2000 Impala Styling: Creating a New Classic

The expressive new Chevrolet Impala was designed by Chief Exterior Designer John Cafaro and his team, following the completion of the 1997 Chevrolet Corvette. The team's pride and passion for the Chevrolet marque are evident in Impala's bold exterior styling, which retains several distinctive Impala design cues from the past.

"The great Chevys of the '60s were clean, uncluttered, very efficient designs," Cafaro said. "And that's what we tried to achieve with the new Impala."

Cafaro points to a number of heritage- inspired exterior design cues:

Round taillights - an Impala trademark since the '60s

• The chrome center bar and Chevrolet bowtie in the grille
• Sharply sculpted exterior lines - an Impala trademark - are very much alive in this latest iteration, particularly in the rear quarters

Another requirement set forth by Impala's legacy is distinctiveness. "If you look at the great Impalas of the past, in every case there is an attempt to make each one stand out from the pack," Cafaro said. "We were honored to do our part to keep that tradition alive," he continued. "We wanted the new Impala to be different and a little bit more aggressive."

Cafaro offers a number of proof-points to this theme. Impala's streamlined, aerodynamic profile achieves a dramatic wedge-shape, culminating in a high decklid.

"Impala is very much a driver's car," Cafaro said. "You get a sense of that character from its wide, authoritative stance, which we've accentuated with a low-slung front fascia treatment and 16-inch wheels and tires," he continued. Impala puts more rubber on the road. From a purely aesthetic standpoint, anything smaller would have compromised the car's character.

"We spent more than 500 hours in the wind tunnel refining that shape to get Impala's coefficient of drag down to .31," said Cafaro. "It was very similar to our experience on the current Corvette because, if you think about it, the objectives for both cars are the same - the lower the drag, the better the fuel economy. And the more you refine the exterior, the quieter you can make the car for the customer."

Interior Design

The Impala interior design team wanted to reduce the feeling of isolation sometimes experienced by rear-seat passengers, so they incorporated a raised rear seat. The direction for the exterior already called for a taller "greenhouse" and decklid, so the higher rear-seat position blended very naturally into the overall package.

"Impala's styling has received very high marks in focus groups," said Cafaro. "Younger clinic participants see an aggressive, aerodynamic shape that they want to be seen driving. At the same time," he added, "the more mature participants are making the connection to the great Impala shapes of the past."

Home Page  |  Introduction | Styling |  Interview with John Cafaro on Design  | Impala Provides a Total Performance System
Impala Safety Means Going the Extra Mile | Impala Makes New Strides in Comfort | Impala Provides Quality at Every Turn
2000 Impala Specifications | 2000 Impala Standard Features and Options | Timeline: The History of America's Favorite Full Size Car