generations. The crossover revolution is not going to last forever. Let’s hope GM and Chevy bring back this thoroughly competent American icon.
The last generation was an incredibly roomy, smooth, powerful, and highly competent sedan. The dashboard design is one of the best I’ve ever owned. I will miss seeing these cars at the dealership showrooms. Impalas have been a part of every family’s life in America for generations. The crossover revolution is not going to last forever. Let’s hope GM and a Chevy bring back this thoroughly competent American icon.
I am looking to buy my number 61 car.If all goes well it will be a Impala LT.
Kia/Bmw will sell thousands of 4 door sedans..Thank You GM..Many of us wonder how GM stays in business. The SUV sales will not last as the younger buyers will move to sedans when kids leave home and GM/Ford will b e stuck with out a car.