The Chevy Impala was one of the best-selling automobiles in America from 1958 through 1985. So much so that it would make a return in 1994-96 and then one final time in 2000-20. For three years beginning in 1994, the Impala would wear Super Sport or SS badging again, even though it was on a 4-door sedan. These cars were both elegant and peppy with a 350 cubic inch V8 largely borrowed from the Corvette and it also had suspension components from the Caprice police package. This ’94 edition is in stunning condition and has just 6,000 miles, likely purchased new as a future collectible. From an estate and in Horseheads, New York, this Chevy is available here on eBay for $32,995 or you can make an offer.
With design work dating to 1991 and even a concept car, this revitalized Impala SS debuted in the middle of the 1994 model year. Underneath, it still used the shortened frame design of the 1977 rework, but it was sleekier than its Caprice counterpart and used a fourth-generation LT1 V8. A cop car below, it was probably the best handling car of its size and had 4-wheel disc brakes to bring it to a stop. They used a 4L60E automatic transmission which was electronically controlled. If there was an Achilles heel to the Impala, its tranny had not been beefed up for the additional torque from the LT1 and transmission failures at 100,000 miles or greater have become commonplace.
Only 6,300 copies of the automobile left the assembly line for 1994 and black was the only color available (others would be added in 1995-96). This car has had the same owner since new until his or her recent passing, so it’s being sold to clear out the estate. At 6,250 miles, this car has spent more time in the garage than anywhere else, which speaks to its remarkable condition.
This Chevy has all the available bells and whistles including leather seats and a premium sound package. The body is straight, the paint shiny, and the interior looks hardly lived in. As you might expect, the auto comes with all kinds of documentation, including the window sticker saying it cost $23,600 when new (that equates to $45,800 in 2022 dollars). These cars would pick up sales momentum, selling 21,400 in 1995 and another 42,000 in 1996.
The Impala SS was dropped after 1996 as GM discontinued the platform it and the Buick Roadmaster were built on, freeing up production capacity for the newly more profitable SUVs. A ceremony was held on December 13, 1996, when the last Impala SS rolled off the assembly line. These cars were quick for their day, doing 0-60 mph in seven seconds and the quarter-mile at 15.3 seconds at 91 mph. Top speed: 142 mph.
Had these Chevy’s as police cars. The 94 Impala was the best police car I have ever driven. The motor pool boss was a friend of mine and I kept asking him to postpone the retirement of this radio car. One day close to 2000 he said that his bosses ordered him to secure the car. It was the longest my department kept a car on the road. Every three years we received new cars. Since I worked for the department I wasn’t able to bid on it. The Chevy’s were replaced by Ford’s. They sucked compared to the Chevy’s.
Uh this car is NOT FWD lol
I’m trying to find where its been said that the car is front wheel drive after reading the comment but can’t anywhere?
Russ fixed it already. It was the very early edition..
Friends of mine in the law enforcement business related this history about their patrol cars in the ‘90’s:
In 1986 (?) the Impala police package got hot; it got better and better until “Shamu” made its appearance and the bad guys realized there ain’t no way to outrun the car AND the Motorola. They got crazy fast, the law enforcement driver training got better and more cities got aerial surveillance and/or smarter technology. Chevy cashed in on this with their Impala SS and the horsepower wars started in earnest.
Then came the decision by the GM brain trust/bean counters to discontinue interesting cars and with the emphasis on pint size front wheel drive gas sippers/gas guzzling oversized 4WD station wagons called SUV’s, leaving the cop car market to the Ford taxi cabs AKA Crown Vic’s, with a V8 barely 10HP more than there V6 models..There were some that saw the serious void left for a genuine patrol car package rather than a civilian black and white modified grocery cart and tried to bring it to market (the Carbon Motors Corp. E7: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U218iS2O6MY ) but to no avail other than the relatively few and fun Camaro and Mustang pursuit specials.
Fortunately MoPar saw the opening for a police CAR and stepped in, shoving the geriatric GM front wheel drive anemic pizza delivery specials to the curb..
However, every Once in awhile, during the resurrection of drivable cars in the civilian world, you’d have an interesting concept from GM called a Trailblazer SS, Pontiac G8 GXP/GTO or simply called the SS (mostly Australian import as the US GM board had no cojones to face the shareholders if it didn’t sell in the millions).
And with the advent of $10 @ gallon for E15 gasoline (Lee Vining, CA and Death Valley, CA to name just 2 nearby) the race may come again soon to find a fast but fuel efficient fun to drive CAR..
Have fun while you can with a cool ride like this dude!
I am still driving my 06 TB SS I bought new. I still love it after 16 years and 175K miles. I have no plans on ever replacing it since there is absolutely nothing close for the kind of money these sold for–38K FULLY LOADED. Today, that wouldn’t buy you a loaded Kia Sportage! If the cars hadn’t gotten so low and uncomfortable (for me), I would’ve loved to have had a G8 GXP or an SS. I drove a new GTO for a few weeks before I exported to Sweden for a friend there. Too low and too cramped for big, ol’ me!
No Crown Vic ever had a V6
No, but the Explorer had a V6 with 205HP.
The V8 used in the Crown Vic was 215HP.
It felt like 125HP, especially after driving the hot rod Shamu Chevys.
FWIW, the Chevy front wheel drive things made the Crown Vic feel like a powerhouse, and the oversized SUV’s with miserably dialed suspensions were flat scary, I’m told.
Already gone.
Lovely looking car. I remember when this generation Caprice/Impala SS was intro’d to the public. I remember thinking “it’s about time Chevy updated its styling.
Thanks for an informative article.
GM designed a great line of B Body LT1 4L60E Positraction drive train Impala SS and Buick Roadmasters in 1994-1996 to refine the 305 and TBI 350 Impala, Caprice, Oldsmobile and Buick Roadmasters produced in 1991-1993.
My 1993 and 1996 Roadmaster wagons are the best cars I have owned and are still running great 29 and 26 years later!
Many years ago, my best friend came to me and told me that his 88 Mustang convertible was getting a little long in the tooth, and that he thought a replacement was in order.
This time, he said, he might be looking at an Infiniti J30. AAaarrrrggghhh!
I told him that as long as I drew breath, he would not drive anything Japanese (with a few exceptions, in which I knew he would have no interest – such as an NSX).
I firmly stated that we were going to have a long, hard look at a 1996 Impala SS. The Reader’s Digest version is, that he not only took my advice, but he was deliriously happy with it. It was Black Rose (a gorgeous color) and had the console shifter (first and only year of the 3).
Wow! What an unusually great car from a company that had recently (and afterwards) been so comfortable with the sub-par and the mediocre.
Cool Chevys. Another nice one is the Mercury Maurader
I wanted a black one of these in the worst way when they first came out. It was a hard sell for my wife since we were having twins at the time.
Couldn’t get the fricking car seats in the back seat!!! Ended up with a Explorer.
How in the world could you not get car seats to fit? Huge doors and back seat.
Had a ’95 and loved it! Perfect big, roomy family car that was perfect for highway travel. I actually had 2 car seats in mine!
Can’t get car seats in one of these? The kids and seats must have been HUGE!
Now, this is a way to sell your car quickly on any auction site… Clean, Clean ,Clean. Pictures show exactly what you will get. No dirt or garbage on the floor or trunk area. Car shows beautifully. I’m not surprised it sold so quickly. One owner, low miles, pristine condition, what’s not to love about this car. Great buy for whoever bought it. Enjoy this piece of American Automobile History. The best thing about this car, You won’t see another one in your town.
“its tranny had not been beefed up for the additional torque from the LT1 and transmission failures at 100,000 miles or greater have become commonplace.” The way most of these cars were treated, I would say 100,000 miles to repair or failure ain’t too shabby.