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Say goodbye to the bench seat in cars

USA Today -- When the 2013 Chevrolet Impala goes out of production to make way for a completely redesigned 2014, it will take with it an American classic -- the bench seat.

The Impala is the last car that has bench seats as an option.

When they finally go, gone will be the days when teenagers would squeeze in elbow to elbow. They will also lose the ability to stretch out or turn the front seat into a little love shack.

"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," GM Design Director Clay Dean says in a statement. "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 ...

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Submitted Oct 01, 2012 By: BurntOrange

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honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,580 Points:1,605,520 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Oct 5, 2012 11:48:37 PM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse I got a front and back bench in my truck, but I for one won't miss the bench seats.. missing the drive-ins though.
Hemiramrules Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:91,438 Points:2,401,295 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Oct 5, 2012 7:29:44 AM Ignore Hemiramrules Report Abuse I miss the old bench seat & drive-ins! They both go together! I'm glad I still have one in my truck!
flagtown25 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:1,177 Points:490,455 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 12:39:03 AM Ignore flagtown25 Report Abuse Good idea.
flyfast Champion Author Kansas City Posts:9,228 Points:1,821,810 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 9:25:09 PM Ignore flyfast Report Abuse cut down on the number of riders
bston Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:1,800 Points:638,275 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 4:08:47 PM Ignore bston Report Abuse I wish we'd looked into a bench seat option when we bought our last truck because I still like sitting next to my husband!
85XJ Champion Author Toledo Posts:5,577 Points:1,276,765 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 11:51:59 AM Ignore 85XJ Report Abuse A paragraph so nice, they had to use it twice... :) GM, in noting the passing, said few buyers bought them anymore. Only one in 10 Impala buyers chose the $195 option last year on the LS and LT models.
lcleveland Champion Author San Antonio Posts:2,646 Points:647,275 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 7:35:22 AM Ignore lcleveland Report Abuse old times....
BEGTWO Champion Author Maryland Posts:1,922 Points:719,540 Joined:Sep 2010	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 7:26:45 AM Ignore BEGTWO Report Abuse WHAT!!!
matman01 Champion Author Detroit Posts:14,818 Points:1,956,835 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 6:02:38 AM Ignore matman01 Report Abuse I never owned a car with a bench seat...so this is not sad to me in the least.
J4romeo All-Star Author Gary Posts:506 Points:1,214,925 Joined:Jan 2006	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:51:40 PM Ignore J4romeo Report Abuse Just sad!!
jetskijerry Champion Author North Carolina Posts:3,876 Points:768,270 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:13:24 PM Ignore jetskijerry Report Abuse Miss my old Galaxie 500
jetskijerry Champion Author North Carolina Posts:3,876 Points:768,270 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:12:45 PM Ignore jetskijerry Report Abuse Lots of making out over...
jetskijerry Champion Author North Carolina Posts:3,876 Points:768,270 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:12:27 PM Ignore jetskijerry Report Abuse That's a shame...
JohnJ55 Champion Author Dayton Posts:11,291 Points:1,929,730 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:11:36 PM Ignore JohnJ55 Report Abuse hey, remember when.......???
us4usa Champion Author Missouri Posts:5,976 Points:1,108,585 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:10:53 PM Ignore us4usa Report Abuse Still have two trucks with bench seats, and if you need more room there is a bed in the back???
VanIsleLes All-Star Author British Columbia Posts:898 Points:273,845 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:10:51 PM Ignore VanIsleLes Report Abuse LOL I thought they were long gone too!
Eugenian Champion Author Oregon Posts:1,842 Points:358,130 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:09:18 PM Ignore Eugenian Report Abuse I thought they were already gone.
jrsva Champion Author Virginia Posts:9,830 Points:1,608,250 Joined:Jan 2006	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:05:29 PM Ignore jrsva Report Abuse I assume bench seats will still be used in trucks. I can seat 4 across in my pickup if everyone is slim and 5 across in my big truck with no problem. I would hate to have bucket seats in those vehicles. My wife and I take the pickup when we go to the drive-in.
ramshot412 Champion Author Riverside Posts:20,132 Points:2,462,465 Joined:Apr 2004	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:03:27 PM Ignore ramshot412 Report Abuse bye bye
ron98146 Champion Author Seattle Posts:1,579 Points:961,855 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:02:23 PM Ignore ron98146 Report Abuse well said SpankyMI
J Eric Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:10,252 Points:2,067,240 Joined:Feb 2004	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:59:23 PM Ignore J Eric Report Abuse So for all those nostalgic for bench seats, I say: "Go ride a bus."
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,776 Points:409,865 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:57:53 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse What's a "drive-in", @stopforgas? :)
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,776 Points:409,865 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:56:42 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse Mind telling us what any of that has to do with bench seats, @Lou08?
monarch57 Champion Author British Columbia Posts:1,619 Points:134,980 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:56:10 PM Ignore monarch57 Report Abuse I haven't seen them in cars for years.
Yankee829 Champion Author Dallas Posts:2,186 Points:555,590 Joined:Sep 2010	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:52:55 PM Ignore Yankee829 Report Abuse Ok
wcp3rd All-Star Author New Jersey Posts:714 Points:357,625 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:52:54 PM Ignore wcp3rd Report Abuse ok
clermont40miles Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:10,543 Points:1,767,935 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:52:45 PM Ignore clermont40miles Report Abuse I thought they were gone long time ago.
Ticoman54 Champion Author Miami Posts:7,026 Points:1,488,020 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:48:00 PM Ignore Ticoman54 Report Abuse If marketed corrected, the bench seat could easily remain...
bonzoonfmb Champion Author Florida Posts:1,757 Points:640,400 Joined:Feb 2010	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:47:34 PM Ignore bonzoonfmb Report Abuse I didn't even know that any models had them in the last 10 years.
srchr Champion Author San Jose Posts:7,228 Points:1,615,075 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:43:42 PM Ignore srchr Report Abuse haven't seen one of those in years
bginsj Champion Author San Jose Posts:1,848 Points:1,230,935 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:43:31 PM Ignore bginsj Report Abuse well all things have to come to an end at some point
ED6 Champion Author Riverside Posts:9,463 Points:1,847,130 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:42:47 PM Ignore ED6 Report Abuse K
Gas4Gore Champion Author Detroit Posts:2,401 Points:419,875 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:39:35 PM Ignore Gas4Gore Report Abuse No more snuggling up to my wife.
Rt118E Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:9,470 Points:1,365,245 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:35:46 PM Ignore Rt118E Report Abuse Times are changing
stopforgas All-Star Author Mississippi Posts:991 Points:477,630 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:31:53 PM Ignore stopforgas Report Abuse Used to love those seats... drive ins, double dates, much fun!
Lou08 Champion Author California Posts:1,084 Points:252,410 Joined:Feb 2008	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:31:30 PM Ignore Lou08 Report Abuse Some say,"bucket seats with console is a form of Birth-Control." Of course I wouldn't know anything about such going ons, for shame!!! ;-) [Edited by: Lou08 at 10/1/2012 11:35:17 PM EST]
abcdMA Champion Author Worcester Posts:7,902 Points:1,570,980 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:31:30 PM Ignore abcdMA Report Abuse what's next?
brad_i2001 Rookie Author Huntsville Posts:21 Points:285,100 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:31:21 PM Ignore brad_i2001 Report Abuse Absolutely un-American!
vangobrown Rookie Author Wilmington Posts:56 Points:303,245 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:28:41 PM Ignore vangobrown Report Abuse Drive ins are gone and now the bench seat
suzmar Champion Author Texas Posts:2,208 Points:869,060 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:26:40 PM Ignore suzmar Report Abuse I haven't seen a bench seat in a car in years, I didn't know they were still available.
gd83goldwinger Champion Author South Bend Posts:1,428 Points:501,230 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:26:16 PM Ignore gd83goldwinger Report Abuse Here one day, gone the next.
kbierley Champion Author Dayton Posts:10,730 Points:1,415,690 Joined:Nov 2003	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:22:40 PM Ignore kbierley Report Abuse Snuggle up.....LOL
DriverofRed Champion Author Calgary Posts:2,158 Points:408,860 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:20:29 PM Ignore DriverofRed Report Abuse whatever...
jorod55 Champion Author California Posts:1,455 Points:427,725 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:19:59 PM Ignore jorod55 Report Abuse That's ok... Trucks still do.
v8gazguzler Champion Author Ottawa Posts:5,914 Points:880,385 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:19:14 PM Ignore v8gazguzler Report Abuse I have always hated bench seats.. There is no support and a whole bunch of other issues I don't like about them
wayoung56 Champion Author Alabama Posts:2,780 Points:814,335 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:17:45 PM Ignore wayoung56 Report Abuse Bummer!!!
zdcatc12 Champion Author Jacksonville Posts:2,147 Points:784,515 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:17:12 PM Ignore zdcatc12 Report Abuse Wow!!!
SpankyMI Champion Author Kalamazoo Posts:2,688 Points:755,280 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:17:00 PM Ignore SpankyMI Report Abuse There is always the back seat, except in a corvette and other two seater sports cars.
camaro_man Champion Author Kitchener-Waterloo Posts:2,209 Points:606,985 Joined:Jun 2010	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:14:58 PM Ignore camaro_man Report Abuse i did not know that....
unicornIL Veteran Author Chicago Posts:446 Points:381,845 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 10:14:12 PM Ignore unicornIL Report Abuse what a loss