Supernatural creator Eric Kripke selected the 1967 Chevy Impala as the Winchesters' iconic car after advice from a mechanic neighbor. The vehicle, nicknamed Baby, became a central element of the series, symbolizing home and brotherhood for characters Sam and Dean. Kripke shared the story behind the choice and unused ideas for the car in recent interviews.
Eric Kripke, the creator of the long-running TV series Supernatural, has revealed how a conversation with a neighbor led to the selection of the 1967 Chevy Impala as the signature vehicle for protagonists Sam Winchester, played by Jared Padalecki, and Dean Winchester, played by Jensen Ackles.
Kripke envisioned the Impala, affectionately called Baby, as a third character in the show—a mobile home for the brothers as they traveled America's haunted highways, saving people and hunting supernatural threats. In an interview with TV Insider, Kripke recounted pitching his idea for a tough car to his mechanic neighbor in Venice, California. Initially considering a 1965 Mustang, Kripke was quickly dissuaded.
"When I told my neighbor in Venice [California], who was a mechanic, that I wanted a bada** car and was thinking of a '65 Mustang, he said, 'Yeah, a Mustang is the perfect car if you're a p**sy,'" Kripke recalled. "And without missing a beat, he said, 'You want a '67 Impala because you can put a body in that trunk.' I ran to my computer to look it up, and it was perfect."
This choice proved enduring. The Impala appeared consistently across all 15 seasons, even starring in a Season 15 episode narrated from its perspective. After the series finale, both Ackles and Padalecki received their own Impalas as gifts. Padalecki shared his immediate nostalgia: "The first song I listened to when I got in [my] Impala was 'Carry On Wayward Son,'" he told TV Insider. "I see it in my garage and I already feel nostalgic about how many hours of my life I probably spent in that vehicle."
Kripke also reflected on early concepts during a Reddit AMA. For the pilot episode, he considered equipping the Impala with James Bond-inspired gadgets, such as dashboard switches to release oil or salt—useful against demons and spirits. However, the team abandoned the idea, deeming it "stupid." Ultimately, Baby's strength lay in its emotional resonance as a symbol of family and the open road, without needing high-tech additions.