Nicole Fonseca’s 1964 Chevy Impala SS Lowrider Is a Canvas for Her Identity

The automotive industry design veteran’s classic Chevy takes inspiration from her past and present.

Talk to anyone who covers the automotive industry for a living, and you’ll inevitably hear them say this business is just as much about the people as it is about cars. The general public takes aspects of automotive design like paint, trim, and seating for granted without ever getting to know the experts who meticulously curate each detail.

I had the opportunity to get to know one such expert, Nicole Fonseca, after seeing her striking 1964 Chevrolet Impala SS lowrider at a local car show. Even if you’ve never heard of Fonseca, you’ve likely encountered her work on and inside Mazda and Nissan models. After a two-decade career working with automotive colors and materials, Fonseca is uniquely positioned to bring her expertise to life using a classic car as a canvas. That’s exactly what she did with this glittering ’64.

A Storied Career in Automotive Design

Hailing from Detroit and now residing in Beverly Hills, Fonseca views her Impala SS as a bridge between her past and present. She ascribes her connection to the world of cars to her grandparents, who came from Mexico and worked on the assembly line in Detroit. “When we grew up, somebody always worked for Ford or General Motors,” Fonseca said. “We were always around cars and going to car shows.”

Fonseca didn’t initially intend to work in the car industry, though. She went to school for fashion design at Central Michigan University and started her career at multinational conglomerate Johnson Controls as a color, materials, and finishes (CMF) designer with a specialty in the automotive sector.

She continued to work in automotive CMF, including a stint at Mazda North America under Franz von Holzhausen, who now serves as Tesla’s senior design executive. Fonseca went on to work for Nissan, which brought her to California. Working out of Nissan’s now-closed design center, she continued to specialize in colors and materials for vehicles you’ve likely driven or ridden inside like the Frontier, Titan, and Altima.

Her tenure at Nissan took her to Japan, where she lived for three years. During this time, her biggest project was working on the Nissan Ariya. Fonseca developed all the body colors and helped Nissan build its global CMF strategy for the midsize EV. Her time at Nissan was pivotal in her development as a color and materials trend expert.

“You have to be clever with coloring materials because it has a very big impact,” Fonseca said. “What do people love? What sells? How do we make it look special, even on a budget?”

After leaving Nissan, Fonseca did a brief stint in fashion and at Canoo, the automative startup that designed an awesome but ill-fated pod-shaped EV concept. She now operates her own business, Chroma Color Studio, as a color trend expert forecasting CMF trends years in advance.

Esperanza

Fonseca’s design career makes itself known in her 1964 Chevrolet Impala SS, which she’s named Esperanza. After moving to L.A., Fonseca got to know women in the lowriding community through the Lady Lowriders and the Girlz N the Hood car clubs. Inspired by seeing women flipping switches and hopping their cars using hydraulics, Fonseca decided to build a lowrider of her own, leaning on her contacts at Nissan so she could visualize the final build in VR before the work began.

“We bought the data for the Impala, we put it in VR, and we spun it around,” Fonesca said. “Honestly, I don't think you would ever do that [in traditional lowriding culture].”

The excruciating attention to detail is evident as soon as you get a glimpse of the Impala’s custom coral paint, which is accentuated with a glass pigment. For the silver roof, Fonesca commissioned artist Humberto Cruz to paint flowers, birds, and bees in his signature pop art style. Those who are even tangentially versed in lowrider culture know the combinations of pink paint and floral pattern is a nod to the famous Gypsy Rose, which is no accident.

Fonseca first saw the Gypsy Rose at the Petersen Museum and fell in love. After three trips to see what is widely considered to be the queen of the lowriders, Fonseca set about interpreting the icon in her own style. She put her signature on the build with the custom 20-inch three-piece wheels with copper caps that she designed and had manufactured using a CNC machine. Initially, Fonseca never imagined the Impala on these dishlike wheels. But she decided to take matters into her own hands after trying a variety of other options.

“I realized the wheel design has to be the same exact design as the original hubcap, but using a different technology, and that's when it hit me,” Fonseca said. “So I took the original cap design, blew it up, and then milled it.”

Overall, the Impala was in great shape when Fonseca began working on the project, though she had to smooth out the body panels before painting in order to get the color to display evenly. The cabin is all original, aside from silver paint on the ceiling to match the top. There are two Easter eggs, as well: When you flip down the sunshades, each has a cheerful design by Cruz painted onto the inside of the visors. His signature quips read, “Don’t kill my vibe” and “The world is yours.”

Otherwise, Fonseca’s Impala is mostly original. It’s powered by a rebuilt 350-cubic-inch small-block V-8 (that’s a 5.7-liter engine for you young whippersnappers) and has been fit with a new battery. Fonseca opted for a hydraulic air ride system to switch between the Impala’s raised position for driving and its lowered stance for display. She’s largely happy with the build as it sits but is considering replacing the steering wheel to add some more character to the cabin.

After a quick spin, we can attest the Impala SS is comfortable when rolling at its highest suspension setting, perfect for cruising. It draws plenty of attention, too, thanks to its colorful exterior and the loping burble of its V-8.

Fonseca views the Impala as far more than a means of transportation, however. It’s also a reflection of her identity and personality. She hopes it can be an example of what others can do with their cars.

“Me being half Mexican, it’s pulling me back to my culture,” Fonseca said. “If I can inspire other people and really just make something that other people can appreciate, I'm happy.”

Her Drive in Style

Fonseca’s passion for automotive design is palpable, and she takes every opportunity to bring others into her world. She seeks to make the automotive community, a historically male-dominated space, less daunting for women to get involved. She created “Her Drive in Style,” which is one of her social media handles as well as a video series on Esperanza’s creation.

“I want to make cars sexy for women so that they can start getting in the game,” Fonseca said. “I know this is going to sound crazy, but I started it thinking I want to make a new version of Pimp My Ride with … new silhouettes and body styles.”

Serving as something of an anti-gatekeeper, Fonseca is motivated by the times in her career when men have been intimidated by her confidence and strong voice. She envisions herself as an example for women to follow when they go to the dealership.

“There's a lot of women that have a lot of purchasing power, like CEOs and businesswomen,” Fonseca said. “They should be able to go into a deal, be able to negotiate, and know exactly [what they want].”

OPEN GALLERY

As for her Impala SS, Fonseca is going to keep showing it at car meets; she’s already won awards at every show where she’s displayed Esperanza. Eventually, she plans to use her talents on an entirely new type of project.

“If I decide to sell this one, I don't think it should be a lowrider, it should be something completely different,” Fonseca said. “I like to do things that people don't expect, and I know nobody expected this lowrider.”

Given Fonseca’s remarkable career in design and her ability to execute a classic car customization project like Esperanza in just four months, we have no doubt her next move will be one to watch.