Following the news of the demise of General Motors’ Pontiac brand, many enthusiasts were hopeful that the G8 sedan would live on in the Chevrolet lineup as the next-generation Impala. However, that scenario didn’t play out and it doesn’t look as though the Impala is going rear-drive any time soon.
Speaking with Edmunds earlier this week, GM marketing head Bob Lutz revealed that the Chevrolet Impala will retain its front-wheel drive layout foreseeable future, dashing any hopes that the police-issue Caprice would serve as the next-generation Impala.
Although the Impala will remain a front-driver, look for the next iteration of the car to grow in almost every dimension. A move up-scale is also likely, giving Chevrolet an adequate rival for the newly-launch Ford Taurus . No word if the Impala SS nameplate could be revived to take on the Ford ’s SHO model.
While a performance version of the Impala remains up in the air, Lutz revealed that an eco-friendly hybrid version of the Impala could be in the works. GM’s next hybrid system will be compatible with the next Impala, so expect a hybrid variant to surface at some point.
