Sneak Peek at the 2013 Chevy Malibu

The 2013 Malibu has an elegant, formal sheetmetal for a sporty look. The Malibu evolves to the Opel Insignia/Buick Regal's Epsilon II architecture to lose 4.5 inches in wheelbase. Chevy worries buyers will think it has shrunk. After all, Buick markets the Regal as a "sport sedan," explaining its tight rear-seat space, so Chevrolet is quick to note that overall interior space is increased more than 3 cubic feet relative to the current Malibu, putting it in the ballpark of the Toyota Camry and Ford Fusion. That's because the new Malibu has grown 2.7 inches wider, so big increases in shoulder and hip room compensate for slight losses in legroom and front headroom relative to the 2012 Malibu. Mark Moussa, Malibu's global chief engineer explains that relative to the Regal, his packaging engineers have greatly increased shoulder room, tightened the clearance between the headliner and the exterior roof panel, and lowered the H-point.

Perhaps its most striking feature, after styling, is that it will be offered only with four-cylinder engines. There's no V-6 in the works. That's pretty forward thinking for Chevy, even if Buick, Hyundai, and Kia got there first.

To take advantage of consumers' shift from trucks and big SUVs to more fuel-efficient cars, GM put Chevy Malibu development on the fast track after the 2009 bankruptcy, and moved up its launch by more than half a year. The '13 Malibu will go on sale not long after Super Bowl XLVI. It launches in ECO trim, with the 2.4-liter four-cylinder with eAssist as Chevrolet continues to build the old Malibu (Classic?) through the 2012 model year for fleet/rental. This ensures a launch with minimal dealer incentives and potentially higher average transaction prices (ATP).

About half a year later, Chevy will add an all-new 2.5-liter four-cylinder option. The only transmission offered for either engine is GM's six-speed automatic. Chevy will offer a turbodiesel and a smaller four in other markets.
The new Malibu has been designed to be a global sedan, sold in China -- it was unveiled at the Shanghai show, a day ahead of the New York International Auto Show -- and throughout Asia, Europe, and the quickly growing markets in South America. In Australia, it will be the Holden Malibu.

It's a big piece of the strategy puzzle that has Chevrolet becoming GM's true global brand. In western Europe, the Chevy strategy pushes Opel/Vauxhall back to where it was in the '60s and '70s: an upper-middle, semi-premium brand like Buick.

The goal in the U.S. is to make the Chevy Malibu a best-seller again, though the Impala presents a complication. With fleet sales and dealer incentives, the current, prehistoric Impala competes not with other cars in its class, but with the Malibu. When the Chevy Impala moves to the long-wheelbase version of Epsilon II for the 2014 model year (a RWD 2015 Caprice will likely follow), it will be more competitive with cars like the Ford Taurus and Toyota Avalon, leading to a higher ATP and lower volumes.

The Chevrolet Volt may prove that GM can still do cutting-edge high tech. Success or failure of the '13 Malibu will prove whether GM has truly become a new company and whether it can find success with and profit from mainstream, affordably priced products.

Is it a Super Sport?
GM has proper engines. The 220-horsepower, 2.0-liter Ecotec Buick Regal CXL Turbo engine would be perfect for a Malibu RS. A Malibu SS would require the Regal GS's high-output 2.0-liter turbo, which makes 270 horsepower at 5300 rpm and 295 pound-feet at 2500-4000 and gets a respectable 19/29-mpg with the optional six-speed manual. "I'd say, stay tuned," Mark Moussa hints. "You may be pleasantly surprised in the future."

[Source: Motor Trend]