FRONT BENCH TAKES A BACK SEAT
Three-across kicks the bucket

THREE ACROSS FRONT SEATING IN CARS KICKS THE BUCKET When the 2014 Chevrolet Impala arrives next year it will put to rest a fixture of automobiles since the days of the horseless carriage: The front bench seat. The outgoing 2013 Impala is the last passenger car in production in North America to offer three-across front seating, an option that that ends with the introduction of Chevy’s redesigned flagship sedan for model year 2014. Officials at Chevrolet say only one in 10 Impala buyers chose the $195 option last year on the LS and LT models. “A lot of people prefer bucket seats because they’re sporty, even in models that aren’t sports cars,” said Clay Dean, GM director of design. “Our customers also appreciate having the center console as a convenient place to store their phone and other personal items.”

Chevrolet has offered a front bench seat in its car line since 1911. Of course, several manufacturers, including Chevrolet, continue to offer bench seats on pickup trucks and sport utilities. “There is certain nostalgia for bench seats, like being able to snuggle up with your date at a drive-in movie, and some customers still like them,” Dean said. “You never know, we might see bench seats re-emerge someday, possibly in very small cars like the EN-V urban mobility concept vehicle, in which the feeling of open space may be very desirable.” Chevrolet was founded in 1911 in Detroit, Michigan. It’s first vehicle was the Series C Classic Six, which featured a front bench seat.