RPM Daily Preview: 2008 Chevy Malibu
In all honesty, how many cars are uglier than the current
Malibu? It's no beauty. But GM and design boss Ed
Welburn have been working hard to rectify the situation. I'd
say they've succeeded with the 2008 Malibu.
The vehicle has very strong proportions and an abundance
of personality. It's built off of the same Epsilon platform that
underpins everything from the current Malibu to the G6 and
the Saab 9-3. The chassis has been tuned differently
depending on the model, and as boring as the platform is in
the current iteration of the Malibu, here's hoping that it
performs a lot more like the Saturn Aura.
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Interior
The interior in the 2008 Malibu may be the most stunning
and significant upgrade that we've seen from Chevrolet.
With high-dollar items like the Tahoe, a new and improved
interior was expected. With the Malibu, this level of interior
refinement is just stunning. There are few if any mid-sizers
that can compete with this level of sophistication. I'm looking
forward to seeing in person how these materials look and
feel.
Overall Impressions
This is a very significant vehicle for GM. If the Malibu can
look this good, you can only imagine what is coming forward
from the General in the next couple of years.
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Powertrains
New for 2008 will be the high-option 3.6L engine with a
presumed 252 HP. It's the same engine as is in the 2007
Saturn Aura. A 2.4L engine with 164 HP will also be
available. What's also interesting is that GM will be offering
the same trim options for all engines. That's a departure
(welcomed) from what GM has done in the past. This paid
off big-time for Ford and the Fusion, and GM is hoping to
have similar success.
The top of the line V6 will undoubtedly have the 6-speed
transmission that's shared with the Aura.
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