New '06 Chevy Impala

[YukiHime]

But can't GM just offer MT on Grand Prix and Monte Carlo? I mean, they are sporty cars, but only has 4AT............

[ichi_bahn1]

I think it looks like a gussied-up Malibu. I like the engine choices, but it needs to be RWD (obviously).

[jyot soni]

GM really screwed up this one. by the pictures, the inly thing positive is hte engine{V8} and much upgraded interior. how come chevy offers 4speed auto when there are 5 and 6 speed autos all over the place

[porscheguy9999]

I dont know about this one. It has clean styling, but looks way too ordinary. IMO, it looks like a late 90's Japanese brand's car. With that V8, why wouldnt they at least have a RWD option? I mean, if GM is taking this "back to RWD" thing seriously, why make the new Impala FWD? RWD would help it fight the Ford Crown Victoria in the Police crusier segment.

[Filthy Sanchez]

First off I agree with most yes it need to be RWD, second that thing is butt ugly! As far as the rumors GM was seriuosly thinking of going back to rear drive forget about it, that was Bob Lutz's baby and the higher ups made him scrap it! Once again killing any hopes of a Camaro return or a quality Monte Carlo or Impala in the future.Hey maybe there's plans for a cool front drive Chevelle!? Seems they can't get their act together in the small car market and the Malibu, and smaller Pontiacs, Buicks etc. aren't selling woth a dam. They have to clean up their act before they can think seriuosly about a RWD paltform. Except Cadillac which they see as a needed rear drive company, after all BMW, Benz, and Jag buyers prefer RWD and don't justify spending more than $30,00.00 on a FWD car.

[Jaguar D-Type]

Originally Posted by YukiHime

When will GM put in another gear in the transmission...?

I'm not sure, but the 2006 Cadillac STS-V has a new 6 speed automatic transmission and it can be adapted to several different kinds of cars.

[YukiHime]

See, even Camry and Accord has 5AT now, but GM is still stuck to the 4AT...
Ford 500 has 6AT...

[Jaguar D-Type]

As I said, they are working on a new 6 speed automatic.

[YukiHime]

But WHEN will they put the thing ON?
Working on it? How come Ford already has the 6AT?

[Filthy Sanchez]

Originally Posted by YukiHime

But WHEN will they put the thing ON?
Working on it? How come Ford already has the 6AT?

Thing is this as well, GM 6AT is the same as the Ford developed by both, together. So GM is waiting until they introduce each model it's cheaper than making it fit in a model they are about to do away with, when they can just make it fit in the next one.

[LancerZero]

Is it just me, or does that thing look a lot like a Dodge Stratus?

[ghostx]

Thank the lord they finally got rid of that lame-ass rear end! It looked like a skyline reject imo. I want to love chevy, but they keep f*%$ up!

[deadbolt_35]

before i say this, i just want to say that i'm serious not biased for or against any american car company, i'm really pretty neutral, but i just have to say that every car that chrevrolet has come out with recently has been ugly as all hell. this impala isn't as bad, but that's just because it's boring as all hell.

[Jaguar D-Type]

Perhaps the next Impala will be rwd...

GM reverses course, says revised version of Zeta rear-drive architecture is back on track

Automotive News

9/12/05

DETROIT - Six months after General Motors halted plans to use its Zeta rear-wheel-drive car architecture in North America, the company has revived the program.

In an interview with Automotive News last week, Jim Queen, GM's vice president of global engineering, said a revised version of Zeta is back on track.

Engineered at GM's Holden subsidiary in Australia, Zeta was expected to be the basis of the next-generation Pontiac Grand Prix and GTO; the Chevrolet Impala, Monte Carlo and a new version of the Camaro; and other vehicles. Vehicles in the program were expected to debut as early as 2006.

Queen did not discuss vehicles on the new version of Zeta or timing. Some vehicles that could be in the Zeta program include the next-generation Pontiac GTO as well as a Chevrolet coupe and sedans. They could debut by the 2009 or 2010 model year, say one company source and one industry analyst.

Queen said initial plans for Zeta stretched the architecture beyond its limits for some North American vehicles. "We needed to reassess and reconfigure the program," he said.

"As we started counting who was in and who was out of Zeta, we realized too late" that Zeta would not work in North America, Queen said.

Part of GM's reasoning in slowing Zeta's development was to focus on pulling forward its full-sized SUVs and pickups. GM's next-generation SUVs will debut early next year.

At the time, GM Vice Chairman Robert Lutz wrote on GM's FastLane blog that GM had "canceled … plans to build rear-wheel-drive vehicles off the Zeta architecture."

"But that does not mean we've canceled plans to build rear-drive vehicles altogether," Lutz wrote. "We are simply reallocating resources (human and financial) to pull some other programs ahead and get other vehicles to market sooner."

The revised Zeta program is being developed in GM's Australian engineering center. The vehicle line executive on the program is Gene Stefanyshyn, the former vehicle line executive for GM's Epsilon, or mid-sized cars, in North America.

A GM spokesman said no product plans have been approved and that GM still is studying design themes, performance characteristics and variants for Zeta vehicles.

GM uses the term "architecture" to signify a common set of components, performance characteristics, a common manufacturing process, a range of dimensions and connecting points for key component systems.