The Chevrolet Impala was introduced for the
1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through
1965 had become the best-selling
automobile in the United States, competing against the Ford Galaxie 500 and the Plymouth Fury when full-size models dominated the market. The Impala was distinguished for many years by its symmetrical triple taillights. The Caprice was introduced as a top-line Impala Sport Sedan for the
1965 model year becoming a separate series positioned above the Impala in
1966, which itself remained above the Bel Air and Biscayne.
The Impala continued as Chevrolet's most popular full-size model through the mid-1980s. Between 1994 and 1996, Impala was revived as a muscular 5.7-liter V8–powered version of the Caprice Classic sedan. In 2000, the Impala was re-introduced again as a mainstream front-wheel drive full-size sedan. Ed Cole, Chevrolet's chief engineer in the late 1950s, defined the Impala as a "prestige car within the reach of the average American citizen."