During the Pepsi-sponsored, star-studded halftime show, an elaborate neighborhood-themed set was quickly constructed midfield—and sitting front and center were three classic

Chevy

Impala lowriders.

A bespoke Pepsi lowrider

Pepsi teased the California-themed halftime show with a commercial featuring Mike Machado, or Mr. Cartoon, a well-known tattoo artist and graffiti artist from LA, designing a Pepsi-themed lowrider. Machado explained that the whole hip-hop music and lowrider, hydraulic car lifestyle started in California.

It made sense to merge the music and the lowriders into the Super Bowl to celebrate California culture.

But Machado had to hurry. “I literally had 18 days to build a whole car,” Machado reported to

Car and Driver

So he bought a 1967 Chevy Impala already fitted with lowrider suspension and hydraulics and had it painted in a week, which is almost unheard of in normal lowrider restorations. The car was painted Pepsi blue with many bespoke details.

He finished out the whole car in just a couple of weeks, and the theme was set for the Super Bowl halftime show.

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The real stars of the Super Bowl: Impala lowriders

MORE: A 1963 Pontiac Tempest Is a Rare Yet Affordable Restoration Car

The halftime show featured hip hop and rap artists Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, and a surprise visit from rapper 50 Cent.

The set was like a giant dollhouse meant to look like a neighborhood street scene with dancers everywhere. Five rooms were open on one side, with different sets in each room and on the roof. In front of the whole thing were three evenly spaced droptop lowrider 1960s Chevy Impalas.

Some car enthusiasts gasped in horror to see dancers on the hoods of these meticulously maintained vehicles.

However, the owners of the cars from the Public Enemy Car Club of LA assured the public that the original hoods were switched out for reinforced hoods and absolutely no damage was done to the original car hoods!

Drumming up interest

These halftime cars managed to drum up instant interest in Chevy Impalas. According to

Newsweek

, “eBay Motors … registered a 160 percent spike in searches for Chevrolet Impala Lowriders in the hours following Super Bowl LVI compared to the day before.”

Viewers were interested in other aspects of the cars as well. Lowrider suspensions were also up in the searches on eBay Motors by 150%, and rim and tail light searches for Chevy Impalas were up 80 to 100%! Cars.com reported 164% more searches for Chevy Impalas after the halftime show debuted. People were interested!

Chevy Impala over the years

The Chevy Impala was originally released in 1958. It sold until 1985 when it was pulled due to lagging sales. Chevrolet brought it back in 1994 for two more years, then again from 2000-2020. The favorite era of Impala to convert into lowriders are the classic, oldest 1958-1985 models.

Restorations usually include lowering the suspensions, adding hydraulics,

artistic paint jobs,

chrome accents, putting in bigger engines, and adding new wheels and rims.

HotCars

put together a list of the Sickest Chevrolet Impala Lowriders Ever, and they are definitely jaw-dropping. Are you ready to restore a Chevy Impala to low, pavement-scraping levels?

When you need

insurance for your lowrider

, or any car you drive, try

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