1996 Chevrolet Impala

1996 IMPALA SS: A FAMILY SPORT SEDAN THAT REALLY HAULS

When the original Chevrolet Super Sport debuted in the mid-Sixties, 'four on the floor' and a chrome-plated tachometer were the hallmarks of a cool car. Both are back on the 1996 Impala SS, but with a high-tech twist. Impala SS has a new floor-mounted shifter that controls its sophisticated 4-speed automatic transmission, and its new analog tachometer keeps tabs its powerful LT1 V8.

Impala SS has changed the way Americans think about performance. There was a time when the term 'sport sedan' was synonymous with the best Europe had to offer. With the arrival of the Impala SS for 1994, Chevrolet rewrote the rules and muscled its way into the performance elite.

The heart of its heritage is a Corvette-derived 5.7 Liter LT1 V8 with Sequential Fuel Injection, recalibrated to deliver 260 horsepower at 5000 rpm and 330 lb.-ft. of torque at 2400 rpm. Mated to the GM electronically controlled 4L60-E four-speed automatic transmission, the LT1's potent performance is harnessed with smooth and precise shift points. A 3.08:1 final-drive ratio and a limited slip differential provide quick acceleration.

But Impala SS is more than just a one-dimensional stop-light sensation. A special ride and handling suspension derived from the Chevrolet law enforcement package, coupled with quick-ratio power steering (12.7:1 vs. the standard 15.3:1 ratio), adds an impressive level of agility for such a spacious sedan. (concept carz)

Specially tuned de Carbon gas-pressure shocks, a luxury normally found only on Europe's finest, provide impressive dampening to maintain critical road feel. Tuned front and rear stabilizer bars are also fitted to help flatten cornering.

Impala SS wears aggressive P255/50ZR-17 speed-rated tires, along with lightweight 17' x 8.5', five-spoke cast-alloy wheels. Standard four-wheel, ventilated disc brakes (12' diameter front and rear) and a 4-wheel anti-lock brake system (ABS) allow the Impala SS to stop as confidently as it goes.

Impala SS is distinguished by its monochromatic paint, body-color front and rear fascias, rocker moldings, door handles and key locks, taillamp moldings and antenna base. To add to its svelte style, body-side moldings, rear deck-lid moldings and external ornamentation are deleted. Impala SS sports a body-color grille, body-color 3-D Impala SS script along its flanks, and a unique rear deck-lid spoiler and 'stylish' Impala emblems on the sail panels and rear deck lid.

The interior is designed for driving enthusiasts. Deeply contoured front bucket seats are outfitted with gray leather seating surfaces, as is the full-width rear seat. A center console with cup holders, a thick leather-wrapped steering wheel, and map pockets are standard in every Impala SS. Black satin finish is featured on the instrument panel and door trim panels.

Impala SS incorporates a rugged steel safety cage that surrounds the entire passenger compartment, along with front and rear crush zones, and complies with 1997 federal side-impact standards. ( posted on conceptcarz.com) Standard safety features include driver and front-passenger air bags and child security rear-door locks.

Impala SS fills a unique market niche for affordable, full-size, highly styled performance sedans. Impala SS is truly Genuine Chevrolet -- stylish, affordable and a terrific value.

Source - Chevrolet

Chevrolet closed out its rear-wheel-drive, full-size sedan lineage in fine style with the 1994-96 Impala SS. The cars offered impressive performance – their 260-hp 5.7L LT1 Corvette small-block V-8 engine could propel the 4,200-pound. cruisers to more than 90 mph in a quarter mile. A sport-tuned suspension, extra-powerful four-wheel disc brakes, and wide 17-inch tires on special aluminum wheels, were also standard. Exterior moldings matched the body color – black-only in 1994, with dark cherry metallic and dark grey-green also offered during 1995 and 1996. Inside, leather seating surfaces and a leather-covered steering wheel exuded luxury. Originally delivered to a collector, the last 1996 Impala SS built now resides at the GM Heritage Center.

Source - Chevrolet