Argh! Want to drive an car enthusiast crazy? Just feed them piecemeal pictures of either a new car or massively redesigned one. That’s what General Motors just did with an image of the upcoming Chevy Malibu which is scheduled to debut at the Detroit Auto Show next month.
The image shows the front fascia of the sedan and its double-grill design which, according to Chevrolet, will be the new “face” of the GM brand. According to Chevy General Manager Ed Peper, the design’s to convey the model’s more athletic, “in your face” attitude. The press release did not discuss any power plant information.
Our take? We’re taking a wait and see attitude. The redesign doesn’t make us blanch like the Chrysler 300 and Toyota Camry when they were introduced. We’re actually more curious to see the new Malibu’s side and rear sheetmetal: the current model’s design has always struck us as a mismatch pairing.
DETROIT, Mich. – Chevrolet today released an advance image of the exterior of the all-new 2008 Malibu, which will be unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January and will arrive at Chevrolet dealerships later in 2007. The photo was released in conjunction with the announcement of a $208 million investment in the Fairfax, Kansas Assembly plant to prepare for production of the car.
The image reveals a partial shot of the front of the car featuring a dual-port grille, which is described as representing the “new face of Chevrolet.”
“The 2008 Malibu design is expressive and brings new proportions and a fresh perspective to the mid-size market,” said Ed Peper, Chevrolet General Manager. “The new Malibu boasts a poised, wheels-at-the-corners stance with a longer hood and shorter deck appearance that conveys motion, agility and attitude.”
Chevrolet previously released a sneak peek of one of the car’s available two-tone interiors, which demonstrates a much more upscale look and feel with more premium materials and a new level of refinement in the extremely competitive mid-size car segment.