Chevrolet Malibu

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Chevrolet Malibu

Manufacturer:	General Motors
Production:	1964–1983 1997–present
Assembly:	Wilmington, Delaware (1997-1999) Lansing, Michigan (2000-2003) Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (1997-2003) Kansas City, Kansas (2004-present)
Predecessor:	Chevrolet Corsica (for 1997)
Successor:	Chevrolet Celebrity (for 1983)
Class:	Mid-size
Body style:	2-door convertible 2-door coupe 4-door sedan 4-door station wagon
Platform:	FR A-body (1964-1981) FR G-body (1982-1983) FF N-body (1997-2003) FF Epsilon (2004-present)
Related:	Saab 9-3 Pontiac G6 Saturn Aura Cadillac BLS Fiat Croma Holden/Opel/Vauxhall Vectra
Similar:	Ford Fusion Hyundai Sonata Toyota Camry

The Chevrolet Malibu (named after Malibu, California) is a mid-size car produced in the United States by General Motors. It is marketed in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Israel. The current vehicle has been saddled with limited size in contrast to its Japanese competitors, due mainly to the need to keep it smaller than the full-size Impala model. Both models will grow in the future making the Malibu the stand-alone Chevrolet competitor for models like the Honda Accord.

1 History
2 2008
3 External links

[edit] History

[edit] 1964-1972

The first Malibu was the top-line Chevrolet Chevelle from 1964 to 1972. 1964 was the first production year of the Chevelle Malibu).

[edit] 1973-1977

The Malibu was restyled for the 1973 model year. Models included the base Chevelle Deluxe, mid-range Malibu and the top-line Laguna.

For 1974, the Deluxe was dropped, and the Malibu became the entry-level Chevelle. The Laguna trim package was replaced with the Malibu Classic. The Laguna S-3 model was introduced to replace the SS, and continued through 1976.

[edit] 1978-1983

1981 Chevrolet Malibu sedan

For the 1978 model year, the Malibu name replaced the Chevelle name on all mid-sized Chevrolets except the Monte Carlo coupe. This was a downsized version compared to previous mid-sized Chevrolets. Only two trim levels were offered - Malibu and Malibu Classic.

Three bodystyles were produced (station wagon, sedan, and coupe); the 2-door coupe was last produced in 1981. In recent years, the coupe has been sought after by drag racers and usually spotted as street machines.

The 4-door Malibu was also used in fleets, especially for law enforcement usage. After the Chevrolet Nova ceased production in 1979, the 9C1 police option was transferred to the Malibu, filling a void for mid-sized police vehicles.

GM Canada also produced a special order of Malibu sedans in 1981 for the Iraqi government, although the order was ultimately rejected due to quality concerns. These "Iraqi Taxi" Malibus were auctioned off to the public at a greatly reduced price, since they carried the undesirable combination of the smallest V6 engine with a 3-speed manual transmission. They were mostly sold around the Halifax, Nova Scotia area.

[edit] Engines

1980-1981 305 5.0 L (305 in³) V8

The 1982 Malibu shared GM's redesignated rear-wheel drive G platform with cars like the Pontiac Grand Prix and Oldsmobile Cutlass. 1982 was the final year that a Malibu Classic was marketed; Malibus were produced as 4-door sedans (and station wagons) until 1983 when it was replaced by the front-wheel drive Chevrolet Celebrity. Although the sedan and wagon were phased out, the El Camino remained in production until 1987.

[edit] 1997-2003

1997-1999 Chevrolet Malibu

2000-2003 Chevrolet Malibu

A new front-wheel drive Malibu was introduced in 1997 on an extended wheelbase version of the GM N platform with the Pontiac Grand Am, Buick Skylark, Oldsmobile Achieva, and Oldsmobile Alero. All N-body Malibus were produced at the Oklahoma City Assembly plant (after 2003 it was retooled to build the GMT360 SUVs) and the Wilmington Assembly plant (after 1999), before moving production to Lansing, Michigan. The Wilmington plant was then retooled to build the Saturn L-series in 1999. The Oldsmobile Cutlass was a clone of the Malibu as a stopgap vehicle before the Oldsmobile Alero. The Malibu replaced the Chevrolet Corsica. Power came from a 2.4 L 150 hp (112 kW) I4 or 3.1 L 155 hp (116 kW) V6. The Malibu was Motor Trend magazine's Car of the Year for 1997.

1997 to 1999 Malibus had a front grille with the Malibu logo in silver in the center; 2000 to 2003 models, including the Classic, had the blue Chevrolet emblem on the front grille. 1997 to 1999 LS models were sometimes equipped with special gold-colored badges (the rear Malibu lettering and logo).

The 3.1 L V6 was updated in 2000 with a new power rating of 170 hp (127 kW,) and the 4-cylinder was dropped. Although the N-body Malibu remained in production until 2006, the 4-cylinder was reintroduced in 2004 where the Ecotec was an option.

[edit] Engines

1997-2003 LG8 3.1 L (191 in³) V6
1997-1999 LD9 2.4 L (146 in³) I4

[edit] Trivia

Although not officially imported to Chile, Malibus are part of the Presidential Escort of that country.

[edit] 2004-present

2005 Chevrolet Malibu LT

Pre-facelift Malibu MAXX

2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx

The Malibu name was moved to the new Epsilon platform for 2004, but the previous car remained in production as the Chevrolet Classic for car rental and fleet use, which was discontinued in 2006. The new Epsilon-based Malibu comes in two bodystyles, a standard 4-door sedan and a 4-door Malibu Maxx station wagon. This is Chevrolet's first station wagon since the discontinuation of the Chevrolet Caprice wagon in 1996.

This generation of the Malibu initially debuted with a front fascia design featuring a wide grille split horizontally by a prominent chrome bar that ran the entire width of the car, which was intended to make it resemble Chevrolet's trucks. However, for 2006, the front end was updated with more conventional styling; the chrome bar was removed, and the grille itself was made smaller, bearing a resemblance to the grille on the previous Malibu.

Base power comes from a 2.2 L Ecotec L61 I4 which produces 145 hp (108 kW). LS and LT trims get a 3.5 L 200 hp (149 kW) High Value LX9 V6 while both sedan and Maxx SS models are powered by the 3.9 L 240 hp High Value LZ9 V6. For 2007, the LX9 was replaced with the LZ4 V6, which in the Malibu produces 217 hp (162 kW). A remote starter is also available, which was introduced on several other GM vehicles for 2004.

The Malibu is manufactured at GM's Fairfax #2 factory in Kansas City, Kansas.

[edit] Engines

2004-present - 2.2 L (134 in³) Ecotec I4
2004-2006 - 3.5 L LX9 V6
2007-present - 3.5 L LZ4 V6
2006-present - 3.9 L LZ9 V6 SS

[edit] SS

A special SS trim is available on the Malibu and Malibu Maxx with the 3.9 L LZ9 V6.

[edit] 2008

The Malibu will be redesigned for the 2008 model year. It will be built on a revised version of the long-wheelbase Epsilon platform shared with the Saturn Aura and Pontiac G6. The Malibu will be roomier than before, with a redesigned cabin and more powerful engines. When the new four-door arrives, Chevrolet will no longer offer the wagon-like Malibu Maxx edition. GM reportedly is working on a hybrid variant for 2009.[1]