Impala

Baby
Model	'67 Chevrolet Impala
Plates	C-45P4 (1973), BQN 9R3 (1997), KAZ 2Y5 (2005-07), RMD 5H2 (wish-verse 2006), CNK 80Q3 (2007-Present)
Color	Black
Owner(s)	John Winchester (1973 - 2005) Dean Winchester (2005 - present) Sam Winchester (2020-Unknown)
Appearance(s)	Season 1 Season 2 (except 2.07 & 2.18) Season 3 Season 4 (except 4.12, 4.17 & 4.22) Season 5 (except 5.18) Season 6 (except 6.18) Season 7 (except 7.07, 7.08, 7.09, 7.10, 7.11, 7.12, 7.13, 7.14, 7.16, 7.17 & 7.18) Season 8 Season 9 Season 10 Season 11 (except 11.09 & 11.14) Season 12 (except 12.09) Season 13 Season 14 (except 14.10 Nihilism) Season 15 1.01 Pilot (The Winchesters) 1.08 Hang On to Your Life (photo) 1.13 Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye

Three days later another car rolled off that same line. No one gave two craps about her, but they should’ve. Because this 1967 Chevrolet Impala would turn out to be the most important car... no, the most important object in pretty much the whole universe. – Chuck Shurley, 5.22 Swan Song

History

The Impala being constructed.

Whether it was Knight Rider or Magnum P.I. or The Dukes of Hazzard - all of these shows always had a character that was a car, and I always really responded to that. – Eric Kripke, Source

Dean's car, affectionately dubbed the Metallicar by fans, originally belonged to his father, John. It is first seen in the aftermath of Mary's death, as John sits with his sons on the hood of the car while his house burns. John teaches Dean to drive in the car when "he is little" and later gave the car to Dean, although the exact date of this is unknown. In a strange twist of fate, it is actually Dean who convinces John to buy the car, instead of a VW van, when he travels back in time to 1973.

The Impala was built in Janesville, Wisconsin, on April 24, 1967.

Eric Kripke had always wanted the boys to drive a muscle car, because growing up his favorite TV shows all had signature cars. However, an Impala was not his first choice:

When I was originally writing the show I wanted to give the guys an American muscle car. My first choice was a '65 Mustang. My neighbor said it has to be a '67 Impala because you can put a body in the trunk. He says, 'You want a car that, when people stop next to it at the lights, they lock their doors.' – Eric Kripke, Source

At Comic Con in 2007 when asked why Sam had not driven the Impala in season two, Jensen answered "Because it's my car", followed by Eric Kripke reinforcing it with "Yeah, it's Dean's car!"

• Impala narration from 5.22 Swan Song

Car Facts

Mark Sheppard, Jeremy Carver, CW President Mark Pedowitz, Jared, Jensen, Bob Singer, Misha, WB President Peter Roth, and Eric Kripke in front of the Impala cake at the 200th episode party in Vancouver

The Impala, of course, has all the things other cars have... and a few things they don't. But none of that stuff's important. This is the stuff that's important: the army man that Sam crammed in the ashtray - it's still stuck there. The Legos that Dean shoved into the vents - to this day, heat comes on and they can hear 'em rattle. These are the things that make the car theirs - really theirs. Even when Dean rebuilt her from the ground up, he made sure all these little things stayed, 'cause it's the blemishes that make her beautiful. – Chuck Shurley, 5.22 Swan Song

• The car is a 1967 Chevrolet Impala. Chuck says the Impala rolled off the assembly line in Janesville, Wisconsin, on April 24, 1967. April 24 is Eric Kripke’s birthday.
• Her first owner was Sal Moriarty, who bought her for $3999 and drove around in her giving Bibles to the poor. This is another reference to Jack Kerouac's On the Road, a huge literary influence on Eric Kripke. The main characters in On the Road are two young men, Sal (Paradise) and Dean Moriarty, who drive around the country.
• John Winchester bought her from Rainbow Motors in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1973, after being influenced by time traveling Dean. The price on the windshield was $2204. Dean describes her this way "327 four barrel, 275 horses. A little TLC and this thing is cherry."
• License plates: C-45P4 (1973), BQN 9R3 (1997), KAZ 2Y5 (2005-07), RMD 5H2 (wish-verse 2006), CNK 80Q3 (2007-Present)
• The license plates are "KAZ 2Y5" Kansas plates for all of season one and most of season two, until they switch to "CNK 80Q3" Ohio plates in order to avoid detection.
  • In the alternative reality of the wish-verse the license plates are "RMD 5H2" Kansas plates.
  • The original KAZ 2Y5 plates appear again in season four via a recycled shot from season two.
  • In a flashback to 1997, the plates are "BQN 9R3" Kansas plates, seen when John drives Dean and Sam to school in the Impala.
  • In Supernatural: The Animation, the plates are "KYZ 2Y5" Kansas plates.
  • In the timeline where the Titanic doesn't sink, Dean drives a Mustang with the Chevy Impala's original KAZ 2Y5 Kansas plates.
  • In 14.13 Lebanon, the Impala is seen with the original KAZ 2Y5 license plates and the side spotlights restored after John Winchester awakens in the driver's seat when he is returned to 2003.
  • The CNK 80Q3 plate is an Ohio one: Eric Kripke is from Ohio.
  • In Heaven, the Impala has the original KAZ 2Y5 license plates.
  • In The Winchesters, the Impala has the original license plates because Dean brought the car with him from Heaven.
• Contrary to the design on the official Supernatural website, the Impala has a bench front seat and its gearshift is located on the steering column.
• It does not have a "pillar" aka "post" between the front and rear door, only a chrome seal which is attached to the rear window.
• The front seat reclines; this is seen when Constance Welch is attacking Sam.
• The Impala has an automatic transmission, although it was described as a manual in 2.05 Simon Said.
• It has a cassette player and radio, no CD player, although when Dean returns from Hell he discovers that Sam has added an iPod jack. Dean rips it out and tosses it onto the backseat. It hasn't been seen since then.
• There is a weapons compartment built into the trunk, with a combination lock on it. The combination is 11-02-83.
• At Comic-Con in 2007 when asked about the engine specifications of the Impala, Kripke looked lost, but Jensen was able to describe it in detail.
• There are eight impalas used on the show. The main (hero) car has a 502 Big Block 550 Horsepower Engine and is the only one with a factory air conditioner.
• The sound of the squeaking doors were chosen individually for the passenger side door as well as the driver side door by Supernatural sound supervisor Mike Lawshe.
• In 3.10 Dream a Little Dream of Me, director Steve Boyum had the side spotlights removed from the Impala in order to mount cameras. In May 2008 a fan campaign was started to get them restored.
• The LEGO and plastic Army Men that Sam and Dean later put into the Impala can be seen in the flashback in young Sam's motel room in 11.08 Just My Imagination
• Sam and Dean's Initials were carved into the car when they were kids. They are seen in flashback in 5.22 Swan Song and 11.04 Baby.
• The Impala has been seen towing a trailer once when they use it in 14.12 Prophet and Loss to tow the Ma'lak Box. Jensen mentioned at Jus In Bello Italy 2019 that the trailer hitch was custom-made and added to the Impala solely for this episode.
• After 60 years, Chevrolet has ceased production of the Impala.
• The Impala is capable of killing the Akrida and Joan Hopkins due to it being from another universe. It is the only known thing capable of killing them aside from soul-powered magic.

Nicknames

Dean: Whoa!! Listen to her purr! Have you ever heard anything so sweet? Sam: You know, if you two want to get a room, just let me know, Dean. Dean: Don't listen to him, baby. He doesn't understand us. – Sam and Dean Winchester, 2.03 Bloodlust

It wasn't until 2.01 In My Time of Dying that Dean's car was referred to as "the Impala", by Sam. Most notably she's called the Impala in the monologue by Chuck in 5.22 Swan Song.

Dean's term of endearment for his beloved Impala, first used in 2.03 Bloodlust, is "Baby". This is commonly used in fandom and by the cast and crew. Dean uses the diminutive in the following episodes: 2.03 Bloodlust, 2.16 Roadkill 2.05 Simon Said, 3.08 A Very Supernatural Christmas, 6.15 The French Mistake, 7.06 Slash Fiction, 7.01 Meet the New Boss, 7.06 Slash Fiction, 8.02 What's Up, Tiger Mommy?, 9.04 Slumber Party, 11.04 Baby, 12.03 The Foundry, 13.16 Scoobynatural, 14.13 Lebanon and 1.13 Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye.

The episode 11.04 Baby is told from the point of view of the Impala.

Fans often refer to the car as "the Impala" or "Baby" particularly in fan fiction. When Sam is transformed into the Impala by Gabriel, fans dubbed it the Sampala!

The nickname Metallicar originated on Television Without Pity on October 11, 2005 source. It was coined because Dean enjoys listening to classic rock music like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and, of course, Metallica while driving. It became commonplace throughout fandom and has appeared on merchandise. It diminished in usage over later seasons, replaced by "Baby". Director Phil Sgriccia uses the term in the commentary for 8.13 Everybody Hates Hitler.

Significant Impala episodes

Supernatural

While filming Season 11, Jensen found the shell of the Impala that was totaled at the end of Season 1

• 1.01 Pilot: The Impala is first seen as John and the boys take refuge with her after Mary is killed and their house is burning.

22 years later - The ghost of Constance Welch possesses the Impala and tries to run Sam and Dean over, but they jump out of the way. Later, as Sam is driving the Impala, she appears in the backseat and takes control of the car again to make him drive her home, where she tries to kill him. Dean shoots her with rock salt through the window of the Impala, shattering the glass, but her ghost returns quickly and Sam is forced to take desperate measures. He drives the Impala through the front wall of her home and comes to a stop in the living room, where she is confronted by the ghosts of her drowned children and destroyed. Dean tells Sam that he did a good job, but says, "If you screwed up my car, I'll kill you." As Dean and Sam drive away, we see that the Impala's right headlight is out.

• 1.02 Wendigo: Dean lets Sam drive.
• 1.06 Skin: Dean is upset when he realizes the shapeshifter pretending to be him has been driving the Impala. He later retrieves a new gun and silver bullets to kill the shapeshifter with after reclaiming the car.

Dean Winchester: Argh, the thought of him driving my car.
Sam Winchester: Oh come on.
Dean Winchester: It's killing me!
Sam Winchester: Let it go.

• 1.13 Route 666: The epic showdown between the Impala and the phantom truck. While confronting the vengeful spirit of Cyrus Dorian, who possesses his truck to target his killers, Dean is forced to flee the truck in the Impala when the attempt to torch Dorian's bones fails, prompting Sam to direct Dean to the location where an old church burned down so that the truck will be dispersed when it arrives on holy ground.
• 1.20 Dead Man's Blood: John chides Dean for allegedly not taking care of the car, saying, "Hey Dean why don't you touch up your car before you get rust? I wouldn't have given you the damn thing if I thought you were going to ruin it."
• 1.22 Devil's Trap: a truck driven by a possessed trucker smashes into the Impala causing serious damage to her and her occupants.
• 2.01 In My Time of Dying: Sam meets Bobby at a wrecker's yard "off of I-83" where the Impala has been towed to. Bobby says "There's nothing to fix. The frame's a pretzel, and the engine's ruined. There's barely any parts worth salvaging." Sam however counters "Listen to me, Bobby. If there's only one working part, that's enough. We're not just going to give up on..." , although Bobby understands, Sam is speaking of Dean as much as the Impala.
• 2.02 Everybody Loves a Clown: Dean and Sam are staying at Bobby's where Dean is restoring the Impala. At the end of the episode Dean takes out his rage on his car, hitting the trunk seventeen times with a tire iron.
• 2.03 Bloodlust: The Metallicar is back in perfect condition. There is great opening sequence focusing on her return to the open road, to the tune of Back in Black by AC/DC.
• 2.07 The Usual Suspects: When the Winchesters are arrested on suspicion of murder, the Impala is impounded by the police. When Detective Diana Ballard allows Sam and Dean to escape, Dean asks her for the car's location and she gives it to him, at first confused before realizing that Dean intends to steal it back. Annoyed, Ballard tells Dean not to even think about it, but Sam states that they'll improvise and that they're good at that which Ballard has noticed.
• 2.12 Nightshifter: During the shapeshifter incident in Milwaukee, the Impala is parked in a parking garage adjacent to the bank. After escaping from the bank dressed up as SWAT officers, Sam and Dean make their way to the Impala and use it as their getaway car.
• 2.16 Roadkill: Dean, Sam, and Molly McNamara are in the Impala when they drive through the ghost of Jonah Greely. The Impala loses power and they leave it on the side of the road to hunt down Greely. After Greely is dispatched, the car works again.
• 2.19 Folsom Prison Blues: As part of their plan to infiltrate and then escape from the Green River County Jail. Sam and Dean park the Impala somewhere outside where it remains undetected, possibly with Deacon's help. The Impala once again acts their getaway car from the cops.
• 2.20 What Is and What Should Never Be: Dean asks Sam if he has "ditched the plates" referring to the license plates (a necessity as they know the FBI are tracking them after the events of 2.19 Folsom Prison Blues). During the episode we see the usual "KAZ 2Y5" Kansas plates have been replaced by "CNK 80Q3" Ohio plates, and in the wish-verse with "RMD 5H2" Kansas plates.
• 3.02 The Kids Are Alright: After not being seen to drive the Impala during Season Two, Sam is seen behind the wheel again.
• 3.06 Red Sky at Morning: Bela has the Impala towed, leading to Dean panicking to the point of hyperventilating because he thinks that it has been stolen.
• 3.07 Fresh Blood: Dean begins teaching Sam how to work on the Impala because Sam is "gonna need to know these things for the future".
• 4.01 Lazarus Rising: Dean is not impressed that Sam added an iPod jack to the car while he was in Hell. He removes it and the jack is not seen again. Later, when Sam goes to exorcise the demons in the diner secretly, he takes the Impala to Dean's annoyance. Sam defends it as a "force of habit" as he'd been driving the Impala everywhere for four months while Dean was in Hell.
• 4.03 In the Beginning: Dean convinces a young John Winchester to buy the Impala rather than a VW van. The date of purchase is 30 April, 1973 and the price on the windshield was $2204. When John proposes to Mary, he does it in the Impala.

Pic from the set by Guy Bee

• 4.06 Yellow Fever: In order to destroy the ghost of Luther Garland, Sam and Bobby attach an iron chain inscribed with spellwork to the Impala and wrap it around the ghost's neck. Once the chain is wrapped around his neck, Bobby drives down a road, dragging the ghost behind the Impala and road-hauling him, effectively scaring him to death and saving Dean's life. Though it's a "terrible plan" that neither Sam nor Bobby like, it works. In an outtake from the episode, Jensen Ackles sings "Eye of the Tiger" in and around the Impala while during the episode, Sam discovers and interrupts Dean doing the same.
• 5.02 Good God, Y'All: When Sam leaves, Dean says Sam can take the Impala, but Sam declines.
• 5.04 The End: Dean (from 2009) discovers the Impala wrecked and left to rot in 2014. When Dean is confronting Future Dean about killing Yeager, you can see the Impala's CNK 80Q3 plates under a map on the wall.
• 5.05 Fallen Idols: After Sam has been telling Dean that their relationship needs to change, that he needs to let Sam "grow up", Dean asks Sam to drive.
• 5.08 Changing Channels: While trapping Sam and Dean in realities based on various TV shows, Gabriel transforms Sam into the Impala (A la Knight Rider). It's while driving this that Dean finally realizes that Gabriel is actually an angel and not a Trickster, prompting him to remove holy oil from Sam's boot to lay a trap. (see Sampala)
• 5.12 Swap Meat: While in Sam's body, Gary asks to drive, and reverses into a dumpster.
• 5.13 The Song Remains the Same: Transferred back to 1978, John drives the car with Mary beside him, and Sam and Dean in the back seat, as they attempt to escape renegade Angel Anna Milton.
• 5.22 Swan Song: The history of the Impala is recounted by Chuck Shurley, currently writing the final book of the series, as the Winchesters try and stop the Apocalypse. While Sam is possessed by Lucifer, and confronting Michael, Dean arrives at Stull Cemetery in the Impala. He confronts Lucifer, who starts beating him against the side of the Impala. However it's the Impala, the boys' home and place of so many memories (particularly of his relationship with Dean) that finally helps Sam fight back and take control from Lucifer. The Impala ends up with a cracked front windshield as a result of Dean's beating.
• 6.01 Exile on Main St.: A year after Dean has stopped hunting, the Impala is under a tarp in the garage, albeit still with a trunk full of weapons. When he decides not to return to hunting with Sam, he offers the car to Sam - "she should be hunting" - who refuses her.
• 6.02 Two and a Half Men: After deciding to return to the hunting lifestyle, Dean removes the tarp covering the Impala as Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" plays in the background. Dean smirks and the sound of the Impala roaring to life is heard.
• 6.03 The Third Man: Dean doesn't like Sam's Charger and feels the need to prove the Impala's superiority by beating him to a witness' home.

Sam: Were you racing me?

Dean: No, I was kicking your ass.

After Sam's car is destroyed when Castiel throws an angel out of their hotel room window to land on it, he returns to traveling in the Impala with Dean and they add Sam's arsenal to the Impala's trunk.

• 6.14 Mannequin 3: The Reckoning: The ghost of Rose Brown possesses the Impala and it starts chasing Dean, but he manages to maneuver it into a wall. At the end of the episode Dean is repairing the damage at Bobby's Salvage Yard.
• 6.15 The French Mistake: In the alternate reality where Sam and Dean take the places of actors Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, respectively, they see multiple Impalas in various stages of repair on the set of their TV show, Supernatural. Dean is horrified when he sees the line of cars, and he tells Sam that he's going to be sick. Later, when they try to leave the set in what appears to be a working Impala, Dean is disappointed to learn that it, too, is a prop, and can't be driven at high speed. They have to abandon the car and are afterwards reliant on the actors' driver, Clif Kosterman.

The Impala smashes through the SucroCorp sign.

• 6.17 My Heart Will Go On: In the alternate reality created when the Titanic doesn't sink, Chevy Impalas do not exist. Instead, Dean drives a '67 Ford Mustang. When the Titanic is "re-sunk," and Sam and Dean reappear in their own reality, they wake up in the Impala. On the car's radio when they awake is Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On."
• 6.22 The Man Who Knew Too Much: The Impala is present in Sam's subconscious mind, and, although he has no memories at the time, he recognizes it and is sure that it's his car.

Sam: That's mine.

Robin: Are you sure?

Sam: Oh, yeah.

In the real world, as Crowley and his demons attack Castiel, Dean and Bobby take refuge in the Impala, which is flipped onto its roof and has all its windows blown out by the demon onslaught.

• 7.01 Meet the New Boss: Dean gets the Impala back to Bobby's and repairs her, commenting that it is the only thing he is able to do at the moment. He straightens out the roof and fixes the windows, then repaints her.
• 7.06 Slash Fiction: Frank Devereaux tells Dean and Sam that Leviathan!Dean and Leviathan!Sam are driving a '67 Impala that is identical to their own, and he advises them to drive something else. Dean is upset by the change.

Dean: Us driving around in this caboodle while Baby's on lockdown?!

Sam: It's temporary, Dean.

Dean: Nobody puts baby in a corner!

• 7.15 Repo Man: The Impala is still absent in the present, but appeared briefly in a flashback.
• 7.20 The Girl with the Dungeons and Dragons Tattoo: After Frank is presumed killed, someone tries to hack into his hard-drives which automatically sends Sam and Dean an email. In the email, Frank tells them that there is some vitally important information in those hard-drives including, "your new aliases, hangouts, where you stored your car."
• 7.23 Survival of the Fittest: As part of their assault on SucroCorp, Dean decides that the Impala will be used as a distraction and has Castiel transport him to where he hid it. While standing near the tarp-covered car, Dean finally convinces Castiel to help fight and informs him of their plan to announce themselves "big." To this end, he has the demon Meg crash the Impala through SucroCorp's front gate and giant glass sign, drawing out the guards who shoot out the driver's side window while trying to kill Meg.
• 8.01 We Need to Talk About Kevin: After Dean went to Purgatory, Sam repaired the damage to the Impala from the crash and began driving aimlessly, eventually hitting a dog and thus meeting his girlfriend Amelia. Later, when Dean reunites with Sam, he is happy to see that Sam didn't "douche her up" but is annoyed to smell dog in the car and to learn that Sam has had a dog in the car many times.
• 8.02 What's Up, Tiger Mommy?: Sam thought about selling the Impala to retrieve the Demon Tablet, but Dean started to threaten him and Sam changed his mind.

Sam: Huh. (Looks at the Impala.) Well... Dean: No. Mnh-mnh. Say it and I will kill you, your children, and your grandchildren. Sam: Okay, okay. and Dean: They didn't mean it, Baby. (Strokes the Impala.) – Sam and Dean, 8.02 What's Up, Tiger Mommy?

• 8.10 Torn and Frayed: After rescuing Samandriel, Castiel takes him out to the Impala to await Sam and Dean. When Naomi orders Castiel to kill Samandriel, he does it against the Impala and leans the angel's body against the car afterward. Sam and Dean later find them in this position.
• 8.12 As Time Goes By: After arriving in 2013, Henry Winchester escapes from Sam and Dean to find his son and learns the year from the Impala's registration tag. He is shocked and comments on how the Mayans must have been wrong about the end of the world and tries to steal the Impala, breaking the driver's side window. However, Sam and Dean stop him before he can hotwire it. Dean and Henry later make their plan to defeat Abaddon while driving in the Impala.
• 8.17 Goodbye Stranger: Sam and Dean manage to reach the Impala after getting the angel tablet thanks to Meg's distracting Crowley. As Sam and Dean watch through the back window, Crowley kills Meg with an angel blade and they quickly speed off before he can go after them too.

The Impala parked in the Bunker's motor pool.

• 9.01 I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here: In Sam's coma he is driving with Dean in the Impala with Dean, who is the manifestation of the part of his subconscious that doesn't want to die, trying to convince him not to give up. Bobby later appears and makes Dean disappear from the car when he tries to overrule Bobby's arguments about giving up. Later, it's revealed that Dean has locked Crowley in the trunk and is confronted by an angel when he tries to get Crowley's help in saving Sam. After everything is over, Sam wakes up in the real Impala and it's shown that Ezekiel, who is now possessing him to heal him, has erased his memory of his near-death experience and all knowledge of the possession.
• 9.02 Devil May Care: Dean reveals to Sam that he has Crowley trapped in the Impala's trunk under a devil's trap, telling him that Crowley is the "junk in my trunk." When being confronted by Abaddon and her soldiers, Dean sends Tracy Bell to get the Impala and more weapons which she does, but she returns too late with the car as Ezekiel has already dealt with the demons.
• 9.04 Slumber Party: After learning that the Bunker has a garage, Dean moves the Impala inside.

In between jobs, Sam and Dean would sometimes get a day – sometimes a week, if they were lucky. They'd pass the time lining their pockets. Sam used to insist on honest work, but now he hustles pool, like his brother. They could go anywhere and do anything. They drove 1,000 miles for an Ozzy show, two days for a Jayhawks game. And when it was clear, they'd park her in the middle of nowhere, sit on the hood, and watch the stars... for hours... without saying a word. It never occurred to them that, sure, maybe they never really had a roof and four walls... but they were never, in fact, homeless. – Chuck/God, 5.22 Swan Song

• 9.05 Dog Dean Afternoon: After performing a spell that allows him to communicate with animals but with the side-effect that he takes on dog-like traits, Dean sticks his head out of the Impala's window as Sam drives. Later, a pigeon poops on the Impala's hood and Dean nearly shoots it in revenge after it gives him attitude and threatens to poop on the Impala more. When Dean gets him adopted by two animal-lovers and they say goodbye, The Colonel tells Dean he gets car-sick and he threw up in the Impala's backseat.
• 9.06 Heaven Can't Wait: Castiel rides with Dean in the Impala, riding "shotgun" for the first time since Swan Song. After deciding to go on his "date" rather than help Dean with his hunt, Castiel is forced to ask Dean for a ride to Nora's house as he is now human and can't teleport. Dropping him off, Dean gives Castiel advice on his date and later races back to the house after realizing that Castiel is in trouble, getting there just in time to help him take down Ephraim. The next morning, Dean drives Castiel to work, letting him go back to his normal human life.

The Impala in Supernatural the Musical in 10.05 Fan Fiction

• 9.10 Road Trip: After taking full possession of Sam, Gadreel steals the Impala to get around as he can no longer teleport. However, this helps Dean, Castiel and Crowley find him as he runs a red light near Somerset, Pennsylvania where he is going and the demon Cecily is able to find out about it. Dean finds his exact location as he parks the Impala outside and reclaims the car after Gadreel is captured. At the end of the episode, Dean leaves in the Impala without Sam.
• 9.16 Blade Runners: Returning to the Impala after getting The First Blade, Sam and Dean find it ransacked by demons working for Abaddon who were looking for the Blade. The wards on the Impala's trunk kept that safe, but Abaddon had "Be afraid, Your Queen" keyed into the side of the car in Enochian, which annoys Dean. When Crowley betrays Sam and Dean and takes the Blade, he pins them against the Impala.
• 10.02 Reichenbach: After capturing Dean, Sam drives him back to the Bunker in the Impala remarking on the condition of the car as it is full of trash. Showing his new demonic nature, Dean calls the Impala "just a car," shocking Sam given how much Dean cared about it.
• 10.05 Fan Fiction: In Marie's play, they have a prop version of the Impala. After getting the prop version of Dean's Amulet, Dean hangs it on the Impala's mirror as a symbol of his re-strengthened brotherhood with Sam.
• 10.11 There's No Place Like Home: In order to keep Dean from following her, Dark Charlie slashes the Impala's front tire. Dark Charlie later steals the Impala to Dean's great anger and uses it to follow him to Clive Dillon's house where he retrieves it after Dark Charlie and The Wizard of Oz are defeated.
• 10.12 About a Boy: After being turned into a teenager, Dean tries to drive the Impala but to do it, must push the seat up all the way, squishing Sam's legs. This causes Sam to ask to drive instead. Later, after dropping Tina off at a bus station, Dean turns on the radio and doesn't change the channel for once when Taylor Swift comes on.
• 10.22 The Prisoner: Sam reveals that he low-jacked the Impala in order to trace Dean if he ever went off under the Mark of Cain's influence. Using the low-jack, Castiel is able to follow Dean to Shreveport, Louisiana and later back to the bunker. In Shreveport, Dean is pulled over by the police under the orders of Monroe Styne and they smash the taillights to justify it and arrest him when he gets angry. Dean later knocks the deputy who did it out and tells him it was for what he did to the car.
• 10.23 Brother's Keeper: Sam can't track Dean by the Impala anymore as he has removed the low-jack. After getting Rudy killed and deciding to summon Death to kill him, Dean abandons the Impala at the motel, leaving a note to Sam saying "she's all yours" and driving another car to where he summons Death. Sam later finds the Impala and the note and drives it to where he meets Dean and Death. After the Mark of Cain is removed, Sam gives Dean back the keys to the car and they try to flee in it when the Darkness is unleashed. However, the back tire gets stuck in a pothole and they aren't able to escape. The Darkness washes over the Impala as it rushes out into the world.
• 11.01 Out of the Darkness, Into the Fire: The Darkness washes over the Impala, rocking the car when suddenly Dean disappears as the Darkness pulls him out to speak to him. Sam is knocked out and wakes to the Impala's horn going off but no significant damage otherwise. Sam pulls the horn wire to shut it off and is shocked to find Dean a mile or so away from the car. When Dean returns and prepares to leave, he is annoyed to find the Impala still stuck in the muddy pothole and that Sam never said anything about it. They get the car out of the pothole and leave.
• 11.04 Baby: The entire episode takes place from the car's point of view. During a vision, Sam sees a being appearing to him in the form of a young John Winchester who drives the Impala in the dream while talking to Sam. The final battle with Deputy Donelly takes place in the backseat and ends with Dean decapitating Donelly by slamming the left rear door on his head three times after putting pennies in his throat. Due to the conflict with the monsters, the Impala's front and rear windows are shattered, the rear from gunfire from Sam and the front from Donelly being flung through it headfirst. Due to Dean purposefully crashing the car, the front end is also smashed up and though the Impala runs, it's hard to start the engine. At the end of the episode, Sam calls the Impala their home as they drive away.
• 11.05 Thin Lizzie: The Impala has been repaired and at the end, Sam and Dean sit on the hood eating, unaware that Amara is nearby.
• 11.17 Red Meat: Suffering from a serious gunshot wound, Sam manages to make his way to the Impala and drive to the hospital despite being barely conscious.
• 11.21 All in the Family: After rescuing Lucifer, Sam races away from Amara with him and Donatello Redfield in the Impala. However, Amara appears in the middle of the street and stops the Impala with telekinesis. Sam is unable to escape Amara's hold, but before she can harm them, the Impala suddenly teleports to the Bunker. God emerges and tells them that he occasionally does answer prayers and rescued them.
• 12.01 Keep Calm and Carry On: Dean leads a resurrected Mary Winchester into the garage of the Bunker where the Impala resides. Mary recognizes the Impala as John's car and treats it in a similar manner to how Dean treats the Impala. Looking into the backseat, Mary puts on a huge smile, presumably remembering times with John there. Later, the Impala is rammed by Ms. Watt with an SUV, spinning the car out and leaving a dent in the right rear quarter panel. After Mary kills Ms. Watt, she, Dean and Castiel depart in the dented Impala for Aldrich, Missouri where they have tracked Sam to.
• 12.03 The Foundry: Dean has repaired the Impala from the damage Ms. Watt caused to it. Later, while driving to a case in St. Paul, Minnesota, the song Born to Be Wild comes on the radio. Showing a similar taste in music to her older son, Mary turns up the volume as they drive off, greatly pleasing Dean.
• 12.08 LOTUS: Rick Sanchez and the Secret Service pull the Winchesters over, finding them through recognizing the Impala. After catching them, Rick comments on how the Impala really stands out.
• 12.11 Regarding Dean: After Sam is captured by the Loughlins', a memory-less Dean wakes up in the Impala with a note from Rowena stating that Sam has been kidnapped by a witch and she found his "stupid car" and left him there. Dean then finds a sticky note on the window telling him to "stay" but eventually opens the trunk and finds notes directing him to his gun and witch-killing bullets with which he arms himself.
• 12.15 Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell: Dean lets Sam take the car while they work with Crowley to kill Ramsey. Dean tells him to treat the car like a woman, but Sam just gets in, refusing to listen to Dean obsess about his car. Crowley responds with "Ew." After Sam and Gwen find Ramsey, they stay in the car while the hellhound jumps on the Impala, crushing the hood and the windshield. When Ramsey was killed, Dean surveys the car and tells Sam that what happened to the car is why Sam doesn't drive. As they leave, Dean wonders if it will still run.
• 12.16 Ladies Drink Free: Dean appears to have repaired the damage to the car that was inflicted by Ramsey before meeting up with Mick at the British Men of Letters compound.
• 12.19 The Future: After Sam and Dean catch up with Castiel and Kelly Kline, the boys convince them to wait in the Impala so they can all go back to the Bunker. Dean tosses Castiel the keys so they can unlock the doors. He and Kelly wait inside for Sam and Dean, but Kelly decides to take the keys and drive away with Cas in the back seat. He tells her that he can make her stop the car, but Kelly brushes off his threat and demands he give her the directions to Heaven's Gate. Sam and Dean are forced to take Castiel's Pickup Truck to catch up with them using the GPS on Castiel's phone. After they arrive to meet with Joshua, Dagon kills him and tries to take Kelly away, but Sam and Dean catch up to try to stop her. After melting and damaging the Colt, Dagon goes to kill Castiel and take Kelly with her, but Cas was empowered by the Nephilim's powers and it allows him to kill Dagon. After being influenced by the unborn Nephilim's powers, Cas knocks Sam and Dean out and takes his truck back, leaving the Impala with Sam and Dean.
• 13.01 Lost and Found: The Impala is covered in dirt throughout the whole episode. The angel Miriam, in the guise of a drunk woman, scrawls the word "Bitch" in the dirt on one of the Impala's windows while complaining to Dean about her roommate Becky.
• 13.03 Patience: As Dean is driving up to the crime scene, Missouri Moseley comments to Jody that she always loved the sight of the Impala.
• 13.09 The Bad Place: Chased by angels, the Winchesters, Jack and Kaia are forced to abandon the Impala in an old shipyard and attempt to escape by opening a portal to Apocalypse World instead.
• 13.10 Wayward Sisters: While trying to locate the portal to the Bad Place, Sheriff Donna Hanscum notices the Impala parked near the ship containing the portal and realizes that they are in the right place. After being rescued from the Bad Place, the Winchesters recover their car.
• 13.12 Various & Sundry Villains: When Dean, under a love spell, returns to the convenience store parking lot to deliver the Black Grimoire to the Plum Sisters, Jennie asks Jamie where the car is, saying that she wanted the car.

The animated Impala from 13.16 Scoobynatural.

• 13.15 A Most Holy Man: After being confronted by Santino Scarpatti's goons, Dean is forced at gunpoint to let one of them drive the Impala. Later, Sam asks what Dean would do if someone stole the Impala as a hypothetical parallel to the dilemma they are facing and Dean states that he would "murder them all." As Sam continues talking about the case, Dean ignores him and tells Sam that "there'd be torture first, like a lot of torture. And then it would end up with death. If I can't have it, nobody can," causing Sam to realize he's still talking about the Impala possibly being stolen. Later, while waiting for Sam to finish in the auction, Dean has a conversation in the car with Father Lucca Camilleri about God and faith.
• 13.16 Scoobynatural: After being transported into Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?, Sam and Dean are shocked to find the Impala with them, more so Sam than Dean, who theorizes it was transported with them due to Dean having the keys on him. Dean later gets into a race with Fred Jones in the Mystery Machine and loses, leading to Sam teasing him about losing the race to a micro-van. After being forced to tell the Scooby Gang the truth about ghosts and the supernatural, Sam and Dean show them the arsenal in the Impala's trunk, but Dean prevents Sam from giving out guns which he calls "a Scooby-Don't."
• 14.07 Unhuman Nature: After learning that Jack Kline is dying, Dean offers him the keys to the Impala and teaches the young Nephilim how to drive. Once Jack gets the hang of driving, Dean has Jack really open the car up on an empty stretch of road and the two enjoy simply cruising together.
• 14.08 Byzantium: Sam takes the Impala and drives out into the woods to build a hunter's funeral pyre for Jack, but he breaks his axe and sits by the car until Dean and Castiel arrive. Jack's personal Heaven is shown to consist of the road trip to Dodge City, Kansas, and thus includes the Impala. While searching for Jack in his personal Heaven, Castiel looks inside of the Impala while the angel Dumah checks the temperature of the burger Jack left unfinished on the hood and notices that it is cold, meaning that Jack hasn't been in his personal Heaven for a time.
• 14.09 The Spear: After driving with Dean to the old recycling plant where Dark Kaia is hiding, Castiel mentions that the Impala's tape deck is broken, meaning that Dean was unable to play music during the whole ride. However, Dean is still in a good mood, something that Castiel questions. Later, Dean locks an unconscious and tied up Garth in the Impala's trunk until they can figure out how to break Michael's influence over him.
• 14.10 Nihilism: After capturing Michael, Sam suggests storing him in the Impala's trunk until they can get back to the bunker. After being reminded that Garth is still locked in the trunk, Sam comments that the Impala has a big trunk and can hold both Garth and Michael. However, this plan is interrupted by the arrival of Michael's Monsters. Later, Sam asks Maggie to retrieve the Impala and Garth, but this plan is stopped by the revelation that Michael's Monsters are heading for the bunker.
• 14.11 Damaged Goods: After getting word that Nick's stolen van was spotted on a traffic camera pulling into a storage facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the Winchesters race there in the Impala, following Donna Hanscum who gives them a police escort using her cruiser's lights and sirens.
• 14.12 Prophet and Loss: Throughout the episode, the Impala is seen pulling a trailer holding the Ma'lak Box.
• 14.13 Lebanon: One of the things the teenagers of Lebanon, Kansas, discuss is the times Sam and Dean have driven into town with a living being in the Impala's trunk. Later, the Impala is stolen by Max, who takes the car and the occult items it contains to an abandoned house. The Winchesters manage to track Max down and Dean examines the car to make sure it is undamaged. After dispatching the ghost of John Wayne Gacy, they reclaim the Impala. After returning to 2003, John awakens in the driver's seat, believing that the entire experience was just a really good dream. After taking a call from the 2003 Dean, John drives off in the car.
• 14.17 Game Night: After receiving a serious head injury from Nick, Sam manages to lock himself in the Impala and hits the horn, drawing Dean's attention and causing Nick to flee. When Dean returns to the car, he finds Sam severely injured on the ground next to it and desperately tries to help his brother before Jack heals Sam.
• 15.10 The Heroes' Journey: After God downgrades the Winchesters to normal people, the Impala begins having trouble. First, as a result of Dean always parking in front of a fire hydrant, the car receives a ticket. The car later breaks down completely on the way to Garth's house, forcing them to walk the last ten miles of the trip. Garth provides Sam and Dean with new spark plugs to get the car going. However, the Impala breaks down yet again as Sam and Dean leave Garth's house after the case, much to Dean's anger and frustration.
• 15.11 The Gamblers: While seeking out the place Garth suggested, Dean complains about the constant problems with the Impala now that they have lost their luck. The Impala later develops a flat tire, interrupting Dean's chance to get pie once again. After taking Joey Six's luck, Dean tests it by driving the Impala but the car doesn't even make it out of the parking lot before dying again. After Fortuna restores their luck, the Impala is returned to normal working order once again.
• 15.13 Destiny's Child: The alternate Sam and Dean are shown driving a more modern car than the Impala which appears briefly in the bunker's armory. Before leaving, the alternate Winchesters reveal that they found the Impala and took it for a drive much to Dean's anger and frustration. In addition, while in the Garden of Eden, one of the memories that Jack experiences as his soul is restored is driving the Impala with Dean.
• 15.20 Carry On: After dying and going to Heaven, Dean spots the Impala parked nearby with the original KAZ 2Y5 license plates and decides to go for a drive. With "Carry On Wayward Son" playing on the radio, Dean drives the Impala through Heaven. On Earth, Sam keeps the car, eventually putting it under a tarp. At one point in his older years, Sam uncovers the Impala and sits in the driver's seat to reminisce. After Sam dies of old age, Dean parks the Impala on a bridge in Heaven where he and Sam are reunited. Upon Sam's death, the Impala was most likely left to Sam's son Dean Winchester II.

The Winchesters

• 1.01 Pilot (The Winchesters): Dean leans against the Impala as he writes in his journal and gives his narration. In addition, the Impala has the original KAZ 2Y5 license plates rather than the CNK 80Q3 ones that it had ever since 2.20 What Is and What Should Never Be and Dean's Amulet is hanging off of the rearview mirror.
• 1.08 Hang On to Your Life: In the background of one of Samuel's pictures, Dean is getting into the Impala and John recognizes him as the guy who gave John Henry's letter.
• 1.09 Cast Your Fate to the Wind: John and Mary discuss the photo of Dean and who he might be. John compliments the Impala which Mary agrees with.
• 1.10 Suspicious Minds: In the picture that Kyle Reed shows to a group of other Akrida puppets, Dean is standing leaning on the Impala with one hand outside of a fence.
• 1.13 Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye: Joan Hopkins, in reality the Akrida Queen, mentions that she tossed Dean and his car into a portal that will tear them to shreds. Later, the Monster Club uses the Ostium and Dean's Journal in an attempt to bring Dean back, but only the Impala appears. As the car is not of this Earth, Mary Campbell is able to kill Joan by hitting her with the Impala, destroying the Akrida, but Joan opens a portal that Mary drives through as a consequence. The car reemerges from the portal moments later driven by Dean and with Mary in the passenger seat. Dean explains that the Impala had protected both him and Mary, although Dean couldn't really be hurt as he's dead. Having stayed close to the portal, Dean jumped into the car when it emerged in the world between worlds. Dean reveals that, during his drive through Heaven after he died, he took a detour through the Multiverse, leading him to the Monster Club's world and the discovery of the Akrida. The Impala is later returned to Heaven along with Dean and Bobby Singer by Jack Kline.

Who drives the Impala?

While Dean most usually drives his Baby, other people do occasionally get a chance behind the wheel!

SEASON 1

1.01 Pilot Sam drives the Impala while Dean is in jail. It is also hijacked by the Woman in White Constance Welch.

1.02 Wendigo Sam demands to drive at the end of the episode and Dean tosses him the keys. Sam drives away.

1.08 Bugs Sam drives to investigate a death. Sam drives to the University. Sam pulls the Impala into the garage of the house where the Boys decide to spend the night.

1.11 Scarecrow Sam drives to Indiana while Dean goes through the research.

1.12 Faith Sam drives to Roy Le Grange's faith healing tent as Dean is very ill.

1.13 Route 666 Sam is driving as the boys leave town.

1.20 Dead Man's Blood Sam drives while Dean reads up on vampires.

1.22 Devil's Trap Sam is driving Dean and John to the hospital when the semi hits the Impala.

SEASON 2

2.05 Simon Said Andy Gallagher uses his mind meld powers to make Dean give him the Impala, then Andy drives away. Sam sees him later driving the Impala.

2.14 Born Under a Bad Sign While possessed by Meg, Sam takes the Impala, off-screen.

SEASON 3

3.02 The Kids Are Alright Sam drives the Impala to Lisa's house when the boys return Ben.

3.11 Mystery Spot Sam drives the Impala after Dean dies on Wednesday.

SEASON 4

4.01 Lazarus Rising Sam takes the Impala to meet Ruby while Dean is sleeping.

4.02 Are You There God? It's Me, Dean Winchester Sam makes a pie run (but forgets the pie) and meets up with Ruby.

4.03 In the Beginning Young John Winchester drives the Impala to see Mary, after Dean convinces him to buy it. Young John picks up Mary and takes her to ask her to marry him.

4.06 Yellow Fever Bobby drives the Impala to road haul the ghost after Sam wraps the chain around his neck

4.09 I Know What You Did Last Summer Sam drives the Impala in the flashback scenes set while Dean was in hell.

4.10 Heaven and Hell Sam drives the Impala – off-screen – to Bobby's place.

4.13 After School Special John drives the boys to school in the Impala in 1997, but we don't see him.

4.16 On the Head of a Pin Sam drives the Impala on the way back from Pamela Barnes's funeral. Sam drives the Impala to get to Dean who is torturing Alistair.

SEASON 5

5.01 Sympathy for the Devil Bobby drives the Impala to the hotel to meet the boys, although we only see his legs as he gets out of the car.

5.05 Fallen Idols Dean tosses the keys to Sam and lets him drive out of town.

5.08 Changing Channels Sam becomes the Impala.

5.12 Swap Meat Gary Frankel, while masquerading as Sam, backs the Impala into the dumpster.

5.13 The Song Remains the Same Young John drives the Impala when they are trying to get away from Anna, who wants to kill John and Mary.

5.22 Swan Song Sal Moriarty, the first owner of the Impala, drives her in the flashback scenes while Chuck monologues.

SEASON 6

6.22 The Man Who Knew Too Much Sam drives the Impala in his subconscious after Castiel broke the wall in his mind.

SEASON 7

7.03 The Girl Next Door Sam takes the Impala to chase the kitsune. Later, Dean tosses the keys to Sam and Sam drives.

7.04 Defending Your Life Sam drives the Impala to find Dean after he is taken by Osiris.

7.13 The Slice Girls After he meets with the Professor, Sam drives the Impala back to the hotel to save Dean. Sam drives again as the boys leave town.

7.23 Survival of the Fittest It is assumed that Meg drives the Impala into the Sucrocorp sign, as she gets out of the driver's door. However, in earlier clips it appears that Dean and Sam are in the front seat. We do not actually see Meg driving.

SEASON 8

8.01 We Need to Talk About Kevin Sam drives the Impala to Montana while he believes Dean to be gone.

8.23 Sacrifice Sam drives the Impala to the church while Dean sits in back with Crowley.

SEASON 9

9.02 Devil May Care Tracy Bell, a young hunter, goes to get the Impala so the boys can get their supplies from the trunk to fight Abaddon.

9.05 Dog Dean Afternoon Sam drives as Dean is under the influence of the dog curse.

9.07 Bad Boys John Winchester drives the Impala in the flashback scene but we do not actually see him.

9.10 Road Trip Gadreel, while wearing Sam, steals the Impala, although we do not see him driving it on-screen.

9.17 Mother's Little Helper Sam drives the Impala to Milton because Dean wants to stay home and research the Mark of Cain, and he drives it around town as he works the case.

9.18 Meta Fiction Sam drives the Impala to meet Cas and Dean stays with Gadreel, whom they have captured.

SEASON 10

10.02 Reichenbach Sam drives Demon Dean back to the bunker.

10.03 Soul Survivor Sam drives to the hospital to get sanctified blood to cure Dean, but we do not see him driving on-screen.

10.05 Fan Fiction Actor John and Actor Dean drive the fake Impala during the musical.

10.11 There's No Place Like Home Dark Charlie Bradbury steals the Impala and drives away.

10.12 About a Boy Sam drives the Impala because Teen Dean is too short.

10.15 The Things They Carried While Dean works to get the Khan Worm out of Cole Trenton, Sam drives the Impala to try to find Kit. Sam also drives the Impala as the Boys leave town.

10.16 Paint It Black Sam drives home after the boys defeat the monster of the week.

10.20 Angel Heart Sam, with Castiel, take the Impala to search for Amelia Novak while Dean stays with Claire Novak.

10.23 Brother's Keeper Dean had left the Impala for Sam, so Sam drives it when he goes to meet Dean.

SEASON 11

11.04 Baby Jessie, the valet at Aunt Mel's restaurant, takes Baby for a ride. Then Lily Markham beats up Dean and drives off with an unconscious Dean in the back seat. Later, Deputy Donelly drives the Impala as he takes Dean to be eaten.

11.15 Beyond the Mat Sam drives the Impala to do some research while Dean stays to talk to witnesses.

11.17 Red Meat Sam drives the Impala out of the forest to the hospital to warn Dean about the werewolf.

11.21 All in the Family While Dean distracts Amara, Sam drives the Impala when they go to save Lucifer.

11.23 Alpha and Omega: After Dean goes to kill Amara, Sam drives the gang to a bar to wait it out.

SEASON 12

12.11 Regarding Dean Off-screen, Rowena locates and drives the Impala after Sam falls into trouble with some witches, leaving a memory-less Dean in the front seat with a note explaining her actions.

12.15 Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell Sam drives the girl of the week around in the Impala while Dean and Crowley hunt the hell hound that is after her.

12.16 Ladies Drink Free The valet at the Wild Elk Lodge pulls the Impala up to the front door.

12.19 The Future Kelly Kline drives off in the Impala to escape Sam and Dean.

SEASON 13

13.05 Advanced Thanatology Sam takes the keys to the Impala and leaves Dean passed out on the floor of their motel room. We do not actually see Sam drive the car.

13.06 Tombstone Sam drives Jack and Castiel back to the bunker in the Impala while Dean stays in Tombstone to kill the ghoul.

13.08 The Scorpion and the Frog Sam drives the Impala onto Shrike's property while Dean hides in the back seat.

13.15 A Most Holy Man Dean is forced at gunpoint to hand the keys to the mobster henchman, but we do not actually see him drive.

SEASON 14

14.01 Stranger in a Strange Land Sam drives the Impala as he looks for Dean who is possessed by AU Michael.

14.07 Unhuman Nature Dean allows Jack Kline to drive, even handing over the keys to him willingly. Dean uses the opportunity to teach Jack the skill of driving as Jack has never driven before.

14.13 Lebanon The Impala is stolen by Max, but is later recovered by Sam and Dean. In 2003, John Winchester awakens in the driver's seat after being returned to his own time and after taking a call from Dean, he leans forward to start the car as the screen goes black.

SEASON 15

15.13 Destiny's Child Jack experiences a flashback to driving the Impala with Dean. Later, the alternate Sam and Dean reveal that they drove the car.

The Winchesters

1.13 Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye Mary Campbell drives the Impala to kill Joan Hopkins. Dean subsequently drives it out of Joan's portal after saving Mary.

Imposter!Impalas

On occasion, Dean and Sam drive a car other than the Impala:

• 2.02 Everybody Loves a Clown: Dean and Sam borrow a first generation (1984-1990) 'woody' Dodge Caravan from Bobby. Dean complains that it makes him feel "like a soccer mom."
• 4.01 Lazarus Rising: Dean drives from the gas station to Bobby's after his resurrection in a 1962 Mercury Monterey hard top. The license plate number is V6R 1G3.
• At the start of season six, when he is living with Lisa and Ben and not hunting, Dean drives a truck
• 6.17 My Heart Will Go On: in the alternate reality created when the Titanic doesn't sink, Chevy Impalas do not exist. Instead, Dean drives a '67 Ford Mustang.
• After Leviathan!Sam and Leviathan!Dean go on a killing spree (while driving a '67 Impala) causing the real Sam and Dean to become America's 2nd most wanted criminals in 7.06 Slash Fiction, Frank Devereaux advises the boys to lock up the Impala to avoid detection. In the following episodes the boys drive:
  • Pontiac Acadian
  • Dodge Challenger,
  • Buick Special Deluxe
  • Plymouth Roadking (in 1944)
  • Buick Riviera
  • Mercury Cougar
  • Pontiac Firebird
  • Dodge Charger
  • AMC Pacer
  • 1988 Toyota Land Cruiser
  • Plymouth Roadrunner

The guys also drove a 1969 Plymouth GTX towards the end of season 7.

Also of note: The '67 Impala that the Leviathans drive is identical in appearance to the Winchesters' Impala in almost every way. The differences lie in the custom rims on the wheels of the Leviathan!Impala, and, of course, the license plates. The Leviathan!Impala has Illinois plates: E62 3015. When Dean first sees the Leviathans driving their Impala, he remarks, "Oh, those are nice wheels. I tell you what, when this is over I'm stealing those rims."

Origins Comics Controversy

In the teaser for the Pilot, John, Sam and Dean are clearly seen huddled together on the hood of the Impala as their house burns. In the Origins comics, Peter Johnson had John acquiring the Impala after Mary's death. Following a Q&A session with Cynthis Boris on Jack Myer's MediaVillage site, Peter Johnson returned with the following response:

I've given a huge amount of thought to the Impala issue and have arrived at a conclusion.

As you may know from previous posts, I felt early on that there would be creative and character-driven value to seeing John get the Impala during his journey in the aftermath of Mary's death. It was a decision, and Kripke and I talked about it. However, I'm in violent agreement with many of your comments that the car is the third character in the show and that it represents a sanctuary for this family following the death of Mary. I like it as the constant that remains after her death - as Mousitsa (Anna) puts it: 'baby' was there to support her three men after the fire.

These comments have made profound impact, and I agree wholeheartedly with the thematics they represent for the SN universe - for both TV and comics. So, despite the fact that #1 and #2 have both been published, I am going to propose making adjustments to revert to John already having the Impala from the get-go when the issues are collected into the trade paperback. I would like to restore this notion to the comics.

I believe in my heart and gut that it would be the correct version, not just to match the shot of John and the boys of the hood of the Impala in the pilot teaser, but much more importantly, for what the car represents in the continuity of the family -- before and after Mary's death. I'll be talking to DC about this on Monday.

The show later made the Impala's origin completely clear, when John buys the Impala in 1973 after Dean dissuades him from getting a VW van.

The Impala in Fandom

The Impala has inspired a number of fans to get their own 67 Impala. Fans lovingly restore often beat up old shells of cars, sometimes down to the most minute detail to match the car to the Impala on the show. See Fan Impalas for more details.

The best known of the Impala restorers is Rick Blevins, who is featured on the "Fan" documentary on the Season 10 DVD and Blu-ray. Rick has restored cars both for himself and others, and it was an Impala restored by him and owned by fan Stefany Torres that the Supernatural producers used when they filmed the episode 9.20 Bloodlines in Chicago. Rick also restored an Impala that was given away to a fan at Comic-Con 2019.

• Read about the giveaway
• Watch a video about the restoration.

You can find Rick on Facebook at Everything Supernatural.

• Facebook groups for Fan restored Impalas.
• Impala-fic-list - LiveJournal community
• Back in Black - LiveJournal Meta entry by missyjack
• See Fan Craft for the plushie Impala
• @_DeansBaby - Twitter Role Play - Canon, Gen
• @deansbaby1967 - Twitter Role Play - Canon, Gen
• Crossroad Crush - An animated Impala video
• The Season 3 DVD sold at Best Buy came with a GreenLight Collectibles 1:64 scale replica of the Imapla, and the Season 5 DVD came with an Impala keyring.

Impala keychain available with season five DVDs.

Impala plushie by ldhenson.

Fans even cosplay as the Impala! read why ‘Supernatural’ fans are dressing up as Chevy Impalas by the dailydot

Legends of Tomorrow appearance

A familiar car was spotted in photos for "Zari, Not Zari," the March 24th, 2020 episode of Legends of Tomorrow, and Sarah Lance is seen holding a notice about the filming of Supernatural. The episode's plot has Constantine, Charlie, and Sara traveling to British Columbia and running into the Supernatural crew filming an episode with the Impala. The car was a fan car, not one from the show. Showrunner Phil Klemmer said:

"From the beginning, we knew that we wanted to set an episode in modern-day Vancouver, because directly following the crossover that was all we could afford... I'm kidding, sorta, not really. Anyway, we wanted to do a spooky, Predator-style skulk-around-the-woods episode and at the 11th hour decided to have the Legends intersect with the crew of Supernatural. This was the inspired choice of our producing director Kevin Mock, I believe. In our world Supernatural is a TV show, not a real thing. Sorry, Supernatural fans."

The [Supernatural] producers were incredibly gracious and enthusiastic about this tip of the hat, however. They even let us borrow some of their musical score — listen closely! Sam and Dean did not make the final cut, unfortunately. Or rather they were busy working on their own show."

A fan Impala on the set of Legends of Tomorrow

External links

• Kripke talks about the origins of the Impala
• 18 things Supernatural fans didnt know about the Impala by Hotcars
• Interview with Show Car Coordinator Jeff Budnick by Driving
• Article on 1967 Chevrolet Impala.
• An article on the Metallicar from an Australian Car Sales website.
• Cyrus Yavneh talks about the Impala
• Featurette on the Impala from the Season 3 DVD
• Impala pumpkin carving template
• Article on the Impala and Supernatural
• "Back in Black” by Jules Wilkinson describes how the Impala is "Home to the homeless, mother to the motherless, an essential member of the "family."
• "The Impala as negotiator of melodrama and masculinity in Supernatural" by Melissa N. Bruce
• Transcript of Interview with Jeff Budnick in LootCrate Magazine 2015
• Top Ten Supernatural "Baby" (Impala) Moments - by Karen for The Winchester Family Business, Feb 3, 2021
• Ode to Supernatural's Baby - A Photo Poem by CatDean for The Winchester Family Business April 24, 2021.
• A Haunting of Impalas 2019: A Memorable Gathering in Austin, Texas - Report on Fans' Authentic Replica Impala Gathering by Alice Jester for The Winchester Family Business May 3, 2019.
• Rebuilding a Classic Impala from Scratch: 1 Supernatural Fan's Story, Part 1 - Chronicle (with pictures) of Fan Replicating Baby by Alice Jester for The Winchester Family Business, Sept. 9, 2014.
• Rebuilding a Classic Impala from Scratch: 1 Supernatural Fan's Story, Part 2 - Chronicle (with pictures) of Fan Replicating Baby by Alice Jester for The Winchester Family Business, Sept. 14, 2014.
• Oh Lady: Love for the Impala - Photo Poem by Yvonne for The Winchester Family Business, Jan. 13, 2011.
• Ode to the Metallicar - Tribute Poem by Karen for The Winchester Family Business, Nov. 2, 2009.
• It's Not Easy Being A Winchester Classic Chevy - Top 10 Insults to Baby Seasons 1-4 by Elle2 for The Winchester Family Business, April 14, 2009.
• The Top Ten Crimes Against The Impala - by Ardeospina for The WFB.
• Memorable Moments The Impala a.k.a. Baby - A Photo Tribute to Baby by Karen for The WFB.
• Got Impala? - Photos of Classic Impalas at Car Shows by Dawn & Alice Jester for The Winchester Family Business, August 25, 2009.
• Impala Moments - Top Impala Shot in Seasons 1-4 by Elle2 for The Winchester Family Business, July 16, 2009.
• A Salute to the Impala - Description of Baby and her uses in Supernatural by Alice Jester for The Winchester Family Business, Sept 4. 2008.
• ‘Supernatural’ Impala is a big-block powered demon hunter by driving.ca
• HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY SUPERNATURAL'S BABY! by Wednesday for The WFB.
• Jensen Ackles' Supernatural Impala discovered on the set by EW
• 10 cool facts about the Impala by Hot Cars