Next Chevrolet Malibu To Become Competitive

You need to deal with the realities of today 2015.

 #1 we could have more coupes and wagons if people wanted them. How many times do companies have to try and fail to prove to you these segments are just not strong enough to support more? .

#2 Sedans are what people want and now are being replaced buy the CUV. The CUV even is killing the minivan. It comes down to a vehicle with the most useful space inside and still getting better than SUV MPG. People today look for practical more than stylish.

#3 having 72 versions of a single model just would not work with todays market. People want and expect Choices and if you do not offer them they will go elsewhere.  

#4 You also have to consider back then they also made major styling changes every 1-2 years. Today they make changes on one product line about every 5 and that is as they cycle through 5 different lines. You would never see a major restyling on one model every year even if it is the only model you offer.

FYI: I took you for your first paragraphs said. The second paragraph was taken as a separate statement.

"That's actually the direction the industry needs to go in; More variation Less  Lines.

Having 4 or 6 sedans under the same brand separated by 4" in over all length is poor resource allocation".

Was the comment I was responding too. It has nothing to do with the Sonic and Spark unless they are offering 4 or 6 sedans within 4" of each other. I had your post blocked as I got tired of you being a pain in the ass. I may just have to do that again. You are stuck in 1959 and just want to be argumentative.

This was similar to the 57 ad accept it was in a large parking lot with one of ever model moving or parked. It was kind of like those annoying paintings with 50 GTOs in a gas station parking lot. LOL!

It would make a nice poster as it was the same 50's artistic drawing ad like they normally used. I love these ads as I cut and kept many from old Saturday Evening Post I used to find at used book stores for a nickel a piece as a kid.

I really wish someone would so a book with all the Pontiac ads from the 60's. There is a book out by one of the artist that Wangers is selling. I got  a signed edition of it when I met the artist. I would love to see a modern car done up this way like a CTSV.

The arguments and comments are the point of this site.  We come here to argue about cars.

I have no issue if someone wants to challenge anything I post if they have a reasonable or sound statement. In fact I love the challenge that makes me substantiate my own opinion as it makes me build a stronger case or abandon it if I am wrong. To me it is like sharpening a blade and the more you work on it the better it can becomes. I do hold the line when people get personal or twist things out of context from what I stated. My friend has a history of this with me in the past and he started to head that direction again.

 I had been away for a while and checked in here again just to test the waters again. I liked it here for along time but lost interest a good while back.  Now being back I have enjoyed the respectful exchange with you and the others. I am a normally very tolerant guy so blocking is not my normal practice and I have been on some pretty tough forums.

 He can have his say and I mine and we do not have to tangle. All I ask is trust me on this one as an administrator.   Things were just fine till I removed the block and I just chose to return to that status for the good of everyone. If anyone wants to debate cars bring it on I am game. LOL!

The arguments and comments are the point of this site.  We come here to argue about cars.

I thought we were all on board with that concept. :shrug:

 

The last sedan at GM that really changed things was the 08 Malibu. Compared to the previous cars it was a major step forward and is still seen as a solid good car. It looked good and more expensive than it was. It offered good engines and the ride and room was great.

 

What hurt this gen Malibu was it never saw a real update and got old in a fast moving segment.

GM had the present Malibu set around 2008 and was going to put it into play much sooner than they did but ran out of money. By the time they got it out they had to rush things to beat the Fusion. GM knew the car needed help and that is why the fixes they did offer cam the following year. They were planned before the car came out but it was too late to wait for them.

The new model was well on the way and will not suffer the issues of the present car. They have had the time and money to do this one right as the have done with the C7. This is the car they would have liked to had in 2012 but it was just not ready. 

the present car was just a gap filler for an aging 08 BU and the new 2016 model. The fact Is GM knew they had  hand that was lacking aces but sometimes you just have to bluff to buy time till the next hand and that is what is going on.

 

The 2012-13 model was old before it even appeared and they knew it. But when it is all you have you just have to buy time. The previous model was a good car but it would have never held up till 2016 in this segment. 

 

I own one and I know first hand. Good car but far from state of the art today.

 

I wish GM could relate many of these back stories publically that leak out. It make a lot of sense of many senseless acts.

 

The '08 Malibu could have and should have been just refreshed rather than do the car we have today. Update the front/rear facias. Update the engines. Freshen the dash.  It would have been far better than what they've got now if only for passenger room concerns.   They may not have beaten the Camry, but they wouldn't be taking a negative 7% hit in sales growth. 

 

Buickman is in the comments of that article talking about how the car just isn't marketed properly... but that's bull.  It is a severely compromised car when compared to the competition.  I don't even like the Fusion, but I'll still pick one over the Malibu.  Which is sad because I really liked the '08.

 

Yes, I've driven them all. 

 

I agree..should have stuck with the updated 08ers...

Kinda like the Cruze now. Just change it enough to make it another few years on a currently solid product...

While it is easy to say the 08 would not have fair very well that long term. It already was showing its age at the end of its life cycle.

GM was looking to pare weight down and to move to an all 4 cylinder line and the  08 would have not faired all that well. My 08 comes in well over 3600 pounds while the 2014 even in turbo trim is 500-800 pounds lighter.

GM was just in a place where they had to use what they had and hold ground as well as they could till the new platform arrives and that is what is happening now.

If they had made changes to the 08 model it would not have seen much more than a fascia front and rear and some interior fixes but not much else. I really don't think they would have attempted the Turbo.

Also many of you do not address how the present car was spec'd for global sales in China and many other countries that now require the hood to engine clearance my 08 does not have.

This is one of those deals there is even more in play than they will ever tell us.

By the way did I miss the new Volt post. I have seen comments everywhere on the web and wanted to see what many thought here.

There wasn't a volt post yet.  I had an exteremly busy day today and William was doing sales numbers

 

 

By the way did I miss the new Volt post. I have seen comments everywhere on the web and wanted to see what many thought here.

Sneak Peak: 2016 Chevrolet Volt

Thanks!

The buzz is all great, and attracting the attention I assume they wanted, trying to bring back in their audience and all. However lets be clear here. I won't believe it until I see it. Its that simple.