A Better Way to See the USA


Here's a simple declaration: Excepting maybe the Corvette, the 2001 Impala LS is the best car Chevy's ever made.

Forget yesterday's boxy Impalas. The new one has the clean, toned look of an Olympic gymnast. Inside, you'll find astonishing room, especially in the back seat and trunk.

GM's 3.8 liter six isn't the smoothest, but its 200 horses pull the Impala very well. Even more impressive is the combination of ride and handling. In fact, with the vast interior room and comfortable ride, the Impala becomes a serious choice for folks more inclined to Lincolns and Cadillacs, but who want something less costly or easier to drive.

And that it is, with a suspension that eliminates the wallow that used to accompany the words "American sedan." It's even friendly to your wallet, a big car priced like a midsize.

In Africa, impalas run on the plains. The Chevrolet version plain runs.



Different Sons of Twin Mothers

A week in the 2001 Chevrolet Impala LS reminded us how far General Motors has come. Not long ago, similar-sized Chevy, Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac models differed mostly in their grille and taillight arrangements. While that similarity made production and development easy, in the end it smothered sales.

After a management change, GM set off on a new course, to make its brands more distinct. It wasn't just a marketing exercise, but an engineering one as well. And the Impala is evidence they've succeeded. Underneath, it shares a platform and mechanical bits with the Pontiac Grand Prix and Olds Intrigue. But each is different to look at and to drive. The Grand Prix is techno-flashy, the Intrigue Euro-cool, the Impala confidently Mid-American.

And if you're a techno-flashy, Euro-cool Middle American, you may need a bigger garage.