Chevrolet Malibu

History

1964-1972

First Malibu was the most luxurious version of the Chevrolet Chevelle of 1964 to 1972. The year 1964 was the first year of production of Malibu (known under the name of Chevelle Malibu).

1973-1977

Malibu was redrawn for the year 1973. The models included the basic model Chevelle Deluxe, the intermediate model Malibu and the luxurious model Laguna.

For 1974, Deluxe was given up and Malibu became the basic model of Chevelle. The Laguna model was replaced by Malibu Classic. The model Laguna S-2 was introduced to replace the S until 1976.

1978-1983

For the year 1978, the name Malibu completely replaced the name Chevelle for all the intermediate models Chevrolet, except for Monte Carlo, a cut model. The model was of size reduced in comparison to the intermediate models Chevrolet preceding.

Three sub-models were produced, a family model, a model truck and a cut model. The cut model was produced until 1981. In the last years, this version was used by courseurs of street.

Chevrolet considered a sporting variation of Malibu. Malibu sport cut, called Black Sterling, appeared at the time of the automobile fairs in 1978 with a black painting on money two tons, a back aileron, which seemed to be wheels of 15 inches and présumément the engine 350 V8 which was available only in Malibu family and the Chevrolet El Camino. Black Sterling was however never produced and it fell into the lapse of memory for several people.

A very rare version of Malibu 1980, M80, was a version available only in the dealers of the North Carolina and the South Carolina, and this with an aim of making revive the era of the muscles bus. However, the model was mainly directed towards customers liking the Nascar races which travelled regularly to the track of Darlington (Darlingon Raceway). Today, it is not possible to know how much these vehicles were produced and how much it remains about it on the roads. There was no model outgoing S of the factories between 1978 and 1983, only El Camino could carry the emblem S.

Malibu four doors was also used in the fleets of vehicles, especially used by the governmental services (police force). Immediately after the end of the model Chevrolet Nova, the option 9C1 for the police vehicles was transferred to Malibu, thus filling a vacuum for the police vehicles of intermediate size.

GM Canada produced of Malibu trucks on special ordering of the Iraqi government in 1981, however the order was cancelled. These Malibu were sold with the auction at very reduced prices.

Engines

1980-1981 350.5.7 L (350 cubic inches) V8

Malibu 1982 divided the redrawn platform with rear drive (G-Body) with other vehicles like Pontiac Grand Prix and Oldsmobile Cutlass. The year 1982 was the last year of production of Malibu Classic, thereafter Malibus were four-door trucks until 1983 whereas Malibu was replaced by the Chevrolet Celebrity, a vehicle with front traction.

1997-2003

A Malibu news with front traction was introduced in 1997 on a wide version of the platform NR of GM, divided with Pontiac Grand Am, Buick Skylark, Oldsmobile Achieva and Oldsmobile Alero. All Malibu with the N-Body platform were produced with the factory of assembly of Oklahoma City (after 2003 this factory was transformed to produce the commercial vehicles sports GMT360) and with the factory of Wilmington (after 1999), before finally moving the production with Lansing, Michigan. The factory of Wilmington thereafter produced the series L of Saturn in 1999. Oldsmobile Cutlass was a clone of Malibu in order to fill a vacuum in the Oldsmobile range until the arrival of Alero. Malibu 1997 replaced the Chevrolet Corsica. Its power came from an engine four cylinders of 2.4 liters producing 150 horse power (112 kw) or from a V6 engine of 3.1 liters producing 155 horse power (116 kw). Malibu was elected the vehicle of the year by the American magazine Motor Trend in 1997.

Malibus of 1997 to 1999 had a frontal grid carrying the logo of silver Malibu in the medium. The vehicles 2000 to 2003, including Malibu Classic, had blue a Chevrolet sign on the front grid. Models LS of 1997 to 1999 carried sometimes the color gold for the letters back and the back logo.

The V6 engine of 3.1 liters was improved in 2000 with 170 horsepowers and the engine four cylinders was abandoned.

Engines

1997-2003 LG8 3.1 liters (191 cubic inches) V6, 155 Ch.
1997-1999 LD9 2.4 liters (146 cubic inches) I4, 150 Ch.

2004-2007

The Malibu model was seen allotted the new Epsilon platform in 2004, but the previous model of Malibu (N-Body) was produced until 2006 under the name of Chevrolet Classic, available only for the vehicles of hiring and the fleets of vehicles. Malibu of the Epsilon platform comes in several models and two kinds, the first being the Malibu truck, a four-door truck, and Malibu Maxx, family with four doors. Malibu Maxx is the first family model since the Chevrolet Capice coach was stopped in 1996. Malibu Maxx has like competitors Dodge Magnum and other family models, although since the profit of popularity of the commercial vehicles sports, these vehicles are less in request.

For years 2004 and 2005 basic Malibu were equipped with the Ecotec engine 2.2 liters producing 145 horsepowers. Models LS and LT had a V6 engine of 3.5 liters producing 200 horsepowers. A starter remotely installed in factory was also available. Malibu all are equipped with the system Pass-Key III+ which makes so that only the keys recorded by the vehicle can make leave the vehicle.

For the year 2006, the basic models (LS and LT truck) are equipped with the engine Ecotec 2.2 producing 144 horsepowers, whereas the model truck LTZ and Maxx LT and LTZ are equipped with the engine V6 3500 of 3.5 liters developing 201 horsepowers. All the models now carry emblem GM on the front doors, and the front grid was redrawn, and metal bars it removed.

The year 2006 sees the introduction of the version Super Sport (S), so much at the truck than at Maxx, been driven by a V6 engine of 3.9 liters developing 240 horsepowers.

The Chevrolet Malibu was classified first in the category of the intermediate cars of line entry in the study of J.D. Power and Associates on initial quality in 2005.

For the year 2007, there are few changes, except for new engine 3.5 liter for Malibu LT and LTZ, as well as a small number of options which are modified (for example, the heating-engine is not standard any more on the LS in Canada).

Engines

2004-maintenant, Ecotec 2.2 liters I4 (Model LS and LT in 2006)
2004-2006, 3500 3.5 liters LX9 V6 (In option on model LT and basic on the LTZ)
2006-maintenant, 3.9 liters LZ9 V6 (model S)
2007,3.5 liters LZ4 V6 (224 horsepowers VVT) Replaces the old LX9

2008 and following

The Chevrolet Malibu was redrawn and will be put on sale in 2007 like new model 2008. The Malibu news will be built on a longer version of the platform used of 2004 to 2007, the Epsilon platform, which is divided with Pontiac G6 and Saturn Will have. According to the magazine Because and Driver, Malibu 2008 will be been driven by an engine Ecotec 2.4 liter offering 164 horsepowers on models LS, LT and LTZ, while a V6 engine of 3.6 liter developing 252 horsepowers will be available in option. The transmissions will be the four speeds for the models equipped with the 4 cylinder, except for the LTZ which will be equipped with a transmission with six reports/ratios. All the V6 engines will be equipped with a transmission with six reports/ratios. There is no indication which a manual transmission will be available, as for the old generation. Malibu Maxx will not be available any more with the new generation, and General Motors would be working on a hybrid version for the year 2009.

December 18th, 2006 of the photographs of the Malibu news were accidentally put in circulation on the site of the Motor Show of Strait (North American International Car Show). However, company GM had previously shown with the public images front of the Malibu news, whereas the images of the site of the Motor Show showed all the sides and the interior of the vehicle. The vehicle must take again the customers which moved since the last years towards the intermediaries Japanese women so that this crenel returns to American.

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