The story that ultimately led to the creation of the 1967 Chevrolet Impala model year began back in 1958 ... No, it's not like that, it's impossible to talk about such beauty dry and impersonal. So…
The story of this love began in that happy 1958, when the horrors of war were already forgotten, no new ones were expected, and the industry did its best to make the life of an ordinary American better and more fun. It was this desire that prompted Chevrolet to create a luxury modification of its already well-sold car, Bel Air. The average statistical American thought, munching on a burger from McDonald's, which was just coming into fashion, and bought it. Sales of the new car quickly went uphill, and the consumer loved it so much that it soon got its own car, or rather, the new car got its own name - Impala, Chevrolet named after an unknown
African antelope. The Chevrolet company already in 1959 released a separate model unlike Bel Air and did not fail. Beautiful, big, powerful. Just an American dream. Sales grew, management joyfully rubbed their hands. Under the hood, the handsome man hid either V6 or V8 - a choice, including a turbocharged choice, which hid a herd of 315 selected horses under the cowboy’s gas pedal. The model was not just successful ... In the 59th, the best-selling model of the Chevrolet brand, in the 60th the best-selling model of the
United States of America. Is this not a success?
The third generation appeared in 1961. Popularity was still growing, until the advent of the 1967 Chevrolet Impala, six long years remained, but the look was already similar.
Oddly enough, the stock engine had less power compared to its predecessor (135 hp vs. 145), but the top-end turbo eight gave out to the mountain as many as 360.
The year 1965 came, a new Impala and a new record. The combination of the character of the “oil car”, spaciousness and practicality of the family sedan as a result led to the absolute record of sales of full-size sedans - more than 1 million copies. This despite the fact that all of all varieties of the Chevrolet brand were sold that year a little more than 1.6 million. America's favorite car.
The fresh car received a new, more aggressive design, many technical innovations, and most importantly - the Turbo Jet V8 engine, with an output of 425 hp, which, horror, could be added. And then, in the same year, history makes a sort of curtsy, Impala Caprice, a luxury version of Impala, appears in the arena, which in 1966 became a separate model.
Year 1967. Chevrolet Impala is undergoing restyling and until 1970, when a new generation came out, did not change the appearance. Of course, it would be possible to continue the story further, because the fifth generation and the sixth appeared, but I will not. Next was the oil crisis, the deterioration of build quality, the manufacturer’s struggle for survival and sunset, sunset.
The 1967 Chevrolet Impala was the last of the Mohicans. The best of the best, after which there were only the best of the worst. Until now, Americans, and not only them, love this car. Find, buy, restore, upgrade. There are amateur clubs all over the world. The 1967 Chevrolet Impala is on a par with the Dodge Charger and Pontiac GTO, Ford Mustang and Ford Gran Torino. Not just standing nearby, heading, by right, America's most beloved car.
And on the question of why we love Impala, you can always hear a simple and understandable answer: “Because they don’t do such things anymore!”