Interested in a perfect, powerful Chevy sedan with only 75 miles on the odometer and an interior still partially wrapped in plastic? Remarkably, you can have one: This Impala SS was built in 1996 and has hardly been moved since. It will be auctioned at Mecum in early January 2026. How is this level of untouched even possible? It’s unclear from Mecum’s website (where it says the mileage is 78, but based on an image of the odo it looks like another mile has been added since that was posted). The site does report that “[g]If you’re concerned that some parts have deteriorated with age after 30 years, don’t worry: the tires are fresh (but you get the original factory rubber if you win the auction), as does the battery.
The 1996 model year marked the end of the line for the seventh-generation rear-wheel drive Impala SS, which began production in 1994. Three more generations, all with front-wheel drive, followed. The Impala name dates back to the late 1950s and that was not the case officially leaving the Chevy stable for good until 2020when the model retired. By the way, the SS stands for “Super Sport,” and the designation has been a reliably part of Chevy’s lineup for decades. I really love these big four-doors that have unfortunately been displaced by the rise of the SUV, so it’s really exciting to see such a pristine example of the legendary Impala hit the auction block.
A Corvette engine in a family car
The V8 under the hood is a 5.7-liter engine – an LT1 borrowed from the Corvette and reduced from 300 hp to 260 hp. A four-speed automatic handles the 330 pound-feet of torque. According to Hagertythe 0-60mph time when new was 7.5 seconds (I’ve found some other sources suggesting something faster). Inside, of course, acres of mid-nineties Detroit luxury (the Impala SS, however, was built in Texas at GM’s Arlington Assembly plant). In this case beautiful dove gray leather, with the front bucket seats and steering wheel not yet wrapped.
A fair number of these cars were produced on short notice: 69,758, again according to Hagerty. I did a quick search online and found deals ranging from under $20,000 for higher mileage vehicles to $30,000-$45,000 for cars that haven’t been driven as much (this low mileage Impala went for about 60 grand on Bring A Trailer last year). Clearly the Mecum Impala SS going under the hammer is a rather special example, and although it was stickered at $26,192 at birth (the car comes with full documentation and manuals), expect a significant price increase.
A fantastic super sport
Someone in Southern California apparently bought the Impala SS new and then had the foresight to store it away for three decades. The auction listing doesn’t fully detail the working condition of all the car’s systems, and to be honest the bizarrely low mileage compels me to suggest that the winning bidder hire a qualified mechanic to check everything before cranking the car up. That said, the 17-inch five-spoke alloy wheels are immaculate, as is the simple black paint job. There is a CD player! The “Impala SS” lettering on the rear panels is black and fairly discreet; the use of chromium is limited. History has been positive about its unpretentious design: it’s long, low and sleek, with a roomy trunk and a roomy cabin that bigger people will be happy with. The thing is made for cruising, but that powerful V8 means you can always hit it when the urge strikes. That gets you some mileage, but who can resist that?
#Chevy #Impala #auction #garaged #miles #Jalopnik