Chevrolet Teases The New Malibu

[William Maley]

Chevrolet Teases The New Malibu

William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

March 31, 2011

Chevrolet has begun teasing us with the new 2013 Malibu. A shot of the LED taillight for the new Malibu was released. The taillight takes some design cues from the Chevrolet Camaro.

The car will make its official debut at the 2011 Shanghai Motor Show on April 18th. The US premiere of the Malibu will take place at the New York Auto Show which begins on April 20rh.

Not much is known about the Malibu except that it will be riding on Epsilon II platform. Rumor has the Malibu will be powered by two 4-Cylinder engines, one of them possibly a turbo version. Also, a hybrid version and all wheel drive is also being floated around.

Press Release is Below

All-New Chevrolet Malibu Set for Global Premiere

Next-Generation midsize car to be sold in nearly 100 Countries on Six Continents

DETROIT/SHANGHAI – The all-new Malibu will transcend time zones and embrace the diversity of cultures around the world when Chevrolet simultaneously unveils it live at the Shanghai Auto Show and on Chevrolet’s Facebook page.

Chevrolet provided a sneak peak glimpse today of its Malibu show car. Chevrolet will unveil the new Malibu live starting at 8:30 p.m. EDT on April 18 at http://www.facebook.com/chevrolet. The Web reveal will also be streamed live on iPad and iPhone mobile devices.

Consumers are encouraged to post questions during the reveal on Twitter using #MalibuReveal or on Chevrolet’s Facebook page in the Malibu tab. Members of the Chevrolet team will be on hand to answer questions during a live moderated question-and-answer session following the web reveal.

The timing of the Web reveal coincides with the April 19 auto show debut of the new Malibu in Shanghai. The Malibu show car will also be shown at the New York International Auto Show, which is open to the public April 23 through May 1.

“This Malibu takes Chevrolet’s established and award-winning nameplate to new places and introduces it to new audiences around the world,” said Rick Scheidt, vice president of Chevrolet. “Whether the Malibu is sold in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, or Australia, it has been engineered from the ground up to meet the needs of customers around the world.”

The Malibu will feature a global family of fuel-efficient and powerful four-cylinder engines, along with six-speed transmissions that also contribute to efficient performance. The Malibu was designed to stand out in all markets around the globe, while its European-inspired driving characteristics were engineered to challenge the best in its class. The new Malibu is Chevrolet’s first midsize car to be sold globally. It will be sold in nearly 100 countries on six continents and built in multiple locations, including China and two facilities in the United States.

“We look forward to offering the new Malibu to our customers across China," said Kevin Wale, president and managing director of the GM China Group. “The Malibu fully embodies Chevrolet's tradition of dynamic styling, superior handling and outstanding fuel efficiency. It will address growing domestic demand in the upper-medium segment, especially among younger car buyers."

The Malibu was Chevrolet’s – and GM’s – best-selling car in the United States in 2010, with sales of nearly 200,000 vehicles. It is among Chevrolet’s most-decorated vehicles in the United States, earning more than 40 industry awards since 2008. The Malibu was the only midsize car in the industry to win the Consumers Digest Automotive “Best Buy” award the last three years – 2011, 2010 and 2009. The Malibu has also been named a “Top Safety Pick” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety the last two years.

With the new Malibu, Chevrolet continues to position itself for worldwide growth. GM’s largest brand is in the midst of introducing a global family of fuel-efficient cars including the Cruze, Volt, Sonic/Aveo, Spark and Malibu. These new cars compete in the four largest vehicle segments in the world, which accounted for 54 percent of all non-luxury sales in 2010. The global segment that Malibu will compete in represented 9 percent – more than 5.7 million vehicles – of global sales in 2010.

Last year, Chevrolet sold 4.26 million vehicles globally, or an average of one vehicle every 7.4 seconds. Eight of the top 10–selling markets for Chevrolet in 2010 were emerging markets – Brazil, China, Uzbekistan, Mexico, Russia, India, Argentina and Colombia. Emerging Markets are expected to account for more than 50 percent of Chevrolet global sales by 2012.

More than 600,000 Malibu cars have been sold globally since 2008, when it was named the North American Car of the Year. The 2013 Malibu represents the eighth generation of the nameplate, which was introduced in 1964.

[Croc]

That looks fantastic.

[griff7774]

Wow

[regfootball]

it does look more aggressive. it really does seem to have similar massing to the regal though......

[Paolino]

2013? When did this become official?

It looks better than before, but I can't really give much opinion towards a tiny, spinning CG video.

[Cory Wolfe]

I don't really have high hopes for the new Malibu...

[Croc]

I don't really have high hopes for the new Malibu...

Care to elaborate?

[vonVeezelsnider]

I don't really have high hopes for the new Malibu...

I've certainly got my concerns... No Six-pot, Hyundai evocative interior based on spyshots. As for exterior styling- it looks promising but I'll wait to see what the show-car brings in the "flesh" so to speak.

[Cory Wolfe]

I don't really have high hopes for the new Malibu...

Care to elaborate?

Based on what we've seen, it's not to my liking.

[ocnblu]

The show car will be dynamite. The production car will be somewhat more meh, as has been Chevrolet's new tradition, re: Sonic and Colorado. That's my prediction.

Edited March 31, 2011 by ocnblu

[hyperv6]

It is really amazing to watch the change of opinon once people really see the car with out Camao.

I really don't expect the car to change much from what the intro will show. GM has not been playing many games on main line car when they intro them anymore. The Cruze, CTS Coupe, Camaro and others have pretty much been what we were shown to start with. We did see a few market changes witht he Cruze but most were under the skin in the drivetrain. In some cases there was a little too much show car left in the production car like the interior of the Camaro.

As for the lack of the V6 it has not killed the Regal. I just had a co worker that just drove one the other day. He said since the car was built in Germany GM must have used a BMW engine. He really had no clue on the car. I told him it was just a detuned version of my HHR engine and it was the same Eco used in most GM cars. He was shocked. For the most this is your typical buyer so impressions accurate or not are very important.

If this car was larger I would be more concerned about the lack of a V6 but with higer gas prices and the market already 3/4 4 cylinder it is not going to be as big of an issue on this car. The key is that the car drives right and is quiet. Keeping the price under the Regal will also be key.

While I have not seen the final interior it has gotten better as the car has the more it has come together. I will wait till the entire car is here in person to pass final judgment. It is amazing how much better or worse a car look once you see it live than even photos. The CTS Coupe is one car that just can't be captured in photos to experess how it really looks on the road. That car in person is just amazing.

[ZL-1]

Neat!

[William Maley]

2013? When did this become official?

It looks better than before, but I can't really give much opinion towards a tiny, spinning CG video.

At 12:01 this morning..

I agree, I"m withholding judgement till I see the rest of vehicle. But from what I see, I have some hope.

[loki]

2013? When did this become official?

It looks better than before, but I can't really give much opinion towards a tiny, spinning CG video.

it does have a 1080 version so, load that up and full screen it.

2013...might be so they have the 2.5L(?) ready on launch...?

certainly looks like it should be more "fun" than the previous one...based on this little info.

[vonVeezelsnider]

As for the lack of the V6 it has not killed the Regal. I just had a co worker that just drove one the other day. He said since the car was built in Germany GM must have used a BMW engine. He really had no clue on the car. I told him it was just a detuned version of my HHR engine and it was the same Eco used in most GM cars. He was shocked. For the most this is your typical buyer so impressions accurate or not are very important.

If this car was larger I would be more concerned about the lack of a V6 but with higer gas prices and the market already 3/4 4 cylinder it is not going to be as big of an issue on this car. The key is that the car drives right and is quiet. Keeping the price under the Regal will also be key.

We also know that this segment lives and dies on comparisons to the Camry and Accord, which offer V6 engines. I'm just sayin'...

[Drew Dowdell]

As for the lack of the V6 it has not killed the Regal. I just had a co worker that just drove one the other day. He said since the car was built in Germany GM must have used a BMW engine. He really had no clue on the car. I told him it was just a detuned version of my HHR engine and it was the same Eco used in most GM cars. He was shocked. For the most this is your typical buyer so impressions accurate or not are very important.

If this car was larger I would be more concerned about the lack of a V6 but with higer gas prices and the market already 3/4 4 cylinder it is not going to be as big of an issue on this car. The key is that the car drives right and is quiet. Keeping the price under the Regal will also be key.

We also know that this segment lives and dies on comparisons to the Camry and Accord, which offer V6 engines. I'm just sayin'...

Not lately..... everything is being compared to the Sonata now. Camry is considered to be out of date.

[CSpec]

Was that 3D thing he was playing with real?

[Robert Hall]

We also know that this segment lives and dies on comparisons to the Camry and Accord, which offer V6 engines. I'm just sayin'...

Aren't the sales of those like 90% 4 cyl, though? And who knows, the next gen of each may follow Hyundai's lead and be 4 cyl only...for FWD midsize appliances like these, 4 cyl seems more than enough.

Edited March 31, 2011 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Drew Dowdell]

We already know that the 2.0T is capable of 260hp in old tune. There are turbo improvements coming to the Verano and Regal that will likely filter to any other GM turbocharged engine. The complaints about the Regal Turbo's refinement come from the fact that it is not the LNF (which is known for it's refinement and fuel economy) but a Opel tuned LHU.

I'm not expecting much, if any, weight savings over the Regal, but the new Turbo should make the Malibu more competitive despite lacking a V6.

[Paolino]

2013? When did this become official?

It looks better than before, but I can't really give much opinion towards a tiny, spinning CG video.

it does have a 1080 version so, load that up and full screen it.

2013...might be so they have the 2.5L(?) ready on launch...?

certainly looks like it should be more "fun" than the previous one...based on this little info.

Once again, the 2.5L is mentioned. Does anyone know anything on it other than it's a slightly bigger 2.4L? (I believe)?

[Croc]

I can't wait.

Also, the 2013 model year thing isn't anything new--we already knew it was being released around January 2012, which means an early 2013MY, kind of like the 2001 Aurora.

[Intrepidation]

We'll see.

[Paolino]

I can't wait.

Also, the 2013 model year thing isn't anything new--we already knew it was being released around January 2012, which means an early 2013MY, kind of like the 2001 Aurora.

Yes, but January 2013 HERE or elsewhere? If I remember correctly, it's coming here after it's out elsewhere.

[hyperv6]

Was that 3D thing he was playing with real?

No.

[hyperv6]

As for the lack of the V6 it has not killed the Regal. I just had a co worker that just drove one the other day. He said since the car was built in Germany GM must have used a BMW engine. He really had no clue on the car. I told him it was just a detuned version of my HHR engine and it was the same Eco used in most GM cars. He was shocked. For the most this is your typical buyer so impressions accurate or not are very important.

If this car was larger I would be more concerned about the lack of a V6 but with higer gas prices and the market already 3/4 4 cylinder it is not going to be as big of an issue on this car. The key is that the car drives right and is quiet. Keeping the price under the Regal will also be key.

We also know that this segment lives and dies on comparisons to the Camry and Accord, which offer V6 engines. I'm just sayin'...

Seeing that most of these cars mentioned sell mostly as a 4 now and in the future more than not few if any V6 engines will be offered it should not be a big issue as long as the 4 cylinder offered is world class.

This is not a M class or SS so 97% of people in this classs will be ok with it. In the near futue near 80%-85% of all cars sold will be 4 cylinder. CAFE standards have to be met and gas prices are not going to go down much with the issues in the Middle East and our country not permitting much drilling.

Just saying.

[CSpec]

Was that 3D thing he was playing with real?

No.

Thanks, that's what I figured.

As for the car itself, I assume it will be fine. Competition in that bracket is pretty fierce though, so in the end victory may come down to sticker price.

[Intrepidation]

It doesn't have to come down to price just price. Features and value and style will help sell the car. Just ask Hyundai/Kia.

[balthazar]

Kia is pumping models out at cutthroat prices and DEALS!!DEALS!!DEALS!!, not value & features.

[Intrepidation]

Really? So $30,840 for an Optima SX with Premium Package ($2,150 -- includes panoramic sunroof, four-way power front passenger seat, two-way driver seat memory, heated and cooled front seats, heated outboard rear seats); Technology Package ($2,000 -- includes navigation system with back-up camera, Infinity audio system with eight speakers).

is "cutthroat prices and DEALS!!DEALS!!DEALS!!"?

Don't thinks so. It is good value compared to other competitors, its got lots of futures, and it looks terrific.

[hyperv6]

The keys here are as follows

Styling

Quality

MPG

Value = features and price

Profits for the MFG

I think we can all agree on these. Korean cars have brought styling into this class that has lacked much in the past. All have pretty good quality but it must remain high. Any issues and you can fall quick and not recover. MPG will remain high for buyers saving money and MFG needing CAFE. Koreans have challanged the Japanese on Value and are winning, can GM do the same. Finally Profits, Can GM make money and compete witht he Korean cars? The Korean cars are selling cheap but they are not making the MFG and dealers a lot of money. I think they are more worried about market share and winning buyers and worring about money later. GM needs to make the money now and find a way to win market share and still make money. I think this is a case where GM may not need to sell the most cars to win, just make more money per unit.

The key for GM here is not to expect a overall win with just this car,they need to just make gains in the market with each and every new version. The Sonota did not become the market darling in the early gens of the car but they did gain ground with each till they arrived where they are. It is difficult in this market to move buyers from cars they love overnight. To many you must prove youself over a period of time before you gain enough trust for them to lay down their money. These are the cars of the working class that just can't get rid of a car if they find it not to their liking. They are stuck with it for 5+ years and want to make sure they will be happy with it.

Most guys with a BMW often can just lose the car after the lease of if they hate the car and move to something else the next year.

[hyperv6]

Really? So $30,840 for an Optima SX with Premium Package ($2,150 -- includes panoramic sunroof, four-way power front passenger seat, two-way driver seat memory, heated and cooled front seats, heated outboard rear seats); Technology Package ($2,000 -- includes navigation system with back-up camera, Infinity audio system with eight speakers).

is "cutthroat prices and DEALS!!DEALS!!DEALS!!"?

Don't thinks so. It is good value compared to other competitors, its got lots of futures, and it looks terrific.

Slam the rear door on a Optima SX and tell me that is the sound of a $30K car. You have got to hear the ting sound you can hear the cut corners. Check how the deck lid is made too, lots of plastic. Hyundai is the one cutting the price and the dealers this week are crying out they are selling cars but are not making much money.

The average price of cars today is approx $30K. What you list above in a LaCrosse would cost more as it would in a Toyota or Nissan unless it was a lower end model.

[Intrepidation]

Slam the rear door on a Optima SX and tell me that is the sound of a $30K car. You have got to hear the ting sound you can hear the cut corners. Check how the deck lid is made too, lots of plastic. Hyundai is the one cutting the price and the dealers this week are crying out they are selling cars but are not making much money.

I can play this game too. I can get a Malibu LTZ to $30,220 and that certainly doesn't have the features or interior of a 30k car. Doesn't even have Satellite Navigation or a rear arm rest. The Cruze has a nicer interior. The Focus has a nicer interior and more features, and costs $4,000 less fully speced out.

Numbers don't lie. Hate the Koreans all you want but whose making the big sales gains? I also seem to recall GM's been packing on the incentives as of late. So it looks like they're also pushing DEALS!!!DEALS!!!DEALS!!!

The average price of cars today is approx $30K. What you list above in a LaCrosse would cost more as it would in a Toyota or Nissan unless it was a lower end model.

Is that even English?

[balthazar]

Really? So $30,840 for an Optima SX with Premium Package ($2,150 -- includes panoramic sunroof, four-way power front passenger seat, two-way driver seat memory, heated and cooled front seats, heated outboard rear seats); Technology Package ($2,000 -- includes navigation system with back-up camera, Infinity audio system with eight speakers). is "cutthroat prices and DEALS!!DEALS!!DEALS!!"?

Are you actually using list price in this instance??

The big dealers have all the polish & poise of the old Crazy Eddie electronics voice-over. You're too young to remember these I'll bet:

Dealer in my radio reception area is advertising souls for $39/mnth. Does that sound like a brand selling on features & 'being a good deal'? The incredible/unbelievable Sonata is $89/mnth. Ads don't tell you a single feature of the vehicles- it's all down payment/financing tactics. One of the supposedly top 5 biggest hyundai dealers in right down the road from me- every 2 weeks it's another horrific-'humor' radio spot and another crazy deal.

Give hyund-kia another 20 years and maybe their history up until 3 years ago will be forgotten enough that they can compete on an equal pricing footing without IINNSSAANNNEEE prices.

[dwightlooi]

I'll reserve final judgement until I have seen the whole car. But, the tail lights do not impress by themselves. They look unnecessarily cluttered and out of place on a cleanly sculpted body. But again, I come from the school of design that thought the Clinique Soap Box Audi A4 (2003~2005) were the best looking cars on the street, so I have an unusually high level of intolerance for clutter and unnecessary lines.

[Robert Hall]

wooo...spinning hologram thingy.

[Drew Dowdell]

Onstar Turn-by-turn is navigation by satellite. It uses GPS. It's always up to date (unlike 3 of the 2011 DVD based systems I've driven, the exit numbers on I376 changed 2 years ago now). It's completely hands free address entry. You get an indicator down to 10 feet as to when to make your turn. It will re-route you if you've gone off the set directions.

I like the Optima, but the Malibu is a much more solid car and will be around a lot longer than the Optima will. The Optima is "disposable nice", the Ikea furniture of cars.

[hyperv6]

http://www.leftlanenews.com/despite-record-sales-hyundai-dealer-profit-trailing-rivals.html

GM could make more money too if they kept all the cash.

Edited April 1, 2011 by hyperv6

[daves87rs]

We'll see.

+1

[z28luvr01]

Call me weird, but I like that "Chevrolet" is spelled out on the trunk lid.

[Robert Hall]

Call me weird, but I like that "Chevrolet" is spelled out on the trunk lid.

I like that also...and it's on the correct side (left). One thing that has long annoyed me are cars that had the model name on the left and the brand name on the right, so they read 'Charger Dodge' for example...

[Cory Wolfe]

Really? So $30,840 for an Optima SX with Premium Package ($2,150 -- includes panoramic sunroof, four-way power front passenger seat, two-way driver seat memory, heated and cooled front seats, heated outboard rear seats); Technology Package ($2,000 -- includes navigation system with back-up camera, Infinity audio system with eight speakers). is "cutthroat prices and DEALS!!DEALS!!DEALS!!"?

Are you actually using list price in this instance??

The big dealers have all the polish & poise of the old Crazy Eddie electronics voice-over. You're too young to remember these I'll bet:

Dealer in my radio reception area is advertising souls for $39/mnth. Does that sound like a brand selling on features & 'being a good deal'? The incredible/unbelievable Sonata is $89/mnth. Ads don't tell you a single feature of the vehicles- it's all down payment/financing tactics. One of the supposedly top 5 biggest hyundai dealers in right down the road from me- every 2 weeks it's another horrific-'humor' radio spot and another crazy deal.

Give hyund-kia another 20 years and maybe their history up until 3 years ago will be forgotten enough that they can compete on an equal pricing footing without IINNSSAANNNEEE prices.

Have you ever considered for a moment that it might be specific to certain areas? I have never... NEVER heard or seen a firesale ad from any of our local Hyundai/Kia dealers.

[balthazar]

^ Could be- the central Jersey market is very competitive.

Natch, it goes without saying that you not hearing hyundkia 'fire sale' ads may just be a factor of your market.

Edited April 1, 2011 by balthazar

[Cory Wolfe]

^ Could be- the central Jersey market is very competitive.

Natch, it goes without saying that you not hearing hyundkia 'fire sale' ads may just be a factor of your market.

Edmunds.com Reports True Cost of Incentives

"According to Edmunds.com, combined incentives spending for domestic manufacturers averaged $3,301 per vehicle sold in December 2010, up from $3,215 in November 2010. From November 2010 to December 2010, European automakers increased incentives spending by $18 to $2,376 per vehicle sold; Japanese automakers increased incentives spending by $34 to $1,821 per vehicle sold; and Korean automakers decreased incentives spending by $118 to $1,508 per vehicle sold."

[pow]

Call me weird, but I like that "Chevrolet" is spelled out on the trunk lid.

It's a global Chevrolet thing. GM Daewoo and NA Chevy are converging into one brand. This car may be called a Malibu, but it's really a successor to the Epica.

[balthazar]

I've read a number of complaints about reprehensible dealer practices at that mega hyundkia dealer, but the fact remains that they are pulling people in with IINNSSAANNEE pricing advertisements, whatever the manufacturer incentives may be reported as. You can't offer a $25K car for $89/mn unless you are either figuring on something like $10K+ down, payments lasting 10 years ("America's longest car loans!!") or some other sort of shenanigans. Numbers are black & white- either there's other ways of kicking back money to the dealers, or something... but the point is there's a distinct public presentation here that's bringing people in, and in my observation- it hasn't been the vehicles themselves.

The mega-dealer has a weed choked gravel lot and the showroom is depressingly utilitarian. Definitely not the 'dealer experience' at play here, either.

[Croc]

Agreed on the decklid badging. It's almost as if GM knows the cars it's coming up with now are worthy of their brand names or something.

Call me weird, but I like that "Chevrolet" is spelled out on the trunk lid.

It's a global Chevrolet thing. GM Daewoo and NA Chevy are converging into one brand. This car may be called a Malibu, but it's really a successor to the Epica.

I don't know if I can really cosign this. Obviously the two product lines are converging to eliminate unnecessary overlap, but given the platform heritage, the design heritage, I think this is more Chevrolet than Daewoo.

[hyperv6]

Call me weird, but I like that "Chevrolet" is spelled out on the trunk lid.

I like that also...and it's on the correct side (left). One thing that has long annoyed me are cars that had the model name on the left and the brand name on the right, so they read 'Charger Dodge' for example...

I just wish GM would fix the quality of the Bow Ties on all their Chevy's. They all are going to hell on many of the new Chevy trucks and cars.

I think things like salt and even the harsh cleaners used in the touchless car washes are getting to them and lifting the gold under the plastic.

Either way the Bow Tie is a symbole for Chevy and GM that represent the company and when it looks like hell it reflects poorly. You could get away with that in the past but today that is unforgivable.

Edited April 1, 2011 by hyperv6

[Intrepidation]

^ Could be- the central Jersey market is very competitive.

Natch, it goes without saying that you not hearing hyundkia 'fire sale' ads may just be a factor of your market.

Edmunds.com Reports True Cost of Incentives

"According to Edmunds.com, combined incentives spending for domestic manufacturers averaged $3,301 per vehicle sold in December 2010, up from $3,215 in November 2010. From November 2010 to December 2010, European automakers increased incentives spending by $18 to $2,376 per vehicle sold; Japanese automakers increased incentives spending by $34 to $1,821 per vehicle sold; and Korean automakers decreased incentives spending by $118 to $1,508 per vehicle sold."

Shhh! Hush with your facts!

[ZL-1]

Call me weird, but I like that "Chevrolet" is spelled out on the trunk lid.

You will see Holden spelled back there as well, as the Malibu will be offered in Australia.

And I say its about time GM consolidated the Epica and the Malibu into a single global offering. I hope the Malibu name is used in these Chvrolets outside the US market.

Edited April 1, 2011 by ZL-1

[stillen]

I like the car it needs to bigger than current car including the Regal to small for me.

The rebuilt 4 cylinder engine would be good enough when including turbo and GS version.

look at the Asian cars in class all bigger than Malibu and Regal.