Chevrolet Marks 50 Years of the Chevy Impala with Commemorative Edition Built in Canada

Oshawa, Ontario, March 3, 2008 – An iconic brand in Canada’s automotive market for half a century, Chevrolet’s Impala celebrates its golden anniversary in 2008. Chevy is recognizing the milestone with a commemorative 50th Anniversary Edition debuting in March 2008.

Like the original 1958 edition, the 2008 Impala 50th Anniversary Edition is distinguished with unique trim and amenities, giving customers a special vehicle infused with the fun-to-drive spirit that has characterized Impala for half a century.

“We are thrilled to mark 50 years of the Impala,” said Marc Comeau, GM of Canada’s vice-president of sales, service, and marketing. “The Impala has always stood for value, performance and style, making it popular with Canadians. In addition, it is built right here in Oshawa at our quality award winning car assembly plant.”

The Impala 50th Anniversary Edition is based on the well-equipped Impala LT, with the following unique and standard features:
· Base MSRP of $30,990.00
· FE3 Sport Suspension (replaces the FE1 Touring Suspension)
· Four-wheel ABS
· Eighteen-inch alloy wheels (replaces 17-inch wheels)
· Rear spoiler
· “50th Anniversary” Impala badge on the C-pillar
· Two-tone, leather-trimmed seats and “50th” logo embroidered on the front seat headrests
· Eight-way power-adjustable driver seat (replaces six-way adjustability)
· Leather-wrapped steering wheel with accent-color thread (includes audio controls)
· Ebony carpet & ebony floor mats with accent threading
· “50th” Anniversary emblem on the sill plates
· Two premium exterior colors: Black Granite Metallic or Red Jewel Tintcoat
· OnStar with upgraded Directions & Connections plan including Turn by Turn Navigation

Also standard is the Impala’s convenient flip-and-fold rear seats, the cushions of which flip forward to reveal a storage tub that serves as a covered storage area beneath the seat and offers convenient grocery bag hooks. A generous pass-through from the trunk can be created by flipping the seat bottoms forward and the seat backs flat – an exclusive feature in the midsize segment.

The 50th Anniversary Impala is powered by a refined and efficient, E85 FlexFuel capable 3.5L V-6 engine, rated at 211 horsepower and 214 lb.-ft. of torque. When using gasoline only, the 3.5L-equipped Impala is rated at 11.3 L/100km in the city and only 7.0 L/100km on the highway.

Impala history

Introduced in 1958 as a premium package for the full-size Bel Air, the Impala was an immediate sales success. It was designated a stand-alone model in 1959 and offered top-of-the-line amenities and performance, including a 335-horsepower (250 kW), 348-cubic-inch (5.7L) V-8 engine.

As Chevrolet’s full-size platform evolved throughout the 1960s, so did the Impala. The model range included coupes, sedans and convertibles – with early-year models distinguished by their six-tail lamp rear styling. Other full-size Chevy models had only four tail lamp lenses.

In 1961, the performance-oriented Impala SS was introduced. Today, it is considered by many to be one of the first true muscle cars, with power coming from a variety of standard and optional engines, including a 409-inch V-8 that produced one horsepower per cubic inch. Only 142 409-powered SS models were built that inaugural year, but 409-powered Impalas would go on to be the scourge of drag strips across the country and the subject of a popular song.

For 1965, the full-size platform was redesigned and the Impala was all-new. Customers responded to the sleek, new design with enthusiasm. More than 1 million Impalas were sold that model year, setting a sales record that has since gone unmatched.

New-generation Impalas were introduced in 1971 and 1977, with the ’77 models featuring “downsized” styling that still offered full-size accommodation, but with more compact and efficient exterior dimensions. The re-sized Impalas carried the brand into the mid-1980s, when the name was changed to Caprice.

The Impala returned in 1994 as the high-performance Impala SS – a sinister-looking muscle car built with the heavy-duty powertrain and suspension components of the Caprice police car package. It was a sellout success for three consecutive model years, bowing out only with the end of production of GM’s full-size rear-drive platform.

After a three-year hiatus, the Impala name returned again for 2000 on Chevy’s full-size, front-drive architecture. That seventh-generation Impala proved popular, but greater success came with the refined eighth-generation model, which was introduced for 2006.

General Motors of Canada (GMCL) is engineering and manufacturing advanced environmental technologies ranging from Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation) and hybrid systems to E85 biofuel and fuel cell vehicles – more than any other auto company right here in Canada. Headquartered in Oshawa Ontario, GMCL employs more than 19,000 people nationwide. GM of Canada manufactures vehicles, vehicle powertrains, and markets the full range of General Motors vehicles and related services through 743 dealerships and retailers across Canada. Vehicles sold through this network include Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac, GMC, Saturn, Hummer, Saab and Cadillac.

Source: GM

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