And when the vehicle line executive responds, "Hmmm, let's find out."
There's nothing like the fumes of Detroit perfume to inspire greatness. And the 2006 Impala SS sedan is a great halo car even if gasoline costs as much as Budweiser. This nicely finished Impala is enough to make young men drink domestic to put premium in their SS.
Yes, the Impala is a modest front-wheel-drive family sedan, but, my, what a wonderful makeover it gets with a 303 horsepower, 5.3 liter V-8.
The SS is a muscle car for the family guy. Not too expensive, not too sophisticated and easy to maintain.
The test car in a brilliant metallic blue with tan and black interior had an as-tested price of just under $30,000, and I wouldn't have passed on any of the options that came on this car: leather, polished wheels, eight-speaker Bose audio and XM radio.
This generation Impala has been around since 1999, and never made much of a fashion statement, though it is a roomy and sturdily built car. Chevy buyers aren't interested in trendy styling, a spokesman once told me when I asked why the styling was so unremarkable.
Well, something changed because the 2006 gets a stylish update with a major freshening inside and out. Everything the customer sees or touches is new, Chevy says, except the logo on the sail panel.
The SS goes a little further with a dual-split grille with an SS-signature black-diamond crosshatch pattern, chrome exhaust tips and a rear spoiler, also standard on the midlevel LTZ model.
Pricing starts at $21,990 for the L, $22,520 for the LT, $22,530 for the LTZ and $27,790 for the SS.
And with more horsepower and standard equipment - cruise control, eight-way power driver's seat, driver information center, uplevel cloth fabric, roof-rail mounted air bags, grab handles at the headliner, and a six-speaker CD audio system - the price is about $1,100 less than last year.
Refinement and attention to detail were important for this car, Chevy says. And precise body panel gaps - 3.5 mm or less - and interior fit and finish show how far the assembly process has come in recent years.
So-called quiet steel at the firewall, a soundproofing dash mat and thicker side front glass helps keep out unwanted noise - but not the pleasing V-8 exhaust tone.
There are new, large headlamps with a cluster of three lighting units, substantial grab-style door handles and flat-blade windshield wipers (they slap tighter to the glass and help eliminate streaking and wind noise).
Inside, a new instrument panel with a double hump design wraps around into the door panels. LS, LT and LTZ models get some faux wood trim or an optional brushed sterling. The Impala SS comes with a technical-pattern trim, with the wood-trimmed appearance as an option.
A new seat design is simpler and more tailored looking. The uplevel Nuance leather-trimmed seats have attractive seams, firmer cushions and increased lumbar support that will be appreciated during long drives.
Three new audio systems emphasize simple-to-operate radios. The base CD-radio is a six-speaker system. All radios include a standard auxiliary input jack for external devices such as an iPod or remote cassette player. The input allows for plug-and-play through the sound system.
Other thoughtful features include gauge illumination that clicks on in low-light conditions, a larger glove box, and flip-and-fold rear seats. The forward-flip rear seat cushions create a covered storage area beneath the seat with cushions down and provide grocery bag hooks when the cushions are flipped forward.
The seat back also folds down to create a pass-through from the trunk when seat backs are folded flat, which is unique in the midsize segment, Chevy says.
ALL FOR SAFETY
Dual-stage front air bags and side-curtain air bags are standard, with an improved four-wheel disc brake system with all-new front brakes, improved rear brakes and increased brake boost.
Pretensioners are standard on the front safety belts and there are new, more effective load-limiting retractors. The retractors have more take-up force, cinching the belt more tightly.
A new ABS system - standard on LTZ and SS - gives improved steering control while braking. It also includes Electronic Brake Force Distribution, which helps provide optimum braking regardless of load, traction or braking speed.
The optional traction control system works with the ABS system and uses throttle and brake intervention to maintain control.
POWER TO SPARE
A new family of V-6 engines features the first use of variable valve timing in an overhead-valve engine design.
A 211-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 is standard in the Impala LS and LT, with fuel economy ratings of 21 mpg city and 31 highway, using 87 octane.
The engine also runs on E85 ethanol or any combination of gasoline and E85.
The uplevel engine - standard in LTZ and optional in LT - is a 3.9-liter V-6 built on the same architecture as 3.5, but bored and stroked. The 242 hp engine has 242 foot-pounds of torque, with 90 percent of that pulling power running steady from 1,800 to 5,800 rpm. Fuel economy is 19/27.
The piece of irresistible power is the aluminum 5.3-liter V-8 with Displacement on Demand technology. Engine electronics regulate between eight- and four-cylinder power, which can boost fuel economy by 8 percent to 12 percent in easy driving conditions.
The process of switching between eight and four cylinders is imperceptible. Hit the gas and the engine gives a quick response, which is part of the pleasure of driving the SS.
And when the driver tromps the gas pedal, the front wheels don't tear loose in wild torque steer.
The V-8 runs best on premium and returns fuel mileage of 18/28.
The SS gets a stiffer suspension with larger front and rear stabilizer bars to trim body lean and improve high-speed stability. The Goodyear Eagle RS tires are 18-inch W-rated performance rubber on five-spoke alloy wheels. Both are attractive and effective.
Even with a sport-tuned ride, the SS is compliant and easy on all ages of drivers. The car feels light and lively. The engine idles with a hearty rumble and sounds better all the way up the scale. Steering, brake and throttle responses are balanced and harmonious.
And the one-twist starter is an appreciated extra. Give it one crank, the starter takes over while you buckle up and check the mirrors. That's a feature usually found only on luxury cars, but Chevy (and other GM divisions) have added it to a range of mainstream vehicles and not bragged much about it.
All Impalas use the Hydra-Matic electronically controlled four-speed automatic, and with a beefed-up version for the SS.
A five-speed might seem more competitive, but the four-speed gives smooth and well-timed shifts. And while I don't see much need for a manual shifter with the SS, it is time to put a manual-shift mode with the automatic. The car is sprung for sporty driving, the engine is begging to be let loose, but the transmission misses the train on fun.
A sturdy driver's footrest would also be on my wish list.
The feedback from dealers is that this Impala is the best Chevy in 20 years.
"We have distributed the vehicles to regions where Impala hasn't sold well to feed underperformers, particularly in the smile states (the South and Southwest). Our past model tended to not perform as well there," says marketing manager Mark Clawson. "Now, for every 1,000 orders we fill, we are being asked for 1,800 to be built."
The SS line of performance isn't as sophisticated - or as pricy to maintain - as DaimlerChrysler's SRT vehicles. The Impala SS is about pride of ownership and still bringing home the bacon - while getting 28 mpg on the highway.
SPECS BOX
2006 Chevrolet Impala SS
Body style: Large, front-drive, 5-passenger sport sedan
Engine: Aluminum, OHV 5.3 liter V-8 with continuously variable valve timing and Displacement on Demand cylinder management
Horsepower: 303 at 5,600 rpm
Torque: 323 foot-pounds at 4,400 rpm
Transmission: Hydra-Matic 4T65-E 4-speed automatic
Acceleration: 0 to 60 mph, 5.7 seconds
Fuel Economy: 18 mpg city, 28 highway
Fuel tank: 17.5 gallons; premium recommended but not required
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 110.5 inches
Length: 200.4 inches
Front head/leg/shoulder room: 39.4/42.3/58.7 inches
Rear head/leg/shoulder room: 37.8/37.6/58.6 inches
Curb weight: 3,712 pounds
Trunk space: 18.6 cubic feet
FEATURES
Standard equipment: Remote locking, dual zone air conditioning, illuminated vanity mirrors in visors, flip and fold-flat rear seat, trunk cargo net, floor mats, power windows and mirrors, eight-way power-adjustable driver seat with manual-adjustable lumbar, dual exhaust
Safety equipment: Dual-stage front air bags, side curtain air bags, pretensioning and load limiting front seat belts
CHASSIS
Suspension: four-wheel independent; front, MacPherson strut, twin-tube dampers with gas-charged valving; coil springs; hollow 34-mm stabilizer bar; rear, tri-link coil over strut, twin-tube dampers, dual rate coil springs, hollow 19.4-mm stabilizer bar
Steering: Power rack and pinion; turning circle, 38 feet
Brakes: four-wheel disc with power assist
Tires and wheels: P235/50R18 W-rated AL3 Goodyear Eagle RS-A blackwall on polished finish aluminum wheel
PRICING
Base price: $27,790, including $660 destination charge; price as tested, $29,980
Options on test vehicle: Leather seating ($1,075), 18-inch polished aluminum wheels ($295), eight-speaker Bose audio ($495) and XM satellite radio ($325)
The competition: Ford Five Hundred, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, Chrysler 300C
Where assembled: Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
PLUSES: A muscle car for the family guy, with flip-fold rear seats, one-twist ignition, lighted gauges in low-light conditions, V-8 Displacement on Demand, iPod connectivity.
MINUSES: No manual-shift mode to the automatic; needs a good driver's footrest.
Mark Maynard is driving in cyberspace at mark.maynard@uniontrib.com.
