Flashback: 1994-96 Chevrolet Impala SS rocked rear-wheel, V8 power

Enthusiasts are already licking their chops as they await the next rear-wheel sedan from Chevrolet. After all, it's been 16 years since the bow-tie brand had a macho four-door of this potential with the power channeled to the back.

But what exactly was the 1996 Impala SS?

If your memory from the era of Bill Clinton, the Gin Blossoms and Home Improvement is a bit fuzzy, here's a refresher course on the last rear-wheel performance sedan from Chevy.

The 1994-96 Impala SS had a small-block 5.7-liter V8 pushing out 260 hp borrowed from the C4 Corvette (and other General Motors vehicles). It had upgraded four-wheel disc brakes and 17-inch tires set in aluminum wheels as standard features. Inside were leather finishings, including the steering wheel.

The appearance was close to that of the regular Caprice full-size sedan, on which the Impala SS was based. It remains a cult favorite, and interest in the sedan remains strong.

The 2014 Chevy SS (no Impala preface) arrives in late 2013 based on the future underpinnings of the Holden Commodore. Like its mid-1990s predecessor, it will run a small-block V8. While the Impala SS was largely a performance model of the Caprice, the future SS will be completely different from the front- and all-wheel-drive Impala, which is being marketed toward premium buyers and families.

By Greg Migliore