The 1959 Chevrolet Impala is the most extravagant car Chevrolet ever built, and the year the nameplate became a series in its own right rather than a Bel Air trim. The styling is unmistakable: enormous horizontal “batwing” rear fins, “cat’s eye” taillights, a vast decklid, and a trunk capable of swallowing 32 cubic feet of luggage. From the front or the rear, the 1959 Chevrolet resembled nothing else on the road. Underneath sat a 119-inch wheelbase, the X-frame chassis introduced the year before, and an engine list running from a mild six to a fuel-injected 283 making 335 hp. Roughly 473,000 Impalas were built, and the shape has never been forgotten.
Table of Contents
- Overview and History
- The Impala Becomes Its Own Series
- Batwings and Cat’s Eyes
- Body Styles
- Engine Lineup
- Transmissions
- Chassis, Suspension, and Brakes
- Interior and Equipment
- Where the Impala Sat in the Range
- Production
- Collectibility Today
- Key Features Summary
- Full Specifications Table
Overview and History
After the Impala’s successful 1958 debut as a Bel Air trim, Chevrolet did two things for 1959. It promoted the Impala to a full series, and it threw out the one-year-old body in favour of the most flamboyant design the division had ever produced.
The context was an arms race in styling. Chrysler’s 1957 cars had stunned the industry with soaring fins and vast glass areas, and General Motors — caught flat-footed — responded with a crash programme that produced the 1959 line. The result across all five GM divisions was dramatic, and Chevrolet’s interpretation was arguably the most extreme of all.
The new cars were bigger in every dimension: the 1959 rode a 119-inch wheelbase, about two inches wider and longer than the 1958, and roughly 150 pounds heavier. Chevrolet introduced the radical new look across the Biscayne, Bel Air and Impala simultaneously, so the batwing shape defined the entire full-size range, not just the flagship.
Approximately 473,000 Impalas were built for the model year — a strong result that confirmed the decision to make it a separate series.
The Impala Becomes Its Own Series
This is the year the Impala became a real model. Where 1958 had offered the Impala only as a two-door Sport Coupe and convertible within the Bel Air series, 1959 made it a full series in its own right with a complete body-style range including four-door bodies for the first time.
The change reflected sales reality. The Impala had sold over 180,000 units in 1958 as a mere trim level, and Chevrolet recognized it had a nameplate with genuine pull. From 1959 the Impala sat at the top of the full-size range as the division’s priciest passenger model, a position it would hold through 1965 until the Caprice arrived above it.
For a buyer today the practical consequence is simple: a 1959 four-door Impala is a legitimate Impala, which was not true a year earlier.
Batwings and Cat’s Eyes
The 1959 styling is the whole story of the car. Where contemporaries built vertical fins, Chevrolet went horizontal: the rear fenders sweep outward into huge flat “batwing” shapes that extend across the full width of the car. Beneath them sit the “cat’s eye” taillights — elongated, almond-shaped lenses set into the rear panel, utterly unlike anything else on the market.
The tailfins on the 1959 were the largest ever fitted to an Impala. Above them, the enormous decklid opened onto a trunk with roughly 32 cubic feet of space — one of Chevrolet’s largest ever. The front carried a wide full-width grille and a low, broad hood, with the whole car sitting lower and looking considerably wider than the 1958.
The Sport Coupe received a thin-pillared, heavily glazed roof with a wraparound rear window — the design enthusiasts call the “bubbletop”, which was born with this generation and continued into the 1961 restyle. It is the most sought-after of the 1959 bodies after the convertible.
Impala identification within the range relied on brightwork, badging, and — continuing the theme established in 1958 — six taillights, three per side, where Biscayne and Bel Air models used four.
Body Styles
As a full series, the 1959 Impala offered:
- 4-Door Sedan
- 4-Door Sport Sedan — the pillarless four-door hardtop
- 2-Door Sport Coupe — the pillarless “bubbletop” hardtop
- 2-Door Convertible
Station wagons were sold under their own names rather than as Impalas in 1959 — the Brookwood, Parkwood, Kingswood, and Nomad — which is a common point of confusion. A 1959 Chevrolet wagon is not an Impala, however it is equipped.
Engine Lineup
The 1959 engine list was broad and included the most powerful small-block Chevrolet had yet offered in a full-size car.
235 cu in Blue Flame six. The standard engine, dependable and economical.
283 cu in Turbo-Fire V8. The volume V8, offered at 185 hp with a two-barrel and 230 hp and 250 hp with four-barrel carburetion. A fuel-injected version produced 290 hp, and 1959 also saw a 335 hp fuel-injected 283 available — a remarkable output from 283 cubic inches and the high-water mark of Chevrolet’s Ramjet injection in a passenger car.
348 cu in Turbo-Thrust V8. The big-block, now in its second year and considerably expanded. Outputs ran from 250 hp through 280 hp, 300 hp (Special Turbo-Thrust), and 315 hp (Super Turbo-Thrust Special), with the top versions reaching 335 hp.
The 348’s appeal was torque rather than peak power. While the lower-rated big-blocks made little more horsepower than the hot small-blocks, the torque they produced in a car weighing well over 3,500 pounds is what made them popular. For a big 1959 Chevrolet, the 348 is the engine that suits the car.
Transmissions
Buyers could choose:
- Three-speed manual — standard
- Three-speed manual with overdrive — optional
- Powerglide — the two-speed automatic, by far the most common
- Turboglide — the more complex automatic offered with V8 engines
As in 1958, Turboglide was smoother in principle but complicated and fragile in practice, and many were replaced over the years. Powerglide is the easier automatic to live with today; a four-speed manual arrived later and is not a 1959 factory option on these cars.
Chassis, Suspension, and Brakes
The 1959 continued with the X-frame chassis introduced for 1958 — box-section side rails with a boxed front cross member bowing under the engine — which Chevrolet used from 1958 through 1964. The frame’s low profile is what made the dramatically low 1959 bodies possible.
Suspension was independent at the front with coil springs and a coil-sprung live rear axle, tuned softly for ride comfort. The car is stable and comfortable at speed and vague through corners — entirely typical of a large American car of the period.
Brakes were drums at all four corners, with power assist optional and well worth having given the car’s size and weight. Power steering was likewise optional and effectively essential: a 1959 Impala with manual steering is genuinely hard work at parking speeds.
Interior and Equipment
The Impala’s cabin was the richest in the Chevrolet range, with upgraded upholstery, extensive bright trim, deep-pile carpeting, and a dashboard design as dramatic as the exterior. The Sport Coupe’s thin-pillared roof and wraparound glass made the interior exceptionally light and airy — a defining characteristic of the bubbletop.
The options list covered power steering, power brakes, power windows, power seats, air conditioning, radio, clock, tinted glass, whitewall tires, full wheel covers, and a wide range of single and two-tone paint combinations.
Where the Impala Sat in the Range
Chevrolet’s 1959 full-size hierarchy ran: Biscayne (the price leader), Bel Air (mid-range), and Impala (the flagship). Station wagons were classified separately under their own model names, though they used model numbers matching the car series.
The Impala was Chevrolet’s priciest passenger model, and it would remain so through 1965. The Caprice appeared for 1965 as a top-line Impala Sport Sedan and became a separate series above the Impala in 1966 — but in 1959 the Impala was unambiguously the top of the tree.
Production
Approximately 473,000 Impalas were built for 1959. Chevrolet recorded full-size production by body style across the whole range rather than cleanly by series, which is why precise Impala-only figures for individual body styles are difficult to pin down and why numbers quoted in different sources vary.
What is clear is the pattern of demand: four-door bodies dominated by a wide margin, hardtops sold strongly, and convertibles were a relatively small share of production — which is reflected directly in values today.
Collectibility Today
The 1959 Impala is one of the most instantly recognizable American cars ever built, and the batwing styling has moved from being considered excessive to being celebrated. It has a strong following in both the restoration and the lowrider and custom communities, which keeps demand healthy across condition grades.
Values are led by the convertible, followed by the Sport Coupe bubbletop, with four-door hardtops and sedans the most affordable entry points — and genuinely good value for such a dramatic-looking car. A 348-powered example commands a premium over a 283, and documented fuel-injected cars are rare and valuable.
Practical notes: parts support is better than for the one-year 1958 but well short of the Tri-Five. Check for rust in floors, trunk, lower quarters, and the complex rear fender structure, which is expensive to repair properly. Confirm power steering and power brakes are fitted if you plan to drive the car regularly, and treat an original Turboglide with appropriate caution.
Key Features Summary
- Significance: First year the Impala was its own series rather than a Bel Air trim
- Styling: Horizontal “batwing” rear fins and “cat’s eye” taillights — the largest fins ever on an Impala
- Wheelbase: 119 inches — about two inches longer and wider than 1958, roughly 150 lbs heavier
- Trunk: approx. 32 cubic feet — among Chevrolet’s largest
- Body Styles: 4-dr sedan, 4-dr Sport Sedan hardtop, 2-dr Sport Coupe “bubbletop”, convertible
- Identifier: Six taillights (three per side) versus four on Biscayne and Bel Air
- Standard Engine: 235 cu in Blue Flame six
- Small-Block: 283 V8 at 185, 230, 250 hp, and fuel-injected at 290 and 335 hp
- Big-Block: 348 Turbo-Thrust at 250, 280, 300, 315, and up to 335 hp
- Transmissions: 3-speed manual, overdrive, Powerglide, Turboglide
- Chassis: X-frame, used 1958–1964
- Production: approx. 473,000
- Note: 1959 wagons were separate models (Brookwood, Parkwood, Kingswood, Nomad), not Impalas
The 1959 Chevrolet Impala Specs
| BODY | |
| Manufacturer | Chevrolet (General Motors) |
| Series Status | Full series of its own — new for 1959 |
| Body Styles | 4-dr Sedan; 4-dr Sport Sedan (hardtop); 2-dr Sport Coupe (hardtop); 2-dr Convertible |
| Wagons | Sold as separate models — Brookwood, Parkwood, Kingswood, Nomad |
| Range Hierarchy | Biscayne → Bel Air → Impala |
| Market Position | Chevrolet’s priciest passenger model (through 1965) |
| DIMENSIONS | |
| Wheelbase | 119.0 inches (3,023 mm) |
| Size vs 1958 | approx. 2 inches longer and wider; approx. 150 lbs heavier |
| Trunk Capacity | approx. 32 cubic feet |
| Seating Capacity | 6 |
| STYLING IDENTIFIERS | |
| Rear Fenders | Horizontal “batwing” fins — largest ever on an Impala |
| Taillights | “Cat’s eye” lenses; six lamps (three per side) on Impala |
| Sport Coupe Roof | Thin-pillar “bubbletop” with wraparound rear glass |
| ENGINE — STANDARD (235 Blue Flame Six) | |
| Engine Type | OHV inline-6 |
| Displacement | 235 cu in (3.9 L) |
| ENGINE — 283 TURBO-FIRE V8 | |
| Displacement | 283 cu in (4.6 L) |
| 2-barrel | 185 hp |
| 4-barrel | 230 hp and 250 hp |
| Fuel Injection | 290 hp |
| Fuel Injection (top) | 335 hp |
| ENGINE — 348 TURBO-THRUST V8 (big-block) | |
| Displacement | 348 cu in (5.7 L) |
| Turbo-Thrust | 250 hp |
| Super Turbo-Thrust | 280 hp |
| Special Turbo-Thrust | 300 hp |
| Super Turbo-Thrust Special | 315 hp |
| Top Output | up to 335 hp |
| Character | Torque rather than peak power — the natural choice for the car’s weight |
| TRANSMISSION | |
| Standard | 3-speed manual |
| Optional | 3-speed manual with overdrive |
| Optional | Powerglide 2-speed automatic |
| Optional | Turboglide automatic (V8) — complex, poor durability record |
| CHASSIS, SUSPENSION, BRAKES | |
| Frame | X-frame (used 1958–1964) |
| Front Suspension | Independent, coil springs |
| Rear Suspension | Live axle, coil springs |
| Steering | Recirculating ball; power assist optional and highly desirable |
| Brakes | Drums front and rear; power assist optional |
| PRODUCTION (1959) | |
| Impala Production | approx. 473,000 |
| Recording Note | Chevrolet recorded full-size output by body style, so series-specific figures vary by source |
| Demand Pattern | Four-doors dominant; convertibles a small share |
| OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT (SELECTED) | |
| 348 Turbo-Thrust V8 | Opt. |
| Ramjet Fuel Injection (283) | Opt. — rare |
| Powerglide / Turboglide | Opt. |
| Overdrive | Opt. |
| Power Steering | Opt. |
| Power Brakes | Opt. |
| Power Windows / Power Seats | Opt. |
| Air Conditioning | Opt. |
| Radio and Clock | Opt. |
| Tinted Glass | Opt. |
| Whitewall Tires / Full Wheel Covers | Opt. |
| Two-Tone Paint | Opt. |
1959 Chevrolet Impala – Frequently Asked Questions
What makes the 1959 Impala so distinctive?
Its styling. Where rivals built vertical tailfins, Chevrolet went horizontal with enormous “batwing” rear fenders spanning the full width of the car, set above elongated “cat’s eye” taillights. The fins were the largest ever fitted to an Impala, and the vast decklid covered a trunk of roughly 32 cubic feet. From the front or rear, the 1959 Chevrolet looked like nothing else on the road — and still does.
Was the 1959 Impala its own model?
Yes, and that was new. In 1958 the Impala had been the top trim of the Bel Air, available only as a two-door Sport Coupe and convertible. For 1959 Chevrolet made it a full series with four-door bodies included. So a 1959 four-door Impala is entirely legitimate, whereas a 1958 four-door Impala does not exist.
What engines were available in the 1959 Impala?
The standard engine was the 235 cu in Blue Flame six. The 283 V8 came at 185, 230, and 250 hp, with fuel-injected versions at 290 hp and a remarkable 335 hp. The 348 big-block ran from 250 hp through 280, 300, and 315 hp, with top versions reaching 335 hp. For a car this heavy, the 348’s torque suits it better than the hot small-blocks.
What is a “bubbletop” 1959 Impala?
The Sport Coupe body, with its thin roof pillars, large glass area, and wraparound rear window. The style was born with this 1959 generation and continued into the 1961 restyle. It is one of the most attractive 1959 bodies and sits just below the convertible in desirability and value.
Were 1959 Chevrolet station wagons Impalas?
No — a common point of confusion. In 1959 the wagons were sold as separate models under their own names: Brookwood, Parkwood, Kingswood, and Nomad. They used model numbers matching the car series, but none of them is an Impala, however well equipped.
How many 1959 Impalas were built?
Approximately 473,000. Chevrolet recorded full-size production by body style across the whole range rather than cleanly by series, which is why body-style-specific Impala figures differ between sources and should be treated with some caution. Four-door bodies dominated production, and convertibles were a comparatively small share.
Is a 1959 Impala a good classic to buy?
It is one of the most striking and recognizable American classics, with strong following in both restoration and custom circles. Convertibles lead values, then Sport Coupe bubbletops, with four-doors offering remarkable visual drama for the money. Parts support is better than for the one-year 1958 but well short of the Tri-Five, and the complex rear fender structure is expensive to repair — so buy the most rust-free car you can.
Does a 1959 Impala need power steering?
If you plan to drive it, yes. The car is large and heavy, and the unassisted recirculating-ball steering is genuinely hard work at parking speeds. Power brakes are equally worth seeking, since the four-wheel drum setup needs all the help it can get. Both were optional, so check what a given car actually has rather than assuming.
