The 4th Generation Impala Set Sales Records Back In the Day
Posted by D. Brian Smith on May 15th 2024
The Chevrolet division of General Motors first used the name Impala for its 1956 General Motors Motorama concept car. The graceful African antelope was used as the car’s logo starting with this show car that incorporated Corvette-like design cues, especially in terms of the vehicle’s front grill. Notice the word grill is missing the ‘e’ at the end of the word. For some reason GM always left the ‘e’ off the end, ala BBQ grill, while other car companies use the more common and generally accepted spelling of grille replete with the ending ‘e’.
Above 1967 Impala, Bel Air, Biscayne, Caprice standard models grill
The 4th Generation Chevrolet Impala (1965-1970)
The full-sized 1967 Chevrolet Impala, Bel Air, Biscayne, Caprice, and Super Sport models are smack dab in the middle of Chevrolet’s 4th Generation of the epic Impala, which Chevy produced from 1965-1970. With the fully redesigned and reengineered 1965 model, Chevrolet set an all-time industry annual sales record of more than 1 million units sold in the United States. Chevy replaced the “X” frame with a full-width perimeter frame that had a reengineered full-coil suspension. The sleeker and more curvaceous designed body had frameless side glass (for the pillarless models) with reshaped vent windows to accommodate a more dramatic and aerodynamic sharply angled windshield.
Above: 1967 Impala SS grill shown
For the 1967 model year, the Impala had a still more designed silhouette, evoking the popular Coke bottle styling of this era of car design. Chevrolet designers drew inspiration from the Corvette C2 halo car, and with good reason. The 1967 Impala model variants all had more pronounced front and rear fender bulges.
Above: Impala images courtesy of Mecum Auctions.
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