- GM unveils the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu at both the New York and Shanghai auto shows.
- The new Chevrolet Malibu will offer a four-cylinder engine only when it goes on sale later this year.
- The midsize sedan's wheelbase has been cut by 4.5 inches, but its overall length remains roughly the same.
NEW YORK — Celebrating its world car status, General Motors planned a simultaneous debut this week at both the 2011 New York Auto Show and 2011 Shanghai Auto Show for its all-new 2013 Chevrolet Malibu.
The midsize sedan's wheelbase has been cut by 4.5 inches, but its overall length remains roughly the same. Width has been increased by nearly 3 inches.
Along with the slightly smaller overall size, the 2013 Malibu will also downsize its engine lineup. The Malibu now offers a new 190-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine only. The direct-injected DOHC Ecotec engine is expected to make 180 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission will be the only gearbox available to U.S. buyers.
Not much changes on the chassis side. There are still MacPherson struts up front and a multilink setup in back along with electric steering and four-wheel disc brakes. The wheels will range in size from 17 to 19 inches.
You may notice some obvious Chevrolet design cues in this Malibu, and it was fully intentional. "We wanted to bring a sport sensibility to the family sedan segment," said Bryan Nesbitt, executive director of design for GM.
Inside Line says: Actual production of the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu doesn't start until early next year. That should give Chevrolet plenty of time to work the kinks out before it heads to America and abroad. — Ed Hellwig, Editor, Inside Line
Add A Comment »
anania says:
10:09 AM, 04/20/2011
Very well done, Bowtie!
anania says:
10:09 AM, 04/20/2011
Very well done, Bowtie!
openeyes1 says:
02:55 PM, 04/19/2011
#1) Hatchback Version.
#2) Diesel Option.
#3) AWD
#4) Amber turn signals in the rear.
Okay GM. lets go!
tbone85 says:
12:13 PM, 04/19/2011
On paper I like most of the looks. I always find that red makes it hard for me to get a grasp on the details of a design. I like the tail lights, but am not sold overall on the rear end in these photos. Seeing this in a lighter metallic color could easily change my perception--along with of course actually seeing it in 3 dimensions.
69johnny says:
08:47 AM, 04/19/2011
Looks like there's some Pontiac G8 influence in the design..
zoolander1 says:
07:42 AM, 04/19/2011
@veryhrm:
- manual transmission
- wagon
- awd
- diesel
- at least a turbo...
maybe a cvt ? adjustable suspension ? hybrid?
MT, AWD, Diesel: Valid
Wagon, turbo, diesel: How many in this segment offer it?
CVT: You are probably the only person on this blog craving for a CVT
You missed to ask for HID's
randomlyant10 says:
07:07 AM, 04/19/2011
Looks are subjective and IMO this is now the best looking midsize car. It has a lot of Camaro design cues out back and it appears Chevy has turned another corner with their interiors.
AND MyLink will allow you to listen to Pandora without the need of a smartphone << probably my favorite part of the tech package.
camaroguy77 says:
04:50 AM, 04/19/2011
I would like to correct a few statements in the article. GM hasn't yet announced all the engines that will be available in the new Malibu, I hear that will be made tomorrow, Wednesday, when the auto shows begin. The same goes for transmission options, and it could be possible that a manual will make it, at least for an eco model. Also, the new Malibu won't be on sale until early calendar year 2012. Come on insideline, I expect better research before you post information.
Anyways, the car looks good, best in class in my opinion for both exterior and interior, although I hope that rendering for the wood looks better in real life.
veryhrm says:
02:18 AM, 04/19/2011
It looks nice. I like the corvette looking tail lights... and the dash design looks pretty nifty too (though that interior picture looks so tweaked i can't tell if it's a picture or a render... so who knows what it'll actually look like).
that said... how about actual car features like:
- manual transmission
- wagon
- awd
- diesel
- at least a turbo...
maybe a cvt ? adjustable suspension ? hybrid?
man... i sound like a broken record in my comments, but, it's hard to get excited about yet another slushbox FWD sedan. Maybe at least it'll have a sports suspension option and the transmission will have an automanual mode that won't suck. (not holding my breath on either)
angry_mushroom says:
11:16 PM, 04/18/2011
It lacks a turbo or V6 option... lame.