With more stallions under the hood than a stampede of wild stallions, they rocked and rolled into the hearts of Americans. This generation was only just beginning to learn to walk in the 1950s, when those speed peddlers of the day drank gasoline and burned rubber to the nearest centimeter.
Chevrolet engineers have completely revamped their passenger car portfolio for the second consecutive year, making the cars more opulent in terms of style, size and equipment. The 1959 models, like their predecessors, were meant to move forward and upmarket.
A GM Motorama show car pioneered the Impala moniker in 1956, and it appeared on the Bel Air Impala Sport coupe and convertible in 1958. It wasn’t until 1959, however, that the Impala got took over as Chevrolet’s top-of-the-line series, replacing the Bel Airs. .
In the 1950s, the Impala nameplate introduced premium options to the Chevy Bel Air line as the premium trim for Chevy’s ultimate driver’s automobile.
It’s clear Chevrolet never intended the Impala to be anything more than a practical family sedan, but it can’t help but be considered a showpiece when it’s as gorgeous as it looks. the air.
Let’s take a closer look at the 1959 Chevrolet Impala
The 1959 Impala focused more on design than handling
Harley Earl designed it in its first year, and it was the first Chevy model to offer triple taillights and dual headlights. Chevy introduced two new body styles for 1959: a four-door hardtop and a four-door sedan. Previously, the Impala was only available as a hardtop or a two-door convertible.
With a low, flat roof with straight, sloping C-pillars and wrap-around rear windows for the four-door hardtops, the sedan gets the same but taller bubble-shaped roof as the two-door hardtop. Cadillac and Buick were the only GM divisions to offer a four-door hardtop based on the sedan’s bubble roof shape.
From the front, it looked like a car from the 1950s, which was not unusual at the time. There was a lot of chrome on the front of the vehicle. Side-by-side headlights installed on both sides of the car.
The engine cooling system relied on a front grille. The size of the vehicle is easily apparent when viewed from the side. The Continental spare tire cover on the rear of the automobile adds 11 inches to the overall length of the vehicle.
A huge trunk lid, “batwing” rear fenders and “cat’s eye” taillight design on the rear of the Impala gave it a mean look. The car’s luggage compartment could hold six couples for a night out on the town.
The Impala’s interior was as attractive as its exterior; the dashboard featured elegant circular analog dials and the metal-wrapped two-spoke steering wheel. The lower half of the dashboard was also textured metal. The front and rear split bench seats, covered with an elegant three-tone vinyl and fabric upholstery.
The 1959 Chevy Impala is a horsepower dealer
The 1959 Impala line had plenty of power at its disposal, thanks to all the different engines.
A 185 hp Turbo-Fire two-barrel carburetor V-8 engine, a 230 horsepower Super Turbo-Fire four-barrel engine or a 283 cubic inch fuel-injected ramjet. The V-8 could be installed in place of the 135 hp straight-six engine.
The 348-cu.in. V-8s were also available and with four-barrel or three-two-barrel carburetors. These engines produced between 250 and 345 hp. Even though the car weighed 3650 pounds, it could go from 0 to 60 mph in about 9 seconds. About 130 miles per hour was the top speed.
Overdrive, two-speed Powerglide or turbine-powered Turboglide automatic transmissions and three-speed manual transmissions were all offered, along with a new floor-mounted four-speed manual to suit the needs of every Impala owner.
The Impala showcase was made with the 135hp six-cylinder and manual transmission, although most vehicles had V-8s and automatic transmissions.
The 1959 Chevy Impala: Price and Record Popularity
The Impala broke the sales record with more than 13 million units sold after being the best-selling car in the United States for a decade. In 1977, the Impala achieved a new industry record with annual sales of over one million units.
Customers paid $2,769 for the four-door sports car and $2,704 for the convertible version. Customers tended to prefer the convertible version, mainly due to its attractive design rather than its lower price.
The popularity and fame of the 1959 Chevy Impala has grown so much over time. This car has featured in a few movies, including the famous and popular Disney animated movies Cars (2006) and Cars 2 (2011). A secondary character known as Ramone has featured several times with different paint jobs in the film series.
It was also featured as a gangster car in a 2000 movie called Gone in Sixty Seconds, starring Nicolas Cage.
These days, the car is a rare find. There are a few sightings, including a 1959 Impala owned by the late vet Marvin McGaughey, which he bought after WWII and would proudly own for 48 years. A fully restored Impala would now sell for around $55,000. With its fame and rarity, it’s no surprise. This car is truly a success.
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