Impala Staying FWD, Super Epsilon II Model for 2013

[FenwickHockey65]

Link to article at GMInsideNews

Originally Posted by nsap

Approved: Impala Staying Front-Wheel Drive
Is the Impala saga finally over?
www.gminsidenews.com
October 6, 2009
By: Nick Saporito

The future of the Chevrolet Impala has been one of constant questioning since the Zeta replacement for the car was axed back in late 2006. There was speculation a few months ago that the car would merge with the Holden Commodore several years from now on a variant of the Alpha rear-wheel drive platform; however it appears that those plans have been axed as well. Fortunately this time the bosses at GM have spoken and approved which direction the Impala will be taking on.

GMI was told that late yesterday the GM Executive Committee approved plans to build the Chevrolet Impala on the dubbed “Super Epsilon II” platform. The Executive Committee is the new governing body at General Motors that makes all decisions surrounding products. The Super Epsilon II that will be underpinning the Impala is going to be dimensionally very similar to the upcoming “Premium Epsilon” Cadillac XTS. The XTS will have unique suspension and a high end all-wheel drive system to differentiate the two versions of the platform.

The new Impala is slated to go into production in 2013 as a 2014 model-year vehicle at the Oshawa, Ontario assembly plant. Sources also stated that the Cadillac XTS is slated to be produced at Oshawa as well. GMI was not told of which powertrain options either car will have.

What will happen to the Impala between now and 2013 is still a mystery. Some sources have indicated that GM will have a stop-gap Impala on the market sometime between now and 2013, but it has not yet been confirmed. The current car dates back to 2006 and is showing its age. We assume any revisions to the Impala will take place on Epsilon II to hold the car over until the all-new one arrives in 2013.

Rear-wheel drive fans may still get their chance of glory going forward. GMI was told that if Chevrolet gets a rear-wheel drive sedan, it will not be named Impala anyway. With yesterday’s announcement of the 2011 Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle, we are starting to understand why.

[Xanthos]

ARGH! Just design a new grill for the G8 and badge it as an Impala.

Problem solved.
- X

P.S. - Sometimes GM boggles me.

[Zabo]

God Damnit GM..



Keeping the Impala FWD AND pushing out a RWD sedan sometime in the future? Jesus.. talk about competing in house.

Can I please set up that cage fight with Fritzy now.. pleeeeease? Lutz doesn't even have to fight. It's mano-e-mano.

[FenwickHockey65]

The decision makes a lot more sense if you read this comment from our chief editor...

Originally Posted by nsap

Actually, I like this move. They will have a full-sizer to compete with the Taurus, Maxima, etc. This also leaves room for Lutz to say, "Alright, we're going to secure our volume with the FWD Impala, so now we have room for a RWD niche."

Translation: Everyone who wants a full size FWD sedan (current Impala/Maxima/Avalon owners) can get one. Because of that, the enthusiasts and performance guys who want a full size RWD performance sedan will be able to get one too.

[Zabo]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

The decision makes a lot more sense if you read this comment from our chief editor...

:Quoted text:

Translation: Everyone who wants a full size FWD sedan (current Impala/Maxima/Avalon owners) can get one. Because of that, the enthusiasts and performance guys who want a full size RWD performance sedan will be able to get one too.

...otay. Commodore rebadge on niche status. Think they could retool the Oshawa plant to run them along side the Camaro in limited capacity? hell do a Zeta RWD once the camaro changes it up (Alpha?) in 2015/16/whenever...

Lots of life left in that platform.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by Zabo

...otay. Commodore rebadge on niche status. Think they could retool the Oshawa plant to run them along side the Camaro in limited capacity? hell do a Zeta RWD once the camaro changes it up (Alpha?) in 2015/16/whenever...

Lots of life left in that platform.

It'll probably end up being the Caprice over the Commodore...if the Impala and Malibu grow in size, Commodore will be too small. Commodore's already smaller than Impala and LaCrosse.

[cliffy]

I guess selling 13k copies a month of the current issue Impala makes them slow to move. But just look at the thing folks..................boring. It looks like a million other "blobs" out there. But they really need to be thinking of a car that will take market share away from Camry and Accord and sell at a 20k/month clip

Camaro is doing well, and is a high water mark for style and design sadly lacking for the last 30 years. But it can't carry and save the company alone. Every Chevy (GM's brand leader) needs to be special. I miss the days when GM was the world standard for style and you could recognize the car from a half mile away.

They just need to be faster on their feet, I think people buy style over platform any day, and 2013 is very far away. Lets get some new sheet metal and interior in that car now

[AZCamaroFan]

I wish it would be rear wheel drive, but i actually think the current Impala is a decent looking car. If they keep this current all the way to 2013, that is veeeery long in the tooth though.
Still comes down, to me, that the Malibu needs to be the voume leader.

[SleepWarz]

Originally Posted by cliffy

I guess selling 13k copies a month of the current issue Impala makes them slow to move. But just look at the thing folks..................boring. It looks like a million other "blobs" out there. But they really need to be thinking of a car that will take market share away from Camry and Accord and sell at a 20k/month clip

Camaro is doing well, and is a high water mark for style and design sadly lacking for the last 30 years. But it can't carry and save the company alone. Every Chevy (GM's brand leader) needs to be special. I miss the days when GM was the world standard for style and you could recognize the car from a half mile away.

They just need to be faster on their feet, I think people buy style over platform any day, and 2013 is very far away. Lets get some new sheet metal and interior in that car now

[Zabo]

Originally Posted by cliffy

I miss the days when GM was the world standard for style and you could recognize the car from a half mile away.

Was tailed by a 2010 Taurus SEL this morning.. half a mile away it looked like a Chrysler 300M (not the C) or a Concorde LHS thing..

I lol'd..

[Black5thgen]

If the Impala is staying FWD then what's the Zeta G8 replacement going to be called. The Caprice is a longer wheelbase statesmen, so my guess: Chevelle.

[Zabo]

Originally Posted by Black5thgen

If the Impala is staying FWD then what's the Zeta G8 replacement going to be called. The Caprice is a longer wheelbase statesmen, so my guess: Chevelle.

Low volume car.. Chevelle as a nameplate could work. Though those who know their history should kinda laugh, knowing the Malibu and Chevelle were one in the same at one point.

Commodore rebadge with an LS3/L99 to carry on while the Camaro downsizes to Alpha. Meh.. kinda want though I still see it as an old GM charliefox in the end.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by Black5thgen

If the Impala is staying FWD then what's the Zeta G8 replacement going to be called. The Caprice is a longer wheelbase statesmen, so my guess: Chevelle.

Doesn't look like there will be a G8 replacement. Commodore can still come to the states as a police car (Chevrolet is offering it along with the Caprice I believe), but most departments are more interested in the Caprice.