Chevrolet Malibu World Premiere

The Chevy Malibu was released today and it looks great. It is a direct competitor to the Camry and once again, the interior is impeccable and rich looking. When people originally saw this vehicle, most of them assumed it was a much more expensive vehicle... but it MSRPs at around 20k. It also has a five-star crash rating and a sunroof that rivals a convertible.

This vehicle is for the younger couple who wants to drive a nice car with finer accoutrement, without paying the price. The rear seat has plenty of legroom so the car can grow as the family grows. GM hopes to pull back some of the market share from Toyota. Last year, they sold between 120-150k Malibus while Toyota sold 400k Camrys.

Ed Peper, General Manager of Chevrolet, is a tremendous support of women in the automotive industry and female dealers. This car really exemplifies his move toward women getting more involved with the design and marketing of the GM vehicles. The video that launched the vehicle is a riot. The stars from "Fashion Police" go through Ed's wardrobe and car styling and make him over from the previous "truck guy" to the more stylish mid-size sedan category. Check it out!

The all-new 2008 Chevrolet Malibu delivers great performance, fuel economy and refinement, wrapped in a clean, tailored design that carries the new face of Chevrolet. The new Malibu will be unveiled at the North American International Auto Show. It arrives at Chevrolet dealerships later this year.

Vehicle Highlights:

·    All-new refined and contemporary exterior with new dual-port grille design that represents the new face of Chevrolet
·    Twin round tail lamps
·    Upscale interior design with available two-tone trim; gauges with Chevrolet blue backlighting
·    Standard head-curtain side air bags and front seat-mounted thorax protection air bags
·    Available 110-volt household-type AC power outlet
·    Refined and technically advanced family of economic DOHC powertrains, including four-cylinder and V-6 options
·   Fuel-saving six-speed automatic transmission available with both four-cylinder and V-6 engines – a segment exclusive for four-cylinder engines
·    Five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty
·    Four-wheel independent suspension and longer wheelbase that deliver a more controlled, satisfying and confident driving experience
·    Family of large wheels, including 18-inch ultra-bright polished wheels on LTZ
·    Available large, panoramic sunroof
·    Standard tire pressure monitoring system.
·    Dual-stage frontal air bags with GM Passenger Sensing System
·    Head curtain side-impact air bags (front and rear outboard seats)
·    Front seat-mounted thorax protection air bags
·    Front safety belt pretensioners
·    LATCH child safety seat anchors
·    Four-wheel disc brakes with ABS
·    Traction control
·    StabiliTrak electronic stability control system with panic brake assistance (LT and LTZ models)