1958 was the first model year of the Chevrolet Impala, and after 60 years of production, the Chevy Impala is still as impressive as it was in its first year of production.

Introduction of the Impala

The first generation of the Impala was actually called the Chevy Bel Air Impala and it was a limited edition model of the Chevy Bel Air that was created to celebrate General Motors’ (GM) 50th anniversary.

The Bel Air Impala had top-of-the-line features and an iconic exterior look. The 1958 Chevy Bel Air Impala was available with as a hardtop coupe or as a convertible coupe, and like all 1958 Chevy models, the vehicle had a wider, lower and longer exterior design. The 1958 Chevy Bel Air Impala didn’t have the tailfins of the 1957 Chevy Bel Air, instead it had sculpted rear fenders with dummy rear fender scoops. Other notable exterior features include three taillamps and dual headlamps, which was the first time that was seen on the Bel Air.

The standard engine on the 1958 Chevy Bel Air Impala was equipped with a 283-cubic-inch V8 engine, but there was also an available 348-cubic-inch V8 engine.

Impala Makes a Name for Itself

Production of the Chevy Bel Air Impala was extremely fruitful for Chevrolet and in 1959, Chevrolet actually turned the Impala into a new model, and the 1959 and 1960 model year Impala models are second-generation models. The 1959 Chevy Impala was available in four body styles, a convertible coupe, hardtop coupe, four-door hardtop or four-door sedan. The second generation design had pronounced tail fins and dual headlamps. 1959 Chevy Impala models had a unique teardrop taillight design, but 1960 Impala models had three round tail lamps. Engines included a 235-cubic-inch, 283-cubic-inch or 348-cubic-inch engine.

In 1961, Chevy introduced the third-generation Chevy Impala and it was fairly different from the second-generation design because it was based off GM’s B Platform, as opposed to GM’s A Platform, which was used for the Bel Air Impala and 1959-1960 Impala. The new B Platform was boxier and had a more streamlined exterior design. 1961 was the first year the iconic “Super Sport” option, a performance option, was available on the Impala lineup.

The third-generation Impala was produced from 1961-1964 and it included six body styles, a two-door coupe, two-door convertible, two-door hardtop, four-door hardtop, four-door sedan and four-door station wagon. Engine options included a 230-cubic-inch, 283-cubic-inch, 327-cubic-inch, 348-cubic-inch, 409 cubic-inch engines, and 1963 Impala models were available with a 427 cubic-inch engine. The 427-cubic-inch engine was specially designed for drag racers and NASCAR.

Chevy released the fourth-generation Impala in 1965, and production continued until 1970. In 1965 the Impala set an all-time industry annual sales record of 1,000,000 units in the U.S. In 1965 the Chevy Impala had a new frame that was smaller, and Chevy also introduced the Chevy Impala Caprice, and it had upgraded features as well as features seen on the SS models. The fourth-generation Impala models were available in the same six body styles, and there were 10 engine options. In 1970, Chevy ended production of the Impala SS.

From 1971-1976 Chevy produced the fifth-generation Chevy Impala. Fifth-generation models were available in six body styles, but the number of engine options decreased from 10 to five. In 1977, Chevy redesigned the Chevy Impala, and this became the sixth-generation Impala. Sixth-generation Impala models were smaller, and hardly recognizable in comparison to the original 1958 Bel Air Impala. Sixth-generation models were produced from 1977-1985, and after 1985, production of the Impala was put on pause.

The Impala went back into production in 1994 as the Chevy Impala SS. 1994 was the start of the seventh-generation models, and the Impala had a significantly different look, which is no surprise since it was almost a decade since the last Impala was produced. The seventh-generation Impala was equipped with a 5.7-liter engine and available in two body styles, a four-door sedan and four-door station wagon. In 1996, Chevy ended production of the seventh-generation Impala SS.

The eighth-generation Impala was produced from 2000-2005 and it looked significantly more modern than the previous generation design. Eighth generation models were only available with a sedan body, and there were two engine options, a 3.8-liter engine and a 3.4-liter engine. The eighth-generation Impala had a sleek front end design and a unique rear design that featured two seats of dual round tail lights.

2006 marked the beginning of the ninth-generation Impala design. Available from 2006-2016, ninth-generation Impala models were only available with a sedan body, however, Chevy increased the number of engine types to eight engines. The ninth-generation Impala had a completely redesigned front and rear.

Chevy Impala Today

Chevy introduced the tenth-generation Chevy Impala in 2014, and that is the same generation of the Impala models on the streets today (2018). The 2018 Chevy Impala is only available with one body style, which is a full-size sedan. The 2018 is available with two engines, a 3.6-liter engine and the 2.5-liter EcoTec3 engine. Tenth-generation Impala models have earned a number of awards including “2017 Best Large Car for the Money” from the U.S. News and World Report and “Best Full-Size Car” by Kelly Blue Book in 2017.

The Chevy Impala has gone through a number of changes, and today the Impala is a modern sedan that’s perfect for families and professionals.  You can search Chevy Impala inventory online at Miami Lakes Chevrolet. We have plenty of Chevy Impala models to choose from.