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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:18,609 Points:1,608,545 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Oct 6, 2012 12:48:37 AM 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 8:29:44 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:491,805 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 1:39:03 AM Ignore flagtown25 Report Abuse Good idea.
flyfast Champion Author Kansas City Posts:9,248 Points:1,825,060 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 10:25:09 PM Ignore flyfast Report Abuse cut down on the number of riders
bston Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:1,815 Points:641,300 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 5:08:47 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:5,596 Points:1,279,790 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 12:51:59 PM 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:2,656 Points:650,075 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 8:35:22 AM Ignore lcleveland Report Abuse old times....
BEGTWO Champion Author Maryland Posts:1,937 Points:723,315 Joined:Sep 2010	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 8:26:45 AM Ignore BEGTWO Report Abuse WHAT!!!
matman01 Champion Author Detroit Posts:14,833 Points:1,959,860 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 7:02:38 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 2, 2012 12:51:40 AM Ignore J4romeo Report Abuse Just sad!!
jetskijerry Champion Author North Carolina Posts:3,891 Points:771,295 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 12:13:24 AM Ignore jetskijerry Report Abuse Miss my old Galaxie 500
jetskijerry Champion Author North Carolina Posts:3,891 Points:771,295 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 12:12:45 AM Ignore jetskijerry Report Abuse Lots of making out over...
jetskijerry Champion Author North Carolina Posts:3,891 Points:771,295 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 12:12:27 AM Ignore jetskijerry Report Abuse That's a shame...
JohnJ55 Champion Author Dayton Posts:11,301 Points:1,932,230 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 12:11:36 AM Ignore JohnJ55 Report Abuse hey, remember when.......???
us4usa Champion Author Missouri Posts:5,984 Points:1,111,375 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 12:10:53 AM 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:276,245 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 12:10:51 AM Ignore VanIsleLes Report Abuse LOL I thought they were long gone too!
Eugenian Champion Author Oregon Posts:1,857 Points:361,155 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 12:09:18 AM Ignore Eugenian Report Abuse I thought they were already gone.
jrsva Champion Author Virginia Posts:9,847 Points:1,612,025 Joined:Jan 2006	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 12:05:29 AM 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:20,142 Points:2,464,565 Joined:Apr 2004	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 12:03:27 AM Ignore ramshot412 Report Abuse bye bye
ron98146 Champion Author Seattle Posts:1,579 Points:964,105 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Oct 2, 2012 12:02:23 AM Ignore ron98146 Report Abuse well said SpankyMI
J Eric Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:10,264 Points:2,069,980 Joined:Feb 2004	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:59:23 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:3,795 Points:412,565 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:57:53 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse What's a "drive-in", @stopforgas? :)
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,795 Points:412,565 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:56:42 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:1,625 Points:135,500 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:56:10 PM Ignore monarch57 Report Abuse I haven't seen them in cars for years.
Yankee829 Champion Author Dallas Posts:2,201 Points:558,615 Joined:Sep 2010	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:52:55 PM Ignore Yankee829 Report Abuse Ok
wcp3rd All-Star Author New Jersey Posts:724 Points:360,425 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:52:54 PM Ignore wcp3rd Report Abuse ok
clermont40miles Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:10,562 Points:1,770,920 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:52:45 PM Ignore clermont40miles Report Abuse I thought they were gone long time ago.
Ticoman54 Champion Author Miami Posts:7,041 Points:1,491,045 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:48:00 PM Ignore Ticoman54 Report Abuse If marketed corrected, the bench seat could easily remain...
bonzoonfmb Champion Author Florida Posts:1,777 Points:643,610 Joined:Feb 2010	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:47:34 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:7,243 Points:1,618,100 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:43:42 PM Ignore srchr Report Abuse haven't seen one of those in years
bginsj Champion Author San Jose Posts:1,863 Points:1,233,660 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:43:31 PM Ignore bginsj Report Abuse well all things have to come to an end at some point
ED6 Champion Author Riverside Posts:9,479 Points:1,850,155 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:42:47 PM Ignore ED6 Report Abuse K
Gas4Gore Champion Author Detroit Posts:2,411 Points:421,925 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:39:35 PM Ignore Gas4Gore Report Abuse No more snuggling up to my wife.
Rt118E Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:9,486 Points:1,367,520 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:35:46 PM Ignore Rt118E Report Abuse Times are changing
stopforgas All-Star Author Mississippi Posts:996 Points:480,205 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:31:53 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 11:31:30 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:7,917 Points:1,574,005 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:31:30 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 11:31:21 PM Ignore brad_i2001 Report Abuse Absolutely un-American!
vangobrown Rookie Author Wilmington Posts:56 Points:305,495 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:28:41 PM Ignore vangobrown Report Abuse Drive ins are gone and now the bench seat
suzmar Champion Author Texas Posts:2,212 Points:871,865 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:26:40 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:503,480 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:26:16 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 11:22:40 PM Ignore kbierley Report Abuse Snuggle up.....LOL
DriverofRed Champion Author Calgary Posts:2,173 Points:411,885 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:20:29 PM Ignore DriverofRed Report Abuse whatever...
jorod55 Champion Author California Posts:1,470 Points:430,750 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:19:59 PM Ignore jorod55 Report Abuse That's ok... Trucks still do.
v8gazguzler Champion Author Ottawa Posts:5,929 Points:883,410 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:19:14 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:2,795 Points:817,360 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:17:45 PM Ignore wayoung56 Report Abuse Bummer!!!
zdcatc12 Champion Author Jacksonville Posts:2,147 Points:786,390 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:17:12 PM Ignore zdcatc12 Report Abuse Wow!!!
SpankyMI Champion Author Kalamazoo Posts:2,703 Points:758,305 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:17:00 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:2,224 Points:609,710 Joined:Jun 2010	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:14:58 PM Ignore camaro_man Report Abuse i did not know that....
unicornIL Veteran Author Chicago Posts:446 Points:384,345 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Oct 1, 2012 11:14:12 PM Ignore unicornIL Report Abuse what a loss