NG Malibu

[Croc]

No...Malibu stays on EP/EPII

[evok]

http://www.coroflot.com/public/individual_...y_portfolio=yes

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/037429288...glance&n=283155

LOL - GM was busy. The link is dead.

[pow]

LOL - GM was busy.  The link is dead.

"9 User(s) are reading this topic (8 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)"

That's a lotta guests...

Back to the Malibu, since it's already so blocky, how about grafting a Tahoe front end and side panels? IDK, I think the Malibu can look nice, in a clean, minimalistic, blocky sort of way...

[sciguy_0504]

No...Malibu stays on EP/EPII

What I thought so thanks for confirming. You might want to call Motor Trend, though.

[Croc]

What I thought so thanks for confirming.  You might want to call Motor Trend, though.

Motor Trend is irrelevant.

[boblutzfan]

GM needs to get this the update out before next fall. They would do well to have this in the dealers a year from now. It seems like they could do it - if they really wanted to. The Malibu needs an update inside and out really bad.

May of 2007 as a 2008 would be perfect. As long as they get it in the dealerships by August 2007 and not any later.

By the way - I like the look and layout of the interior.

[Cremazie]

So, will the stick the next gen Malibu on the stretched wheelbase as they have used on the G6?

[titan]

Disagree.  Malibu should be the Camcord fighter.  AURA could be up another level by going after VW.  Honestly...SAAB and Saturn are going to be VERY similar in the future...which worries me.  SAAB could get by basically by being a more sport-tuned Saturn...but still the marketplace differentiation between them will be very narrow.  Oh well.  LaCrosse should really be ES350-ish.

I agree. Malibu = Camcord fighter. The Aura should be premium, with more standard content, and the European flair that Opel has, to compete with VW. I also see Saab and Saturn's roles being a little closer, but as you said, Saab should be sportier; also, there's that Saab quirkiness that no other GM brand should ever have. As for Lacrosse, I with you! The EPII Lacrosse should be the ES350 of Epsilons; period. Let the Lucerne (and possibly a flagship Statesman??) ride on Zeta.

[Bimmer325]

The EPII Lacrosse should be the ES350 of Epsilons; period.

Exactly. If GM plans on Buick competing with Lexus, anything less simply won't cut it.

[VenSeattle]

A long long time ago, in a far away land, GM thought they could position SAAB as a direct step above Saturn/Opel. SAAB would be considered the "Luxury divison" of Saturn/Opel. They even attempted an experiment by merging dealerships together (Wasn't that in the far away land of Canada?)

Maybe GM is revisiting that idea?

[Croc]

I think they are...and it would make a lot of sense. Treat SAAB as a more luxury arm of Saturn/Opel...SAAB already has a higher price point and will offer similar vehicles, so it should work well. Euro-flavored luxury...but without all the reliability issues.

[ToniCipriani]

If Pontiac could go pure rear wheel drive, then it would make sense.

Let each division not only stand out in the market place by class level, but also their own way of expressing driving perfection.  Maybe that's why we havn't heard of a G6 replacement, as they are considering rear wheel drive (or so we can only dream of).

Anyone recall from where the news about EPII will be F/R/AWD capable? Seems to have died down somehow.

[Croc]

EPII is FWD with late-availability AWD. EPII isn't until 2009/2010 at the earliest.