06 Impala SS

[the_pack_rat]

To think there was a time a FWD car wasn't thought of as such a bad thing.

DISCLAIMER :

This shall NOT be construed as a defense of GM's FWD Impala in any shape or form.

 

[RCSignals]

The Only company making Fairly large 2 doors successfully is Mercedes and they are being out sold by the 4 door counter-parts

Who builds the Charger?

 

[duhtroll]

I see what you're getting at RC, but I thought they were called "Daimler Benz" now.

:laugh:

-A

 

[Shaft333]

A few comments as to why I feel this is a bad idea being a FWD car...

1.) Can GM actually produce a transaxle that can withstand the torque of a pushrod V8?

2.) Will they be putting an LSD in their transaxle diff?

3.) That means they'll probably be different lengths which = major torque steer.

GM has proven they refuse to learn. They tried the FWD platforms in the 90's. Ruined Cadillac in the process. Now Caddy is coming back thanks to RWD/AWD platforms. Also look at today's market, there is a big rush back to RWD performance sedans. Chrysler has 3, 300C, Magnum and the Charger. Ford, well, Ford...atleast they still have the Crown Vic I guess.

GM had a chance to make the new Impala something to compete with Chryslers new lineup. The Malibu can fight the Camry/Accord. (Well ok it can try...atleast that's a Saab underneath.)

I try to like GM but stuff like this makes me wonder who's holding the wheel...

1. I've felt that trannies and motors are the things that GM does right. It's their bodies (bland) and interiors that have always come short. Time will tell how this platform holds out. The configuration is nothing new for GM. They've done it with 500's (albeit mounted longitudedly).

2. Yeah. This is not a one wheel wonder. Which, honestly, I don't think it could be done any other way.

3. My time behind the wheel was short and I was just trying to see if it'd out accelerate my Marauder.

--. This is so true, RWD is coming back. And more AWD being offered as well. I think GM made a big mistake dropping the new RWD platform. I'm not sure if it was all FWD that killed Caddy... as much as it was old-man stigma, builds/styling/trim that was hardly an upgrade from a Buick, quality that wasn't world class and a surge of interest in the Japanese luxo offerings. Add all that up, buyers probably never even gave them a chance to see what wheels were connected to the motor. Youth (or at least younger than the nursing home set) often wants an image of their own. The big success in Cadillac as of late is the Escalade. And that interest is because it defines excess, not because of it's motivation.

 

[Ezbok58a]

Woe, woe.......down boy down........

take a deep breath, and relax......I mean "hypoctrite" is a rather strong word to use, don't you think? But hey, I never thought a stock Marauder is a Lightning bolt either. Which is why I've modified mine. And when it comes to hi-perf modifications, that's when the Crown Vic and the Marauder are worlds apart, because our 32V engines respond considerably better to modifications than your 16v engine does.

Well I did get a rant going, its hard to stop
Proud Cv owner yes, I don't plan on bashing the marauder as it and my car are basically the same sans the 32v.
I just don't like hearing that a charger should have been a 2 door when if you look at history, All modern High Performance Sedans started life as High performance Luxury 2 doors.

Thats the Impala SS, The Mercury Marauder, Dodge Charger, hell the First Crown Victoria was a 2 door, (yes the police had 4 doors)

Its a sign of the times, Large 2 door cars really wouldn't do as well as they would if they were 4 doors.

Thats why Mercedes has a 2 door and a 4 door version. That and a large 2 door seems like something you would get if you were going through a mid life crisis.

 

[BillyGman]

As far as the CV and Marauder comparisant, sure they're both the same basic design (the "Panther" platform) just as the Mustang and Cobra are the same basic design, but it's been my understanding that in addition to having different cylinder heads (32v) and different pistons (Hyperuetectic), the Marauder also has different suspension than the CV does. Ofcourse then there's also the 18" wheels that the CV doesn't have. So to say the CV is the same as the Marauder, is like saying that the Mustang is the same as the pre 2003 Cobra, and is like the 1964-70 GTO was the same as the 64-70 LeMans was.


And as far as the 4door vs. 2 door thing, I think that the big 2 door cars of old looked waaaaay better than the modern day 4 door cars do, but most of the body styles we have now wouldn't even look right with 2 doors anyway. Things are just very different now than they used to be in the way of cars.

 

[sailsmen]

It is a well packaged car, lots of room.

But it lacks the most important feature in a car, it has no soul! It instills no passion!

It is a "bean counters wet dream!" :bows:

 

[RCSignals]

As far as the CV and Marauder comparisant, sure they're both the same basic design (the "Panther" platform) just as the Mustang and Cobra are the same basic design, but it's been my understanding that in addition to having different cylinder heads (32v) and different pistons (Hyperuetectic), the Marauder also has different suspension than the CV does. Ofcourse then there's also the 18" wheels that the CV doesn't have. So to say the CV is the same as the Marauder, is like saying that the Mustang is the same as the pre 2003 Cobra, and is like the 1964-70 GTO was the same as the 64-70 LeMans was.


And as far as the 4door vs. 2 door thing, I think that the big 2 door cars of old looked waaaaay better than the modern day 4 door cars do, but most of the body styles we have now wouldn't even look right with 2 doors anyway. Things are just very different now than they used to be in the way of cars.

Yes, you get it Billy. Other than body sheet metal and few other bits and bobs, the Cv and Marauder are not at all the same. That's not to knock the CV, I own one of those as well, but to claim other than the 32v there is no difference is akin to saying there is no difference between Dark Chocolate and Milk Chocolate, other than the milk.

Remember the Marauder convert concept? Mercury had the chance to build on those quarter panels to develop a tudor or a tudor hard top. They would have been popular, and not just a midlife crisis!
I know people who didn't buy a Marauder because of that convertible concept, and the belief that it would be built!