expanding the GM brand's full-size lineup with premium convertibles and hardtops. The Impala was originally available as a Bel Air version, with Chevrolet promoting it as a stand-alone series in 1959.

Photo: Vanguard Motor Sales The Impala was the car that put Chevrolet back at the top of the sales ranking in a year of recession, 1958. The automaker built 55,989 convertibles and 125,850 coupes ...