"When They Were New" Review: 2004 Chevrolet Impala SS Sedan (11/29/2003)
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DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS
There is, and always has been, something for everyone in Chevrolet's passenger car lineup. These days it ranges from the upcoming subcompact Aveo to the high-performance Corvette. But with the demise of the Camaro, there has been a vacancy in the Chevy line, in the medium-priced performance niche. So, to fill that niche, meet Chevrolet's Impala SS, version 3.0. It builds on the Chevy-practical Impala sedan in much the way that version 1 did back in the 1960s, with added power and suspension and cosmetic upgrades. But where version 2, built from 1994 through 1996, was a retro-machine developed from a Caprice-based concept car, and very true to the original in its rear-wheel drive, body-on-frame chassis and large, powerful V8 engine, the 2004 Impala SS is very different. Based as it is on the current Impala, the new SS is a front-wheel drive car. And, although its engine boasts a supercharger and 240 horsepower, it's a transversely-mounted V6. Chevy surprised itself with the `94-`96 Impala SS, selling far more than originally planned. And `Nineties SS owners are an enthusiastic group with a rear-drive, V8 power bent. The 2004 SS will be a hard sell to them, or, for that matter, to anyone who would have thought about a Camaro, but Chevy is betting that the new SS will carve its own niche and make its own reputation. Times change, cars change. The current Impala has always impressed me as a car made for people who have to spend way too much time in their cars. The SS loses none of the space, comfort, and functionality of the other Impala models, it just gets more power and suspension refinement. It's not a muscle-bound hot rod that sacrifices all for straight-line acceleration, nor was it meant to be such a vehicle. It's a European concept, but in an All-American vehicle. A week with a 2004 Impala SS left me with the impression of a balanced, well-mannered performance car. APPEARANCE: There is something sinister about the color black. Monochrome black paint gave the `Nineties Impala SS much of its bad-boy presence, and it does the same for today's version. For the SS, the basic Impala body gets an aggressive front air dam with integrated foglamps and a small rear spoiler. The applique panel around the taillights is body colored. Chevy calls it ``Corvette- inspired.'' Dual stainless steel exhaust tips and plentiful ``SS'' badging complete the look. COMFORT: A major benefit of the transverse front-engine, front- wheel drive chassis layout is space efficiency, and the current Impala scores very well there. The SS loses no interior space, and, like the other Impala models, it makes very good use of all of the space that it does have. As outside, the interior builds on that of the lesser models with a sportier design and trim. Instruments and controls are well-placed, and the center of the instrument panel, containing the audio and climate system controls, is placed closer to the front occupants than the rest of the dash. A large storage space is underneath that, with cupholders and a large armrest/storage box on the console. Upholstery is leather, and heated front seats can be specified. The two-tone gray color scheme is enhanced by carbon fiber-look trim across the instrument panel, and ``SS'' badging is plentiful. Rear passengers have a great amount of legroom, and good headroom. A large trunk and 60/40 folding rear seat access add convenience. SAFETY: The Impala has a five-star rating, the highest possible, in U.S. government frontal and side-impact crash test performance. ROADABILITY: The platform that the Impala SS is built on is not GM's newest, but it is well-developed and rigid for precise suspension performance. The SS has the same fully-independent strut suspension as other Impalas, but gets firmer springs, larger front and rear stabilizer bars, and sticky Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires on 17-inch alloy rims. The ride is firmer than that of other Impala models, but not at the expense of comfort. It's closer to a contemporary European sports-luxury sedan than to a classic American muscle car in comfort and handling response. PERFORMANCE: Paradigm shift. Although this may change in the future, the current middle-class family sedan is a front-drive vehicle, with a four-cylinder or V6 engine. And Chevrolet has no rear-drive sedans in its current lineup. But the 2004 Impala SS is no poseur unworthy of the name. The Impala LS has used the 200-horsepower naturally-aspirated version of the venerable 3800 Series II V6, and other divisions using the same chassis architecture have used the supercharged variant for many years. So dropping the blown 3800 Series II V6 into an Impala was a simple solution. And with 240 horsepower at 5200 rpm and a very healthy 280 lb-ft of torque at 3600 rpm, the `04 SS actually has a better power-to-weight ratio than the 260-hp V8-powered version 2.0. The torque band is broad and high, for immediate acceleration at any speed and relaxed cruising. For the acceleration-minded, this means that the 0-60 time, around seven seconds, is equivalent to that of the 260-hp `Nineties SS in stock trim. In doing research, I came across a test of the 340- hp, 420 lb-ft 409 V8-powered 1965 Impala SS in the December, 1964 Car & Driver. 0-60? 8.0 seconds, hindered no doubt by the primitive tires and suspensions of the day. The supercharged 3800 beats any of the previous SS V8s at the gas pump, easily returning over 22 miles per gallon compared to v2.0's 19 and the 409's 12 or so. CONCLUSIONS: As was the original back in the 1960s, the 2004 Chevrolet Impala SS is a performance car for its time. SPECIFICATIONS 2004 Chevrolet Impala SS sedan Base Price $ 27,335 Price As Tested $ 30,540 Engine Type supercharged 12-valve pushrod overhead valve V6 Engine Size 3.8 liters / 231 cu. in. Horsepower 240 @ 5200 rpm Torque (lb-ft) 280 @ 3600 rpm Transmission 4-speed automatic Wheelbase / Length 110.5 in. / 200 in. Curb Weight 3606 lbs. Pounds Per Horsepower 15.0 Fuel Capacity 17 gal. Fuel Requirement 92 octane unleaded premium gasoline required Tires P235/55 WR17 Goodyear Eagle RS-A Brakes, front/rear vented disc / solid disc, antilock standard Suspension, front/rear independent MacPherson struts / independent MacPherson struts Drivetrain front engine, front-wheel drive PERFORMANCE EPA Fuel Economy - miles per gallon city / highway / observed 18 / 28 / 22 0 to 60 mph est 7.0 sec OPTIONS AND CHARGES Preferred Equipment Group 1SC - includes: cargo net, 200-watt AM/FM/CD stereo, heated outside and electrochromic inside mirrors, steering wheel radio controls, driver information center, OnStar with 1-year ``Safe and Sound'' subscription $ 1,425 Comfort seating package - includes: 6-way power passenger seat, heated front seats $ 445 Driver side-impact airbag $ 350 XM Satellite radio (subscription extra) $ 325 Destination charge $ 660