The Chevrolet Impala officially dies -- again
Once again, Chevy has sent the iconic sedan to greener pastures.
We've written the obituary for the Chevrolet Impala a couple of times in the past few decades, but this time, it feels unlikely we'll ever see the family sedan make a return.
Right on schedule, the final Chevy Impala rolled down the assembly line at General Motors ' Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant on Thursday. Local ABC News affiliate WXYZ posted on Instagram a photo of the final car, which shows a "Cajun red" model. We don't have a spec sheet for the final car, though it looks well-equipped, judging by the chrome accents on the exterior.
A Chevy representative told Roadshow in a statement that "as the market has shifted from sedans we've had to respond to customer demand." This particular car will not stick around with GM, but instead was sold to a private owner.
GM said previously production of the Impala and Cadillac CT6 would end this past January, though the Impala received a short stay of execution. The CT6, the only model to ride on GM's once-hailed Omega platform, will not receive a successor as far as we know.
Ditto for the Impala, which leaves the Chevy Malibu as the only family sedan left in the brand's lineup. The latest information suggests the car has a long life ahead of it still with minimal changes coming. We may see the Malibu depart this world this decade, however.
GM has largely shifted its resources away from passenger cars and to more profitable and popular crossovers and SUVs . All the while, the automaker continues to sink millions of dollars into its electric vehicle and autonomous car programs. While its Cruise Automation subsidiary handles the self-driving technology, GM continues to push its all-electric future.
Said vision will begin to unfold with a GMC Hummer EV, and speaking of the Detroit-Hamtramck plant, the automaker plans to build the reborn Hummer there. An electric Cadillac Escalade could join the Hummer in the near future at the plant. GM hopes to make the production facility a home for EV production in North America and dangled the electrified future in front of the United Auto Workers union during last year's labor negotiations. Originally GM planned to close the facility.
Originally published Feb. 28, 8:43 a.m. PT.
Update, 10:25 a.m.: Adds comment from Chevy.
