The Chevy Impala ... It's BACK!

Let's take a walk together down memory lane, fellow oldsters out there. And for you youngsters, you're invited, too. It's all about the Chevy Impala and its comeback.

GM's Leap of Faith on Impala has the story:

 

The Chevrolet Impala convertible in 1965, when it was one of the most popular cars in the U.S.

In its heyday, the Chevrolet Impala inspired a song by the Beach Boys and held a starring roll in the gritty, 1970s detective show "Baretta." But in recent years, the big sedan has become almost forgettable, drawing mostly rental-car company and government agency buyers.

Now General Motors  is betting it can make the 54-year-old Impala a head-turner again, all part of a broader plan to reinvigorate its offerings with 13 redesigned cars and trucks next year and regain the favor of American car shoppers.

Photos: Old Impala Magic

Take a look back at the car that inspired a song by the Beach Boys and starred in the 1970s detective show 'Baretta.'

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GM Archive

1958 Chev Bel Air Impala Sport Coupe

The 2014 Impala, which hits showrooms in April, would be the first remake of the car in seven years, mixes technology—such as an eight-inch movable infotainment screen and lane-departure control—with a fashion knack that includes colored stitching on seats and chrome lettering.

Dealers and reviewers say reconnecting the faded nameplate with consumers won't be easy. The Impala makeover comes much later than other aging models from the era of land cruisers that have already undergone overhauls—such as the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, and GM's own Buick LaCrosse.

"The redesign looks better than the old model," says auto-information website Edmunds.com reviewer Dan Frio. "Is it good enough to compete against the Taurus and Chrysler 300? I don't know."

Leo Bunnin, owner of Bunnin Chevrolet in Culver City, Calif., sells less than 100 Impalas a year. But he says, the brand has staying power and the redesign could work. "The Impala name was a magnet and I think it could be again."

GM needs some hits in its bread-and butter Chevy brand, which accounts for about 75% of its vehicle sales in the U.S. Years ago, GM could credibly tout Chevrolet as American as baseball and apple pie. But a string of poor quality cars and its government-backed bankruptcy have left GM with a tarnished image, and it is paying a price. Through the end of the third-quarter, GM's market share stood at 17.6%, compared with 19.7% in the same period of 2011.

Next year, GM will redesign and upgrade 13 Chevrolet vehicles, including big sellers such as the Silverado pickup truck, its iconic Corvette sports car and the Suburban and Tahoe sport-utility vehicles.

The Impala likely faces the toughest battle. First introduced in 1958, the Impala name grew to encompass a series of different cars. In the '60s one featured a big block engine that inspired the Beach Boys' song "409." In the '70s, actor Robert Blake drove a rusted 1966 Chevy Impala in "Beretta."

Today's lumbering sedan offers few modern features to tempt car-buyers. In a cost-saving move a few years ago, GM stopped equipping the car with the chrome, leaping antelope that had symbolized the Impala for decades.

Last month, only about 7% of the shoppers who searched for large sedans on Edmunds.com bothered to check out the Impala, down from 15% in May 2007. This year GM is on track to sell about 170,000 Impalas, down from the 311,000 it sold in 2007 and a fraction of the more than 1 million Impalas sold in 1965 and 1966.

The 2014 Chevrolet Impala, on view earlier this year in New York.

Today, only about one in four Impala are bought by consumers. The rest go to rental, police and government fleets.

Chevrolet marketing chief Chris Perry said the car targets 40-year-olds and business people looking for roominess and comfort. "There is still a strong audience out there that wants a full-size passenger car," he said. Prices for the 2014 Impala run from $27,535 to $36,580.

GM aims to position the new Impala as a cutting-edge car, Mr. Perry said. . . . A chrome strip runs across the dash and the doors have glowing, ice blue lights that lend a cool ambience at night.

"We wanted to give a different flavor that is not the traditional look," said Crystal Windham, who leads the Impala interior design team. "We wanted to progress. We wanted to make a fashion statement."

The leaping Impala emblem returns to the outside of the car, after being dropped in 2010.

"There was some discussion about not putting the emblem back on but we are proud of it," said John Cafaro, who lead the exterior design team. "The car is awesome and the badge means something. Sometimes things like that can get thrifted out but it is a beautiful piece of jewelry.""

SUMMING UP

Looks like a long shot at best.

GM's market share has fallen to 17.6% this year. Not so long ago it was 50%.

My, how things change as the times change.

And the Impala is targeting business people who are 40-year-olds.

Who'd a thunk it?

Oh well, a little nostalgia is good for us sometimes. Not too often though.

Thanks. Bob.