In a select number of episodes of beloved sitcom Seinfeld, Jerry’s across-the-hall neighbor Kramer can be seen driving a 1973 Chevrolet Impala. At first glance, many viewers may not think much of Kramer’s green Chevy four-door, other than it seems like an appropriately odd choice for the wonderfully weird character played by Michael Richards.
According to Motor Trend, though, Kramer’s Chevrolet Impala was no regular example of the large and lumbering sedan. The car, which was seen in episodes including ‘The Fusilli Jerry’ and ‘The Race’, is actually 1 of 1,000 that left the factory with General Motors‘ experimental Air Cushion Restraint System (ACRS), which was essentially just a driver’s side airbag.
How does Motor Trend know Kramer’s Impala came with ACRS, one may ask? The interior of the car can be seen in certain episodes, revealing the presence of a four-spoke steering wheel with a large center section, which housed the ACRS airbag. The regular 1973 model year Impala had a two-spoke steering wheel.
It’s worth noting that GM didn’t actually build any ACRS-equipped Impalas for customers to buy. Instead, it sent some cars to fleet customers for real-world testing purposes. These cars also left the factory with uprated suspension (identical to the RPO B07 Police Package suspension) and a 5.7L L48 V8 from that year’s Chevrolet Corvette.
Motor Trend tried to do some digging to find out how this fleet-only Chevrolet Impala ended up in Kramer’s possession, but the search came up empty. The publication says the most likely scenario is that a company that provides vehicles to film companies simply rented it out to the Seinfeld team.
As for ACRS, GM eventually offered it as optional equipment in select models for the 1975 and 1976 model years, but it eventually got rid of the option due to low demand. GM didn’t offer airbags in any of its products for the remainder of the1970s and for most of the 1980s, but jumped on board with the rest of the automotive industry at the end of the ’80s.
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Seinfeld screenshots via IMDB/Sony Pictures Television
Comments
LOL the “ASSMAN” license plate (second picture down)! I remember that one. I was going to say that episode was hilarious but I actually thought every Seinfeld episode was hilarious.
About the Impala, so strange such a rare model would end up serving duty as a TV prop. This episode aired in April of 1995 so the car was roughly 22 years old (sort of like a 1998 model today). I wonder what became of that car? It should have been in a museum.
3 9 V6 Impala with cyclinder deactivation to 3 cyclinders -were these sold to the public ? Rent a car from Los Angeles.
I was a the DC autoshow a few years earlier and NHSTA actually had a ACRS 73′ Impala on display. The older NHSTA gentleman let me sit in it and was very knowledgeable about how GM and the government collaberate on the ACRS and said it was the 1 of 2 unused cars from the test.
I just found and purchased this rare car. Number 944 according to the vin number. Still runs
Not really strange for this to be a Prop car. Though few were built it is not anything collectors are looking for or even remember.
I remember GM offering the bags when I was a kid. I used to get my great uncles share holder and retired GM employee.
GM was often way ahead with electronic ignitions on Pontiacs early on, air bags, night vision, cylinder deactivation. But too often while they offered it it was too expensive or just too early to be reliable. To me it has been good to see them working to get the EV products right price and reliable before putting them out. Being first is not always the best thing if it’s not right or affordable.
Sadly as long ago this was this car may have been used for a crash scene or just scrapped. It would have been interesting if it was one of the L82 cars.
73 aces cars had dual airbags with dual inflation speeds. The impalas had no front seat belts standard. Lap belts were an option. The cars just went on used car market when done. Not bought back like late 90s gm electric vehicles. When acrs became an option 74 thru 76 olds, buick, and cadillac lap belts became standard equipment.
Not many people know that Kramer drove an identical car in the movie problem child. He was the bad guy