2006 Chevrolet Impala

charts2

I jumped all over you on the other Impala forum?! what other Impala forum are you referring to regarding the Pontiac GXP?. FWD/RWD thats fine, they made a mistake, it was corrected....furthermore I think you should let mr, hammen2 address his own answer to this post I am sure he is more then capable. Caustic! because I asked where he got this information and what was his source?

charts2

Robert: thanks for replying back. I know a few years back Chevy was testing v8 engines for the Monte Carlo/Impala.....The Fleet/police indicated in 2001/2002 that the police Impala was underpowered for certain applications...Chevy tried certain v8s in testing including (I believe the 4.3 V8?) and they also made a 5.7 V8 black Impala SS that they had on display at the Oshawa assembly plant back in 2002 in their front office lobby, I don't know if you remember that?. It drew a lot of attention and chevy canned the idea because it was extremely hard to fit the engine and other complications including cost....I don't remember back 4 or 5 years testing the small block 5.3 V8 that you had mentioned....I know that this was originally developed for their truck lines. The first that I heard of the 5.3 V8 for the Impala was about 18 months ago.....this original small block goes back to 1955 the first v8 that chevy developed that went into the Corvette and Belair models back in 55'.

Kirstie_H

Relax... we're not going to start a civil war over info about a vehicle that's not yet available. Posting with a less challenging "tone" and extraneous punctuation is more likely to result in a reasoned response to questions. Thanks!

jpstax1

My apologies. I thought it was you that slammed me for the RWD instead of FWD reply to my post. It was actually a member named "batista" over in the Chevrolet Impala forum. I didn't appreciate the way he replied to me. Anyway, someone else was concerned that the FWD tranny in the Impala SS wouldn't last too long because of the huge torque generated by the 5300 engine. I merely pointed out that Pontiac is planning on using this same engine/tranny combo for their new GXP, and that the Chevrolet and Pontiac engineers apparently know what they're doing.

Kirstie_H

Saw it. Everyone's happy. Shake virtual hands, and it's all behind us

jpstax1

I've seen a few '55 "Bel Air" cars with the 265 CID engine at shows. Was the 265 the standard used for other future small blocks (283, 327, and 350 CID)? I imagine they had to do a little more than just a bore and stroke job to increase CID. Plus carburetors, cams, and exhaust systems had to be improved over the years to increase performance. Those old cars are real lookers.

charts2

Your right, in 1955 the 265 Cubic Inch V8 was rushed into production. In 1955 Chevrolet only had two models. The Corvette and full sized chevrolet..(at that time the Belair was the top of the line full size chevrolet like the Impala is today) because Ford and Chrysler at that time had V8's as well as other GM division cars, performance was heating up just like it is now....Nascar racing was becoming very important to manufacturers and factory sponsored drag racing...(Win on Sunday Sell on Monday) ...Chevrolet was now very competive in racing...Chevrolet found that after 2 years the 265 was not powerful enough and the engine was enlarged to 283 CID.. 1958 found its way into the first Impala..Chevrolet Impala won the Daytona 500 in 1959 but with their larger 348 V8 engine. From the late 1950's until 1963 chevrolet won many Nascar races and several drag racing titles with their Belairs/Impalas ....the 283 V8 was carried on into the early 60's but again was also bored out to 327 which is currently the 5300 (325.1)in a way of speaking. ...later on became the 350 (5.7) 1994- 1996 Impala SS....and Corvettes, and is now the full version 6.0 L V8 in the 400 hp C5 Corvette.....The new C6 Corvette 7.0 Litre 427 is a different engine altogether....This is the 50th anniversary of this small block 5300 V8 design. Great improvements have been made over the years, lighter stronger metals, more electrical components instead of mechanical, and huge improvements in reliability and longevity of engine components......back in the 60s your new car warranty was 12 months or 12000 miles with no extended warranty! we have come a long way!

turboshadow

For what its worth, Chevy has been experimenting with V8s in FWD platforms since the 80s. IIRC, they specifically used a SBC and a Japanese quad cam V-8 in the Beretta platform to test the suitability of FWD for a Camaro replacement that never came about. Also the LT-1 and LS-1 were tried in the Impala as far back as the mid 90s as a continuation of the Impala SS. This never came about, so I heard, because it couldn't meet crash standards.

 

Turboshadow

jpstax1

I think I read the same thing about it failing some of their crash tests. In the same article, I think they said the LS1 had to be shoehorned into the engine bay, leaving very little room for routine maintenance work. I imagine most mechanics wouldn't enjoy working on a car like that. Lots of scrapped knuckles. However, it looks like they solved that problem by using the 5300 engine.

hammen2

Yep, GM is giving a little more thought to the packaging of their vehicles these days. The 2002 SUV Triplets (Trailblazer, Envoy, and Bravada, now Rainier) are known for their difficulty of repair/maintenance. If this was 1995 rather than 2005, you bet they'd have shoehorned an LT1/LS1 in the Lumina/Impala and sold 'em...

 

--Robert

jpstax1

I almost had a disaster with my '98 Regal GS. Last week I heard an unusual noise coming from under the hood during idle. I opened it and saw my S/C tensioner-pulley was wobbling and making weird noises. I read my extended warranty and saw the part and labor were covered. So I took it to the dealer. I thought something was wrong when my S/C was only making ~4 lbs. of boost at WOT. The service manager told me some horror stories about pulleys breaking loose and serpentine belts flying around, damaging the engine and related parts. He suggested that people should insist that all engine and S/C pulleys (and belts) be carefully inspected during oil changes.

b4z

I am a little late to the discussion, but there was a V8 Impala SS prototype shown at the plant in Canada about 3 years ago.

I am sure somebody here can locate the pics.

b4z

GM can beef the tranny up all they want to, but it is a stopgap, and there will be plenty of failures.

Cant' wait for the 6speed auto FWD app. and the 6 speed auto RWD app.

jpstax1

I did a search using "Yahoo". It showed this very good site (along with several others):

 

http://www.gmhightechperformance.com/features/0303GMH_homerun/

 

If you type "Impala SS with LS1 engine" in the search window, you'll find some more links with pictures of the car.

charts2

I wish Chevy had stayed with the Red Bowtie instead of Gold as their moniker, and John Moss the Chevy performance Guru retired a few months ago.....

charts2

RE: post #170.....On the other Impala forum, back in 2002 we had all these pictures and info then about this prototype Impala for those that remember. Wider tires, Redbowtie & 5.7...

jpstax1

OK. So what's your point? Are we all supposed to remember that far back? BTW, I did a search in the other Impala forum, but couldn't find any links to the pictures. There were several posts back then about an SS with the LS1, but no pics.

charts2

...This car was shown all over the internet & in most car magazines at that time (no big deal) no need to get upset. You can check the other Impala forum; post #35 #45 #63 #188 #1861 the picture links have long been cancelled..and I believe there were a few other post #'s as well but that was then..... the same pictures that you are showing.. its good to see the car again!.....I believe if GM knew that Chrysler was going to unleash the hemi (and be as successful) back then, the LSI somehow would have made its way to production...probably today the LS2.....

charts2

...LS1 prototype: More pictures....Google search....2001 LS1 Impala Oshawa....Car got rave reviews by the auto workers!.......in essence the 5.3 is a variation of the 5.7..small block.

jpstax1

My apology! I thought you were criticizing me for showing a link to a site other than the one you thought the pics would be found at. Anyway, a Goggle search showed that this is the correct link:

 

http://www.9c1.com/gallery/features/ls1_impala/

 

It shows pics of the prototype car at the Oshawa plant. The engine compartment sure looks cramped to me. Thanks for your suggestion!

charts2

No problem.....You can sure see the styling cues that went into the 2004 and 2005 Impala SS from the prototype....There has been a lot of criticism about this new 2006 SS coming but when you read about the improvements the list is impressive...I guess this new 6 speed auto that GM/Ford are working on will go into the 2007

hammen2

If it's true that GM won't be offering the 6-speed auto until 2007, with the rest of the car/drivetrain debuting in 2006, it would be yet another GM misstep of launching the engine/tranny combo a year or so later than the rest of the car (see the Olds Intrigue, which had to use the 3800 for a year and a half due to the 3.5 Shortstar not being ready, and the Caddy CTS, which had to use a carryover Opel engine for 1 year (auto) and 2 years (stick). Or the GTO, SSR, et. al.).

 

Why GM can't get this right, I'll never understand. Someone/some folks need to lose thir job for these kinds of mis-steps...

1487

Since most buyers dont base a car decision on the number of gears in a tranny they arent going to hold the car back to wait for a 6 speed auto. The current Impala needs to be replaced ASAP and it wouldnt be wise to wait another year or two just so it can be launched with a 6 speed. GM is making its own 6 speed auto unlike most of its competitors. The Japanese dont even have any plans for 6 speed in FWD cars that I know of and Ford outsources their CVT and 6 speed for now. This is probably why Gm is taking so long to get the 6 speed to market.

hammen2

...GM can't get their act together to get a new car launched right. How hard is it to get the chassis, engine, and tranny for a vehicle all done so you can release the car as it was designed to be? Does anyone other than GM chronically do this? What would have happened to the 300C if Chrysler didn't launch it with the Hemi? Would it have been the hit that it was?

 

You only get one chance to make a first impression. In GM's case, it's with the auto mags and writers. Reviewers won't revisit the '07 just due to the addition of a new tranny, which should provide not only better performance, but also better EPA ratings. And those are things people WILL notice.

jae5

Question for the board. In regards to the 6-spd tranny, is this the one that a couple of years ago Ford and GM where doing a joint-venture together on. Or is this transmission indeed a GM-only component. Read about the joining-force in the Nov-Dec. time-frame of 2002. Also believe this trans was to be in luxury vehicles first, then trickle down. There was no word on 5-spd autos, though, and really can't find any recent info as well. Seems they're satisfied with the 4-spd.

 

Also, any word on 6-spd auto FWD-transaxle applications?

jae5

Totally in agreement. Have stated this in the past as well. Seems that GM can give you the chassis, but the engine later. They can give you the redesigned body, but the chassis is old underneath. The engine can be new, but the tranny isn't. The Corvette is really the only vehicle that'll usually give you 100% new of 75%+ new at launch, but everything else, it's a crap-shoot.

frasierdog

According to a post by a Ford employee in another forum, Ford & GM are developing a 6sp for FWD use. Ford is currently outsourcing their 6p in the 500 until this new tranny is ready.

 

I would like to know what the real world value a 6sp has over a 5sp?

jpstax1

There have been quite a few heated discussions about the '05 Goat vs the '05 Mustang GT in the Pontiac GTO forum. I think the big difference in price (not to mention 100 HP) makes all the performance comparisons irrelevant. I think we're comparing apples and oranges. It's a shame that Chevy isn't selling an improved Impala SS to do battle with the Mustang. Then we could do a more relevant comparison test. I think offering an LS1 engine with the Impala SS might be the solution.

jpstax1

In post #184 I should have qualified my statement about "Chevy not selling an improved Impala SS to do battle with the Mustang GT" by saying both the '06 Impala SS and Monte Carlo SS will have a 5300 engine (303 HP) and heavy-duty tranny. Those cars might be able to compete with the 2005 Mustang GT depending on whether Ford keeps the same price and horsepower for the '06.

chrisducati

With GM's ever fading market here in the US you would think they could do better. GM has some better cars in other parts of the world. Just start building them here. Look at chevrolet.com.mx Much nicer cars with the exception of the Chevy by Chevrolet which is a throw back to the 1980's.

hvan

I had a chance to sit inside the new 2005 Avalon last night. In my opinion, the new Avalon will blow the new 2006 Impala out of the water. Impala is NOT even in the same league as the Avalon!! Also, this new Avalon is NICER than the CTS and STS!! A fully loaded Avalon Limited Edition can be bought for $35K.

1487

Blows it out of the water how? I saw the Avalon at the auto show and it is just as ugly as it looks in the pics. The Avalon is more of a luxury car than the Impala so I dont see the two as direct competitors. The Impala looks better and will offer more power. The Avalon has more high tech features, but it should considering it goes up to $38K or so fully loaded.

GM cant provide a 6 speed when it doesnt have one. It's only alternative would be to outsource the tranny and I dont know that there are any 6 speeds available for FWD cars with this much power. Audi has 6 speeds in it's cars including the A6 V8 but I dont know where that comes from. Beyond that I don't know of any FWD 6 speeds than can handle the 5.3V8 or even the 3.9V6 for that matter. GM doesn't outsource many trannies for some reason. If you want a 6 speed right now get a 500 with 203hp. Speaking of incomplete cars, why coudln't Ford have a better V6 available at launch?

dan165

I'd take a GM four speed over most anything out there, at least it's reliable and smooth.

As for "blowing the Impala out of the water". I am 100% sure the Impala will cost thousands less and have a very similar interior in terms of quality. I have seen the interior of the new vans vs the Sienna and the quality is almost identical. Toyota's quality advantage gap is getting close to zero over GM with many new models.

vanman1

Anyone know when the new Impala hits the street?

I'm guessing fall but..

charts2

You will probably see your first 06 Impala at your chevy dealership around the end of July first of August......My understanding is production is suppose to start in June....but might start sooner if all things are in place. Current Impala sales are falling off, and some production shifts at Oshawa have been idled because recent demand is down for the current model..

litt10

does anyone have any info on pricing for the 2006 impala? just came back from the auto show in new york the car is awesome

mrrogers

I have not seen any 2006 Impala pricing, but I don't see how they could raise prices on the V-6 models and still be competitive. I understand that the V-8 is a special case.
Were you able to sit in one at the auto show? I heard the seats are supposed to be better.

litt10

no you could not sit in them only on dispaly

1487

I would look at Grand Prix pricing to get an idea of Impala pricing. The Grand Prix with V8 will start at $29,600 so I expect the Impala SS to come in somewhere under that. GM is supposed to be realigning its pricing to price cars realistically. I hope that applies to this car.

orangelebaron

Saw the 06 last night in NY. Not one person even looking at it (or most other Chevy's). Didn't even bother taking a picture. Dodge Stratus nose, BWM taillights.
Nice profile and interior though. Pretty sad.

charts2

To my surprise the current (top of the line) 2005 Pontiac GTP with 3800 v6 260 hp list price starts at. $27,390. that will be discontinued for 2006 and replaced with the Pontiac GXP......the 2005 Impala SS 3.8 V6 240 hp starts at $30,310..(thats $3,000 more) .....I would believe the 2006 Impala SS will start north of $31,000 not much less then the extremely popular Chrysler 300 with the Hemi engine package..... this is not counting incentives but Chevrolet is pricing itself out of the market with the SS! Just my opinion..

lexusrocks

I'm quite fond of the current Impala's exterior styling. I know many people don't, but I find it to be very attractive, especially in SS trim. However, the full size, rear wheel Impala SS of 94-96 was much cooler. Shame on GM for discontinuing the Impala. The current Impala has a very disappointing interior. Very plain, and boring, cheap grey plastic all over the place. For those of you that have been to the New York Auto Show, how is the interior of the new Impala? Are there better quality materials? Is a nav system an option?

charts2

Just went on another GM site and they have the 2005 Impala SS start price listed at $29,215....

1487

while no one will acknowledge it, the Impala SS wont be much slower than the 300C. They are projecting the GXP will run to 60 in 6sec flat which is right on top of the 300C. The 300 is very fast but it puts up some modest handling numbers unless you are talking about the SRT version. In additon the Impala will have a bigger trunk, be lighter and get better mileage.

cfazzari

I went to the NY Auto Show twice this week. The Dodge Charge is drop-dead dynamite, best looking vehicle I saw there... but the interior is cheap hard plastic, which is just plain stupefying. Plus it's RWD and I simply will not trust it during snowstorms. The Grand Prix GXP is the finest car I saw there - A perfect balance of performance and luxury. I even like it better than the Lexus 330. The Impala SS is right behind the GXP for my own personal preference - The SS interior cladding is better than Charger's but maybe not quite as comfortable as the GP GXP. Regardless of which car anyone of us prefers (or are biased towards) My feeling is that each MUST MUST MUST be test-driven extensivly.

Kirstie_H

cfazzari, although I have not driven the Charger, Chrysler claims that their new RWD technology loses only 1% of the handling prowess of their FWD models.

Kirstie_H

Whoops! Host off-topic! Let's continue in the Dodge Charger for 2006 discussion instead.

cfazzari

Kirstie - My point is that Impala SS compares better than the Charger, Lexus 330 & a $42,000 AWD Chrysler 300 C. The only car I saw there I liked as much was the Pontiac Grand Prix GXP. The Impala SS, if priced at $32 or $33 K is a better value than anything else I saw there.

cfazzari

Kirstie: My point was that the Impala SS has a better interior and superior drivetrain than the new Dodge Charger. I also like the Impala styling much more than the Lexus ES 330 (the 330 interior looks like my Uncle Pat's Buick Electra). The Impala SS is neck-and-neck with the 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix GXP - I think the GXP may be more plush, but I don't know if it can handle the Long Island Expressway and the Gowanus Expressway as well as the Impala SS. I am a few months away from purchasing, so I will be having a good time test driving all of these animals later this year.

1487

I'm not sure what RWD tech the charger has over other cars but you cant deny that RWD is worse in snow. Granted traction control helps the situation somewhat there is no way around the fact that not having weight over the rear wheels hurts you in the snow. I think the Impala's interior is better than the Charger/Magnum by far. In addition the packaging problems that come with RWD mean te charger/300 have smaller trunks and center tunnels in the rear that cut down on foot room. The 300's trunk is very small for a car of that size and 17/25 isnt great mileage for a family car. Granted the SS wont be much better but every little bit counts.