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The Reason They Chose Impala as Winchesters' Car in Supernatural is Extra Creepy

The Reason They Chose Impala as Winchesters' Car in Supernatural is Extra Creepy
Image credit: Legion-Media

It's hard to imagine Sam and Dean Winchester driving anything other than the iconic '67 Chevy Impala.

It was a possibility, if it weren't for a certain unsettling perk that "Baby" had.

The Winchester brothers' '67 Chevrolet Impala is as much a Supernatural character as Sam and Dean, with the iconic car providing a ride for the brothers in many hunts, apocalypses, and biblical altercations.

Few people know, however, that when Eric Kripke was establishing the Supernatural universe, the brothers almost had a completely different car.

At first, Kripke considered putting Dean behind the wheel of a 1965 Mustang. He settled on the Impala because "you can put a body in the trunk," which is creepy but convincing.

A neighbour told Kripke that he needed "a car that, when people stop next to it at lights, they lock their doors."

The Winchesters ' car needed to be iconic, and ultimately the neighbor's advice helped Kripke achieve just that. The Impala is so important to the show that the Winchester brothers nicknamed it "Baby."

In addition, Supernatural reveals that John Winchester could have chosen another vehicle when he was shopping for a car, and it was Dean who recommended an Impala to him. John originally considered a 1964 VW Van.

After Supernatural wrapped filming, Jensen Ackles, who portrayed Dean Winchester on the show, made sure the legendary car went home with him by writing it into his contract.

Supernatural's popularity also caused prices for 1967 Impalas to skyrocket, with many car collectors scrambling to get their hands on an iconic hunter's vehicle.

Supernatural aired on The CW from 2005 to 2020 and ran for 15 seasons. Currently, its prequel, The Winchesters, is nearing the finale of its first season.