Dead Car, Dismal Discounts

Yesterday was a sad, sad day for lovers of the traditional domestic full-size sedan — a rapidly vanishing breed. The last Chevrolet Impala rolled out of Detroit-Hamtramck, and with it the last General Motors big car.

Chapter closed.

It’s a sign of the times. By the end of this year, Buick’s lineup won’t even play host to a single car, let alone a big, four-door one. Cadillac dropped its CT6 in January. But if you’re thinking that the Impala’s discontinuation will lead to immediate, juicy discounts, think again.

According to CarsDirect, buyers wishing to get into one of the final Impalas had best wait until GM gets serious about moving them off lots.

Or you should have already bought one, as up until 2 months ago GM offered a $4,750 rebate and GM Employee Pricing on 2020 models. That meant up to (and over) $7,000 in potential savings on a top-self Premier trim. Right now, there’s only a national $1,500 cash incentive on the table.

While the base Impala LT, which carried a standard 3.6-liter V6 for 2020, carries a fairly decent lease offer ($389 for 39 months with $1,899 due at signing), that deal factors in a $1,000 bonus available to existing GM lessees.

As Matthew Guy told you a couple months ago, the 2020 Impala is a sedan worth considering if you’re in the mood for a big base ride. With trim options limited to LT and Premier for the model’s truncated final model year, the new “base” model dons the aforementioned 305-horsepower V6, plus 18-inch alloy wheels, fog lamps, color-keyed trim, and cloth-and-leatherette upholstery. No longer does a base Impala buyer have to settle for a underwhelming 2.5-liter four-cylinder and bargain cloth.

Of course, this could well be the last opportunity any buyer will have to take home a new Impala, assuming their local dealer has no trouble moving the last of its stock. If bargains are your bag, you might want to risk the wait — March could bring spring flowers and discounts.

[Image: General Motors]