Next-gen Malibu Still A Year Off For the U.S.

[hyperv6]

Yeah, and it was a family car then, just like the one today is...

People complain about GM ridding itself of nameplates with cachet, but then they complain that the vehicles of today are somehow not worthy of the name itself. Seriously, it's a Malibu. After the Malibu's after '72, the current car is doing the name a huge favor.

Too many tend think since only SS and Convets that are restored today were the majority of the Malibu's sold. The truth is the majority were just plain two doors with 307's and 4 doors Malibu's that were just plain good value family cars. Most did not have much in them either like AC or other items that we take for granted today.

I remember all the Chevelles we had got the odd and rare options. Things like low washer fluid light, rear window defog and the optional bumper guards. We even got the rare hard top 4 door Chevelle Consourse model in 1968. That was the LTZ of the day.

I used to love the smell of those new cars when I was a kid. It was a mix of rubber plastic and lacquer paint. I also remember going over the car as a kid and often finding 4-5 things wrong with each car. Some as simple as two different style ash trays in the back of the 69 Malibu. It was one of the first built and had one from 68 and one from 69 in it.

The real fun one was the Buick 225 that they got in 1970 and they left off the fender skirts. They were not in the trunk and the dealer still tried to deliver the car with out them.

[ocnblu]

Point missed again. Point being: in 1972 one could go into his or her dealership and order a Chevelle Malibu in a multitude of flavors. A 350 convertible was a little high on the spice meter by then, like a 2LT would be in today's gobbledegook, but it was still plenty usable every day as a family car if need be.

Today you have a much narrower choice of flavors. All sedans. All boring. BLAH. A smaller, leaner GM should be selling fewer, stronger nameplates with more variants per nameplate.

[hyperv6]

We understand, but it is 2011 not 1972 anymore. Times, Economy, People Choices and the Automotive Markets have changed.

It's not just cars but nearly everything has changed. Just look how kids are today. They most often anymore would rather play Mario Cart vs playing with a real go cart. We would have never considered that back when I was a kid.

The Automotive market is made up of many factor. Some are Economy, The need for companies to Maximize Profits, Public Demands, Goverment, Regulations, etc. That is how we got here today. It was not just one thing.

I learned a long time ago to remember the past but don't try to keep living in it. Other wise you will end up like the 74 year old woman at the cruise in that dances by herself to the live band in the poodle skirt and too much make up. Trust me it is not pretty.

I agree with you that it would be nicer to bring some of the best things back but time keeps moving on with out it. Too few other care or even remember this to even demand it.

You sometimes just have to play the cards you are given like it or not. I know what it used to be like but those days are over and we have to make due with the best we can get today. Remembering the past is fine but crying over loss of them is a waste of time because few others care.

Edited February 3, 2011 by hyperv6

[balthazar]

Dismissing every point about past cars is no different than saying 'It's 2011, the self-starter is so last millenium- we need something new.'

Clearly ocnblu's point rings true- it is the simple glut of models & platforms too close in size & features that has muddied the market horribly and wrecked the balance sheets of so many manufacturers, yet at the same time, more competition & less variety has resulted in boredom. It is time to consolidate & eliminate the overlap- the answer is not more & more & more platforms with smaller & smaller margins between each, but less, with more variety. It's not 2000 anymore.

[Drew Dowdell]

Not sure why you gave Balthazar a -2.... he's absolutely right. Look at what Cruze and Impala did to Malibu sales this month. Adding more and more sedans of vaguely similar size is not the answer.

Accord and Altima have coupes, why not Malibu? Granted, it won't be the V8, RWD car that most here want the Malibu to be, but it would be something more than just another sedan.

Where's the Malibu wagon? Why was there no Malibu Maxx when, as ugly as it was, it actually sold decent. Someone should find Malibu Maxx sales and compare them to Accord Crosstour sales.

Fewer nameplates with more body styles for each is where the market needs to head.

[Drew Dowdell]

Doh! and I fail and accidentally give Balth a negative one also.... if I figure out how to delete it, I will. Sorry.

[ocnblu]

What I'm asking for is not a bespoke Malibu coupe, RWD and V8. A coupe version of the 2012 Malibu would be a fine addition to brighten up the line, and a wagon? A truly useful midsize Chevrolet wagon might surprise a lot of you. It is time to give the buying public something different, something fresh and friendly. Sedans are sooo invisible. Let the people who need them, have them... but don't restrict the rest of us to such a boring automotive life.

[Intrepidation]

It would be nice to see more body styles, however the problem is that the masses, people who actually buy new cars, don't care. They're more concerned with fuel economy, practicality, and technology. Its the age we live in, and the automakers are going where the money is. I personally have no desire fore Malibu coupe but I'd love to see a Focus coupe. Having the choice would be nice.

[hyperv6]

I was going to say it was not me as I will give a Postive but I would have to be pressed hard to give someone a negitive just for their opinion even if I don't agree.

The whole issue anymore is the MFG's have such a small box to work in anymore.

The goverment want safer cars that get crazy MPG while still keeping the price down to the point the averge guy can still afford the monthly payment. Not an easy task. Mix in the fact the public is not as diverse as it once was either. While we are somewhat diverse here on this site the average public buy about 4 kinds of [FWD sedans, SUV/Cross Overs, Pick Ups and Minivans. cars anymore even when offered something else that is different.

If only it was as easy to say hey lets build a wagon and we will sell 40,000 of them. Today odds are you will sell less than 10,000 if you are lucky and if it does worse than that how do you justify the investment.

If only running a car company was as easy as it is for us on the web. If they did not have to answer to share holders and if they make a product mistake they can just redo it with a new idea next week.

They are struggling now to find new markets and new ideas and so often anymore cars like the new Accord Crosstour have turned out to be a disappointment. For a Company like GM they realy can't afford anymore Azteks.

Ya I know no risk no big gains but also no risk no big losses in money wasted nore bad publicity of a failed car in a company rebuilding it's image. Today people over 35 know Chevy and have a lot of mistrust behind the wheels of their Honda's and Toyota's. People under 35 really have no attachment to GM nor it's American image. They are the people GM needs to win. The sad fact is young people today are the least car crazy genration we have had since the car was invented. They have had it pounded into their heads that car hurt the enviroment and the global warming crap to the point cars in a way have been made evil to many. They are a way to get where you are going and nothing more. Why do you think they have ads now in Hot Rod Magazine that say take a kid to a car show. They know the younger generation is more interested in Black Op's vs getting an intake for a Small Block.

I fully agree that cars today are so close together and over lap often. The real trouble is give me one car that would sell in great numbers to the average buyer to the point they would wait in line for it. That is what many want to know. So far coupes have done ok but most people want the utility of 4 doors with the fwd cars. Wagons have been tried and tried but people would rather have a Minivan or Cross Over and none have sold in great numbers. Convertibles no matter how small get high in price for the average buyer for a daily driver.

But we can not dwell on the past as today market is a whole new ball game. Before it was the big three and today we have so many more. It is about price and who can give the best and most for the least price. It is about people who see a car as transportation and not a part of their image anymore. It is about an industry where mistakes often can add up to 100's of millions of dollars and can not be easily fixed. It is about answering to Share Holders. It is about rebuilding a battered image of a great car maker where the public is very unforgiving.

Product planning is once of the most difficult jobs anymore as you can be a hero on 6 new products and a Zero on one failed product. Lutz did a lot for GM in the short time he was here and with so little money and difficult times he had to work in. Still people bash him as the wanted more and to be honest he was lucky to get done what he did do. He was playing under conditions that few would have done any better.

GM right now just needs to make the best cars they can in each class and not be as good but better than anyone else. Once they re earn their reputation and continue to remain profitable they can go out more on a limb and try some new things.

Most of todays money is made on trucks and mid size sedans. GM need to get its core models to be the best and then evolve them into new product.

The advantage GM has is they can bring in product that works in other parts of the world and try it here such as the hatch or Holden models. If they work go if not then bring in a small truck from Brazil.

If only times and the market were like 1970 again than it would be a lot easier.

Not sure why you gave Balthazar a -2.... he's absolutely right. Look at what Cruze and Impala did to Malibu sales this month. Adding more and more sedans of vaguely similar size is not the answer.

Accord and Altima have coupes, why not Malibu? Granted, it won't be the V8, RWD car that most here want the Malibu to be, but it would be something more than just another sedan.

Where's the Malibu wagon? Why was there no Malibu Maxx when, as ugly as it was, it actually sold decent. Someone should find Malibu Maxx sales and compare them to Accord Crosstour sales.

Fewer nameplates with more body styles for each is where the market needs to head.

I gave him a positive and it took one off. If you or someone else can do like wise he will be back to 0 again.

[Drew Dowdell]

It would be nice to see more body styles, however the problem is that the masses, people who actually buy new cars, don't care. They're more concerned with fuel economy, practicality, and technology. Its the age we live in, and the automakers are going where the money is. I personally have no desire fore Malibu coupe but I'd love to see a Focus coupe. Having the choice would be nice.

If we're going to have globalization, we might as well reap the benefits from it. There were 6 body styles of the Epsilon 1 platform (Sedan, Coupe, Wagon, Hatch, Soft-top convertible, Hard-top convertible) all done in a half assed way because GM had to spread them over 5 brands. (Chevy, Saturn, Pontiac, Saab, Opel)

Now that in the U.S. we're down to just 4 brands, why do we have fewer body styles of Epsilon 2? We're down to just sedans.... even though they make a hatch and a wagon overseas and a coupe is at least likely.

The engineering work is done for a Regal wagon and hatch..... why are they not here?

[hyperv6]

If we're going to have globalization, we might as well reap the benefits from it. There were 6 body styles of the Epsilon 1 platform (Sedan, Coupe, Wagon, Hatch, Soft-top convertible, Hard-top convertible) all done in a half assed way because GM had to spread them over 5 brands. (Chevy, Saturn, Pontiac, Saab, Opel)

Now that in the U.S. we're down to just 4 brands, why do we have fewer body styles of Epsilon 2? We're down to just sedans.... even though they make a hatch and a wagon overseas and a coupe is at least likely.

The engineering work is done for a Regal wagon and hatch..... why are they not here?

I agree theses are worth the risk. The wagon I think would do better at Buick as the higher transaction price would make it more profitable in lower numbers.

I think the hatch would work better at Chevy. To me it kind of fixed the C pillar I hate on the Cruze. This way too Buick and Chevy would not compete.

The real issue comes down to numbers. Can anyone show how much demand or interest would there be in either. It there enough proven demand to show people really want these cars and would really even consider one enough to buy one. That is the hard thing to prove. At least with these models as you and I have stated the risk would be less on money losses.

[Drew Dowdell]

I agree theses are worth the risk. The wagon I think would do better at Buick as the higher transaction price would make it more profitable in lower numbers.

I think the hatch would work better at Chevy. To me it kind of fixed the C pillar I hate on the Cruze. This way too Buick and Chevy would not compete.

The real issue comes down to numbers. Can anyone show how much demand or interest would there be in either. It there enough proven demand to show people really want these cars and would really even consider one enough to buy one. That is the hard thing to prove. At least with these models as you and I have stated the risk would be less on money losses.

If the vehicles are going to be spread out globally, the number of each body style sold in a single market become less important. The Euros LOVE their wagons, so GM has to design one for them. Why not sell an extra 10,000 of them here? Flexible manufacturing should allow any body of any given platform to be built in any factory that builds that platform.

[balthazar]

If a marque were to cut one of 6 model lines, that money could easily flesh out a given mid-size model's bodystyles, and the question of 'HOWMANYCANWESELL??' isn't quite so demanding. You cannot, in this day & age, try to maintain BOTH 12-15-20 model lines AND still look for break-even volume in every line. Things are too expensive, the overall market volume is still way down, and the pie is being cut into too many pieces. In other words, what's working today isn't, and consolidation is in order.

[regfootball]

I like both the cruze and regal. My preference on the cruze is the hatch. Gm needs to sell the two styles at the same price and with the same options and trim though. I won't pay 3 grand more for a car with an extra door.

Same goes for the regal. I won't pay more and I want the same option choices. In that case I am split. But the regal wagon is attractive. Turbo GSX 4 cyl AWD manual wagon anyone? A simple CXL turbo front drive wagon would be cool too.

We need a regal coupe and the verano hatches too. At least the 3 Door.

[hyperv6]

If the vehicles are going to be spread out globally, the number of each body style sold in a single market become less important. The Euros LOVE their wagons, so GM has to design one for them. Why not sell an extra 10,000 of them here? Flexible manufacturing should allow any body of any given platform to be built in any factory that builds that platform.

Read what I posted as I agree with the theory.

Just I don't see 10,000 being sold yearly. It will absorb the risk but is it going to be worth the effort? I wonder that point it would take to make enough money to make it worth while?

That is also why I think the Regal wagon would have a better shot. The higher price would lessen the need for higher numbers.

The big picture is small volume cars like this are so little of the market. It is like worrying about swollowning an fly when the industy is swollowing an elephant.

I list wagons in the nice to do but if they do it or not they will change little in the year end profits and sales numbers. If they can pull it off go for it but it is not going to break them if they pass.

Edited February 4, 2011 by hyperv6

[hyperv6]

If a marque were to cut one of 6 model lines, that money could easily flesh out a given mid-size model's bodystyles, and the question of 'HOWMANYCANWESELL??' isn't quite so demanding. You cannot, in this day & age, try to maintain BOTH 12-15-20 model lines AND still look for break-even volume in every line. Things are too expensive, the overall market volume is still way down, and the pie is being cut into too many pieces. In other words, what's working today isn't, and consolidation is in order.

This is true we had too many division and today I still think we have too many models. I still think the Malibu and Cruze could have been made into one model. This may be where they are going at some point. No one has ever said what cars we will have in 5 year or so. These may just be holding spots till GM realigns after the Chapter 11. They have said little of the future and much of what we have now is only what was done before Chapter 11. They needed new product now not later and these may just be short term.

A large, medium and small sedan should be it with a compliment of trucks, cross overs and specialty cars like the Vette, Camaro and RWD sport sedan, that should be enough.

[smk4565]

Does it really matter what they do with the Malibu? It won't ever be as good as the Sonata, nor will it sell as good as the CamCord, because the sheeple love the CamCord.

I am not a fan of wagons, but a Malibu coupe could work. Most of the mid size coupes have died off, only the Altima and Accord remain, so there is little competition. Sebring has a convertible, but that is the only midsize affordable convertible, unless you count the Mustang. The car that really needs the coupe version is the Cruze, I think coupe/convertible styles are better served on smaller, youth oriented cars (or luxury/sports cars).

[hyperv6]

Does it really matter what they do with the Malibu? It won't ever be as good as the Sonata, nor will it sell as good as the CamCord, because the sheeple love the CamCord.

I am not a fan of wagons, but a Malibu coupe could work. Most of the mid size coupes have died off, only the Altima and Accord remain, so there is little competition. Sebring has a convertible, but that is the only midsize affordable convertible, unless you count the Mustang. The car that really needs the coupe version is the Cruze, I think coupe/convertible styles are better served on smaller, youth oriented cars (or luxury/sports cars).

One thing to learn is people can change as who ever though Honda or even Hyundai would have been accepted when they fist appeared in this market? Loyalty is not want it once was. GM is now doing things marketing and product wise to change this. It is too early to tell if it will make a impact but we are already seeing things we would have never seen before. So lets wait and see just what we get in the post bail out GM before we write them off.

The people under 35 will buy if given the right product and reason. People are going back to Ford are they not? Heck GM's numbers have been on the rise too.

Yes the Cruze would do better in a coupe or small hatch than the Malibu. I think if they were to do one that would be the first one to be offered.

[Croc]

Not sure why you gave Balthazar a -2.... he's absolutely right. Look at what Cruze and Impala did to Malibu sales this month. Adding more and more sedans of vaguely similar size is not the answer.

Accord and Altima have coupes, why not Malibu? Granted, it won't be the V8, RWD car that most here want the Malibu to be, but it would be something more than just another sedan.

Where's the Malibu wagon? Why was there no Malibu Maxx when, as ugly as it was, it actually sold decent. Someone should find Malibu Maxx sales and compare them to Accord Crosstour sales.

Fewer nameplates with more body styles for each is where the market needs to head.

Well, seeing as the Cruze is brand new, the Malibu is about to be replaced by a different vehicle entirely, and the Impala will be next...I don't see the issue. Sizes grow and shrink with each generation, and we are just now seeing the new generation. I don't think the end result will be 3 vaguely similar sized sedans.

Now, I want a Cruze coupe and hatch on sale in the US. There is no excuse, especially when one looks at the sales of Focus and Civic bodystyles. As for Malibu, while I think a coupe would be neat, go for the wagon. I'm guessing there's an Opel for that ("there's an app for that"). Midsized coupe sales just aren't there these days...

[Drew Dowdell]

Well, seeing as the Cruze is brand new, the Malibu is about to be replaced by a different vehicle entirely, and the Impala will be next...I don't see the issue. Sizes grow and shrink with each generation, and we are just now seeing the new generation. I don't think the end result will be 3 vaguely similar sized sedans.

Now, I want a Cruze coupe and hatch on sale in the US. There is no excuse, especially when one looks at the sales of Focus and Civic bodystyles. As for Malibu, while I think a coupe would be neat, go for the wagon. I'm guessing there's an Opel for that ("there's an app for that"). Midsized coupe sales just aren't there these days...

We know the new Malibu is coming down in size to match up with Regal. An Impala replacement will likely be close to the current car's size (think Lacrosse but with an actual trunk) and if the Caprice PPV gets sold privately, it will be Lucerne size.

[FAPTurbo]

Does it really matter what they do with the Malibu? It won't ever be as good as the Sonata, nor will it sell as good as the CamCord, because the sheeple love the CamCord.

Y'know, there were people who said the Sonata would never be as good as the Accord or Camry. There was a twenty-one year time period, from 1988-2009, in which the Sonata was generally regarded as a pile of crap.

[SAmadei]

Not sure why you gave Balthazar a -2.... he's absolutely right. Look at what Cruze and Impala did to Malibu sales this month. Adding more and more sedans of vaguely similar size is not the answer.

Agreed.

I think GM has caused itself a major diservice by now offering, essentially, 5 levels of sedan... Sonic, Cruze, Malibu, Impala and Caprice PPV. Obviously, you guys know how I feel about the PPV and where it should have gone to differentiate it from Chevy... I also feel that GM need to slash the number of Chevy sedan sizes to 2 or 3 max.

When I go to a Burger King, you don't have 5 sizes of drink or fries. You have 3.

I don't think people go into the dealership with a ruler and buy a 177" car or a 184" car. Unless they live in a major city, people buy as much car as they can, as 4" of car is not seriously affecting MPG.

If Chevy wants a car between the Cruze and Impala... make people but a fully loaded Cruze or a stripped down Impala... that way you have less sheetmetal to design and crash test. And you get to brag that your Cruze AND Impala sold better than have the Cruze, Malibu and Impala all sell so-so.

GM seems want to have Chevy have an answer for everything the competition has... and that is just muddied Chevys purpose. GM used to have the answer for this... but you have to share the good stuff with those other brands.

Accord and Altima have coupes, why not Malibu? Granted, it won't be the V8, RWD car that most here want the Malibu to be, but it would be something more than just another sedan.

Where's the Malibu wagon? Why was there no Malibu Maxx when, as ugly as it was, it actually sold decent. Someone should find Malibu Maxx sales and compare them to Accord Crosstour sales.

Fewer nameplates with more body styles for each is where the market needs to head.

Agreed.

[SAmadei]

If only it was as easy to say hey lets build a wagon and we will sell 40,000 of them. Today odds are you will sell less than 10,000 if you are lucky and if it does worse than that how do you justify the investment.

Sorry, I call BS. Holden is/was building 4-5 different bodystyles in a market with virtually just as much government regulation and similar economics as NA with only about 100K annual sales as its target for the entire range.

So GM knows how to do this IN HOUSE!

And BTW, you like to accuse us all of living in the past, but I think when most of us here lament the 1972 Malibu... we are not expecting GM to start stamping out 1972 Malibus again. We are expecting GM to give us a Holden-like Zeta lineup with a touch of nostalgic styling. Something that took GM about 9 months to do ('04 GTO) after 8 years of demand and GM has done it half-heartedly 3 times (assuming they actually sell PPVs). GM, just grow some goddamn balls and do it right.

If only running a car company was as easy as it is for us on the web. If they did not have to answer to share holders and if they make a product mistake they can just redo it with a new idea next week.

The shareholders they F'd over in the BK? Or the new shareholders they will screw over with the "business as usual" that new GM has fallen back on?

Dude, you are giving the GM brass WAY too much credit. If GM brass was doing its job, GM would still have 48% market and wouldn't have had a BK. You don't see Hyundais' C-level people falling on their swords during this last downswing, like some of GM's did.

GM has perpetually made the mistake by letting perfectly good platforms sell in other countries for 15 years... and when brought here for VERY short periods, they didn't bother to market them, due to the "Not Made Here" management mentality.

Have you worked closely with C-level people that answer to shareholders? I have. Several batches of them. They don't do any "work"... they BS, schmooze and pull numbers out of their asses all day. Some succeed if they have the right stolen idea at the right time... otherwise, its like a lottery. No better than the Monday morning quarterback here.

And just like Dan "I'm not as car guy" Atkerson, most of the CEO's I've worked with couldn't tell you crap about how their products actually worked.

All these C-level personal are supposed to surround themselves with people who can handle the details. There are management and design methodologies that remove errors from the system, but only if you have full buy-in from the top level. Which, apparently, GM doesn't have... when you consider that the BK auditors reported the GM had no idea where money was coming from or going in the years leading up to the BK.

GM brasses' problems summed up in one name: Susan Docherty.

[Blake Noble]

Ooohhhh. Burnnnn.

[Satty]

tl;dr

[hyperv6]

We know the new Malibu is coming down in size to match up with Regal. An Impala replacement will likely be close to the current car's size (think Lacrosse but with an actual trunk) and if the Caprice PPV gets sold privately, it will be Lucerne size.

The Chevy sport sedan will be sold on the short wheel base and the Caprice LWB will remain with the cops. The new RWD Chevy will be a V8 update of the G8 size Holden.

[regfootball]

now she is exiled to the tundra but I bet she is still sa-mokin

Sorry, I call BS. Holden is/was building 4-5 different bodystyles in a market with virtually just as much government regulation and similar economics as NA with only about 100K annual sales as its target for the entire range.

So GM knows how to do this IN HOUSE!

And BTW, you like to accuse us all of living in the past, but I think when most of us here lament the 1972 Malibu... we are not expecting GM to start stamping out 1972 Malibus again. We are expecting GM to give us a Holden-like Zeta lineup with a touch of nostalgic styling. Something that took GM about 9 months to do ('04 GTO) after 8 years of demand and GM has done it half-heartedly 3 times (assuming they actually sell PPVs). GM, just grow some goddamn balls and do it right.

The shareholders they F'd over in the BK? Or the new shareholders they will screw over with the "business as usual" that new GM has fallen back on?

Dude, you are giving the GM brass WAY too much credit. If GM brass was doing its job, GM would still have 48% market and wouldn't have had a BK. You don't see Hyundais' C-level people falling on their swords during this last downswing, like some of GM's did.

GM has perpetually made the mistake by letting perfectly good platforms sell in other countries for 15 years... and when brought here for VERY short periods, they didn't bother to market them, due to the "Not Made Here" management mentality.

Have you worked closely with C-level people that answer to shareholders? I have. Several batches of them. They don't do any "work"... they BS, schmooze and pull numbers out of their asses all day. Some succeed if they have the right stolen idea at the right time... otherwise, its like a lottery. No better than the Monday morning quarterback here.

And just like Dan "I'm not as car guy" Atkerson, most of the CEO's I've worked with couldn't tell you crap about how their products actually worked.

All these C-level personal are supposed to surround themselves with people who can handle the details. There are management and design methodologies that remove errors from the system, but only if you have full buy-in from the top level. Which, apparently, GM doesn't have... when you consider that the BK auditors reported the GM had no idea where money was coming from or going in the years leading up to the BK.

GM brasses' problems summed up in one name: Susan Docherty.

regarding the sedan spread.

Spark, not really a sedan. this is the car to sedate the ecoweenies.

Sonic, chevy's inexpensive but real car.

Cruze, fills the void where Grand Ams played. This buyer wants a smaller car with amenities, solid feel, features, and mpg. A car for the younger set.

Malibu, the classic midsize, vanilla sedan for the masses with a chevy twist and high function.

Impala, for those that want a large solid car and more room than the status quo midsize. FWD because that is what sells to the masses.

"SS" the Zeta, for the performance set.

The police car is more like a fleet van...a purpose built vehicle.

THe Epsilon 2 Impala has way more sales potential than the Caprice. And either way, neither will sell so much because the large car market is limited. Chevy actually is still making tons of Impalas, but they are perceived now as a larger midsize. When the Malibu gets more functional, if the Impala grows, it may actually lose sales. But it should sell for lots more money.

The SS is for those who need a performance sedan. If it comes. Low volume.

I don't think this is a problem. Chevy can blanket the sedan market and always have a fresh new entry every year. And that way they stay relevent.

[balthazar]

SEVEN (non-truck, non-sports) car lines??

Too many: unsustainable without compromise, which is what we get- compromise.

Substandard NEW!! is not relevancy.

[ocnblu]

Hopefully, what I've read is true: the Spark has been deemed Too Ridiculous for America.

Sonic needs a 3-door hatch

Cruze DESPERATELY needs a coupe, should have a soft top convert

Malibu needs a coupe and wagon

Ep II LWB sedan... where does it fit?

any Zeta needs to be reskinned completely as a Chevrolet, no more Generica BS as they did with G8

Edited February 5, 2011 by ocnblu

[regfootball]

trim packages for the Spark

Spark "LS"

crank windows

speedometer

air vents

wipers

manual mirrors

Spark "LT1" adds

radio with pushbutton power switch and volume knob, 2 speaker

upgraded instrument panel warning lights and tachometer

cigarette lighter outlet

cupholder

Spark "LT2" adds

2nd cupholder

rear speakers

map pockets in back of seat

3 line display on radio

"Spark" logo embossed into airbag cover

air conditioning

upgraded hubcaps

simulated leather cover on gear shift

"Spark LTZ"

extendable sun visor

storage for sunglasses

armrest (driver only, passenger armrest remains an option)

Color selectable LED instrument panel display

Rear seatback assist strap for folding seat

chill zone

pressed steel wheels with 'dayglo metallic' paint

speaker upgrade (2 way speakers instead of single speaker)

chrome trim rings on radio and climate control

popular option group

floor mats

air freshener ("spark scented")

LED crotch accent lighting

sheepskin steering wheel wrap

panties hanging from the mirror (carefully routed so as not to obstruct the OnStar button)

luxury option group

power windows (front only)

cruise control (automatic only)

keyless entry with power locks

Edited February 5, 2011 by regfootball

[smk4565]

When you think of GM midsize (or close to) sedans of 10 years ago, you had the Malibu, Grand Am, Alero, Intrigue, Grand Prix, Regal, Century, Saturn L300. Quite a lot going on, now it is Malibu and Regal. If they sell 175,000, even 200,000 combined Malibu/Regal, that is still a far cry from what they used to get.

For the Malibu to do what the Sonata did, it will have to be better than the Regal, but priced the same as the current Malibu. GM won't do that because it would make the Regal pointless. Are they going to make a Malibu turbo with 275 hp and 35 mpg and charge $26,000 for it? While charging $33,000 for a 220 hp 30 mpg Regal with the same chassis dimensions? Not gonna happen.

[Kar Czar]

We have to remember for everyone of us car geeks there are 20 people or more people out there that don't know the difference between an Impala and a Cruze. There's also tons of people that don't know that a Buick is a GM...what???

Anyway lots of talk about the new Malibu...anybody know when the current Malibu builds out. GM in there GPSC presentation said that the current Malibu will build through the 2012 model year. Does that mean it builds out in July of 2012 or sooner. CSM and the other auto info people have it building out sooner like Jan of 2012.

[hyperv6]

We have to remember for everyone of us car geeks there are 20 people or more people out there that don't know the difference between an Impala and a Cruze. There's also tons of people that don't know that a Buick is a GM...what???

Anyway lots of talk about the new Malibu...anybody know when the current Malibu builds out. GM in there GPSC presentation said that the current Malibu will build through the 2012 model year. Does that mean it builds out in July of 2012 or sooner. CSM and the other auto info people have it building out sooner like Jan of 2012.

I have not heard dates but I had heard they may be doing the Malibu Classic deal where they will overlap a little till the new car gets up to speed.

I suspect the present car will build out in fleet sales.

[loki]

I have not heard dates but I had heard they may be doing the Malibu Classic deal where they will overlap a little till the new car gets up to speed.

I suspect the present car will build out in fleet sales.

from O.P.

For fans of the current Malibu, GM will continue building them through the 2012 model year. Expect it to wear a "Classic" badge during its' final run.

from my post, #2

i love classics!!!!

lol

[regfootball]

renderings per vince's site. not sure who did them

http://www.burlappca...ustrations.html

mods may post the pics when they get them

accord meets current malibu + some lacrosse in the greenhouse

Edited February 17, 2011 by regfootball