General Motors is quite serious about selling its upcoming 2013 Chevrolet Malibu on a global scale. So serious, in fact, that the Detroit automaker is making plans to built the mid-size model on several continents. Today, GM revealed that will build and sell the redesigned Malibu sedan in Korea. We’ll remind you that earlier this year, GM Korea announced it is replacing the Daewoo nameplate with the Chevrolet brand for the local market.
Surprisingly, the first country to get the new Malibu won’t be the States, but South Korea with production set to begin in Bupyeong, Korea this fall, followed by Jingjiao, China, at the end of 2011 and then Fairfax, Kansas and Detroit-Hamtramck, in the U.S., in early 2012.
“Adding Korea as a key sales market for the new Malibu further increases the brand’s global presence and continues our growth path while increasing our car offerings to consumers in Korea,” said Russ Clark, Chevrolet Product Director.
GM also said that there’s growing interest for the Malibu in Korea, despite the fact that the midsize sedan has never been officially sold in the country. The Detroit automaker said that members of Malibu-related Internet clubs total about 30,000 in South Korea, despite the fact that the midsize sedan has never been officially sold in the country. However, this shouldn’t come as a surprise for those with some knowledge of the local car culture as there are myriads of dedicated online clubs for all models.
The new Malibu received its world premiere at the New York and Shanghai auto shows last week. It will be sold in nearly 100 markets on six continents, with each region getting specific engine choices. Up until now, we know that North America will get a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 190HP+ and a 2.4-liter ECO unit with the eAssist system delivering 180HP, while China will receive 2.0-liter and 2.4-liter naturally aspirated fours, and a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine.
In addition to the gasoline range, the European market version of the Malibu is expected to be offered with several diesel options as well.
13 Comments:
Goodbye Chevrolet Tosca/Epica, Hello Malibu!
Hmm I wonder what name this will wear as a Holden??
there is a reason why it won't be the States, because the Asian people are more tolerable to shitty products.
^ I hope you're not seriously suggesting that the malibu will be built solely in Korea and shipped globally.
Please get out of the dark ages.
not in the states anon 2 ???
It will be in the states in 2012 and if Asian people are more tolerable of to shitty products then why is Hyundai, Honda , Nissan , KIA, Mazda are all great reliable cars? mind you the Toyota is the only Asian car with bad reliability I know of in the last few years. The Malibu has had no major recalls I can think of either. just because You do not like a car does not make it a shitty car.
Anon 3 it will be built in the united states too, read the story before you post comments
The Korean spec Malibu will be sold globally, while the Chinese, and Americans will get a local built vehicle.
Why would Koreans want this over the better looking Sonata and Optima sedans? This is just the talking heads at GM being "tactical and strategic" in their "deployments".
Anon 6 to be honest all 3 cars, The new 2013 Chevy Malibu, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata and 2011 KIA Optima are all great cars and even though the KIA and Hyundai are on the same platform, both have unique looks like the Malibu does and this was designed for the foreign markets that is why it is shorter then the last Malibu and looses some of it's American identity. all 3 cars are really great lookers and I will confess I drive a 2007 Hyundai Sonata and I don't know which car I would buy, I guess price for me will be the final vote
cantik,,,,,
We not want this Mopar in Korea.
We not want this Mopar in Korea.
We not want Korean student coming to America college.
Get over it.
Mopar is NO car.
"We not want Korean student coming to American college"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
You don't take Korea Student but your govrment want Korea
student. you people Choom in the roads wen dead Osama is
dead again. your govrment want your foolish people money
and our smart people in the college.
Good effort for GM,yet hardly a competitor for the awesome Hyundai Sonata/i40.
By the way,her press line beneath C-pillar seems somewhat pesky,thus the VW Phaeton-like previous Malibu looks more virile and cooler than new one!
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