Chevrolet News:Chevrolet To Keep The Fleet-Only Impala Limited Till 2016

[William Maley]

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

November 1, 2013

By all accounts, the 2014 Chevrolet Impala is a much improved model over the previous model. In fact, the Impala currently is the highest rated sedan by Consumer Reports. But not everyone wants the new Impala. By 'everyone', I happen to be talking about fleets.

Back in March, Chevrolet announced that the last-generation Impala would be sold to fleets only in 2014. After that, the new Impala would take its place. Now, Chevrolet will continue building and selling the old Impala, known as the Impala Limited, till 2016.

"The Impala Limited has done extremely well. Our fleet customers know the car and like it. It's a business opportunity that we want to continue to fulfill," said GM spokesman Chad Lyons.

John Wolkonowicz, an independent auto analyst in Boston says the move allows GM to sell less expensive car to fleet customers without hurting the new Impala's residual value.

"They're able to keep the old one around at a really low price because all of the tooling was paid for long ago," said Wolkonowicz.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

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[riviera74]

The best news about this is that the new Impala will not take the massive hit that the old model has already taken. Reminds me of the "Malibu Classic" GM allowed to stay around for a year. Only this time, GM is doing this the right way. Let the rental car companies have the old one; virtually all of the old Impala was paid for already.

[Drew Dowdell]

I wish they'd change the name though.... Call it the Chevrolet SCV (Sedan, Commercial Vehicle) or something.... but take the Impala name off!

[Z-06]

I think I will die before the W body does.

[G. David Felt]

Agree with Drew, change the name to Chevy Commercial Vehicle (CCV) and sell it to the fleet's. Continue to tweak and strengthen it as a top quality product that can handle the abuse of commercial use and show the world that a fleet car can hold up, check out what we build for your family.

I believe that people can be sold on a quality product that is used by Fleet and then go check out the rest of the product line up and this would allow keeping residuals higher.

[Robert Hall]

I wish they'd change the name though.... Call it the Chevrolet SCV (Sedan, Commercial Vehicle) or something.... but take the Impala name off!

Call it the Chevy Classic, Chevy Generica....or one of the old low line trims from the '60s-70s--Biscayne or Bel Air.

[Drew Dowdell]

I wouldn't want to tarnish an old name like that with something widely regarded as disposable.

[Robert Hall]

If it runs through 2016 they will definitely have gotten their investment back out of the W-body...wow...long run, many incarnations.

[FAPTurbo]

Won't this just reignite the perceptions that GM vehicles are piles of crap? Everyone who drives one will think it's the current model and wonder aloud why the company was bailed out, etc.

[Robert Hall]

It's odd for certain...I don't like the idea of specific models for rental car fleets. I should be able to rent anything in an automaker's current lineup. As far as the '06-up W-Impala, I've probably rental driven at least a dozen or more of these over the years...I actually like them, decent driving car, nothing fancy but nothing awful either.

[regfootball]

I don't think it's too bad to keep the Impala tag, that way it's easy to identify the car, for everyone to know what it is, and particularly in the future selling used. Impala tag will hold up better for resale than 'CCV'. I can see where the confusion would be an issue. I wonder if the actual name of the car is 'Impala Limited' and ;Limited is not just a trim level.

[FAPTurbo]

But we all know that what model it is. Joe Average probably doesn't. He'll rent this Impala, think it's unimpressive and wonder aloud why GM got bailed out.

Getting rid of the Impala name is the way to go. Since the 'Chevrolet Classic' name is used by the fleet-model Malibu, maybe call this vehicle the 'Chevrolet Limited' or something to that extent.

Edited November 3, 2013 by FAPTurbo

[ocnblu]

My dad recently traded his '08 Impala on a '13. He likes them. They're solid and sensible, with a comfortable, quiet highway ride. Perfect for fleets, yes, but also perfect for 69 year olds who don't want to deal with "infotainment" crap. His is black metallic.

[regfootball]

I know a lot of people with Impalas and they like them. I hear the 12+ with the 3.6/6 speed they get great mpg and have some nuts. They are good buys in the used market.

[Drew Dowdell]

but they handle terribly... they're only good for long distance interstate travel..

I avoid them when I can and will even select ToMoCo vehicles before I pick an Impala... they are my second to last choice (200/Avenger being the only option, I'll cancel my reservation and go counter book somewhere else)

[regfootball]

for sure they are like white bread.

[FAPTurbo]

[Paolino]

I feel like changing the name would go like this:

Agent: "We have a Chevrolet SCV for you."

Customer: "What's that?"

Agent: "You know the Impala? They changed the name. Same car."

[Potluck]

just die already!