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2008 Chevy Malibu bowing in January, interior pic released
click on image to enlarge
General Motors confirmed today it will be unveiling the 2008 Chevy Malibu at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit come January. In order to keep us interested, the General also released an official shot of the Malibu's interior, said to be dressed in one of the car's available two-tone color combinations. In fact, Ed Peper, Chevy's General Manager, says in the press release that the Malibu, "will offer a number of striking and progressive interiors." That certainly sounds like Chevy may be offering more than one interior for the Malibu, much like with the new Chevy Silverado that offers two totally different interiors, one in which luxury is paramount and another for the worker bee. That speculation aside, the interior we see here features a dual cockpit design very reminiscent of the last generation Mustang's interior with two sweeping archs that define the driver and passenger space. We dig the rawhide red leather (check it out on the shifter) and matching dash panels, though one can never tell from a photo whether or not those large swaths of plastic feel rental car chintzy. The center stack features the new GM switchgear we've tested and liked in other cars, though the gauge pod buried within three deep cylinders looks like the similar kind used by Nissan of which we aren't so fond. All in all, however, color us impressed and now very anxious to see the whole car at the Detroit auto show in early January.
Check out the full press release offered by GM after the jump.
[Source: General Motors]
PRESS RELEASE:
Chevrolet to unveil all-new 2008 Malibu in January
DETROIT, Mich. – Chevrolet confirmed today that the all-new 2008 Malibu will be unveiled in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit and released a sneak peek of one of the car's available two-tone interiors, which demonstrates a new level of refinement in the extremely competitive mid-size car segment.
"The next-generation Chevrolet Malibu's interior showcases the precision and detailed execution that will differentiate it among the mid-size car segment," said Ed Peper, Chevrolet General Manager. "The 2008 Chevy Malibu will offer a number of striking and progressive interiors that use premium materials to demonstrate quality and value not seen before in this segment."
In the sneak peek photograph, the roomier Malibu cabin showcases Chevy's classic dual cockpit design.
The new Malibu builds on the success of its current model, which garnered many awards such as the 2005 J.D. Power Initial Quality Award and the 2006 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety "Top Safety Picks" silver medal.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Andrew 2:45PM (11/21/2006)
Ok. Good job GM for attempting at a better looking car but really, must you steal from acura?
TSX steering wheel, TL glove box compartment and center console stack Oh even the leather seats look vaguely familiar. Hm.
Thoughts.
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PJ 2:52PM (11/21/2006)
Wow. An impressive effort to incorporate classic Chevy styling cues (the '60's-era double-hooded instrument panel) into a modern, techy look. Top-notch, appearance-wise.
Now they just need to make sure that the materials measure up. It's hard to tell from a shaded, heavily airbrushed PR pic like this one, but the door panels look very similar to those in the Saturn Aura. Let's hope they're using different polymers, as those on the Aura's doors are conspicuously thin, hard, and cheap-feeling.
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Toolz 2:50PM (11/21/2006)
And the GM bashers roll into the comments section. Seriously can GM do anything and not be accused of copying? Acura/Honda copied Ford and GM, they produced an automobile and we all know Ford and GM began producing them WAY before Honda.
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PJ 2:53PM (11/21/2006)
#1, I'm not so sure those are Acura rip-offs. That steering wheel has been used on Chevys for the past two model years... starting with the Corvette, then in the Malibu SS, and now in the Cobalts...
An argument could also be made (easily, in my opinion) that the flowing center stack is simply current automotive fashion. They could have just as easily been "ripping off" the Subaru B9 Tribeca's center stack, or the '07 Chrysler Sebring's, or.....
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MarkWeb 2:51PM (11/21/2006)
Rumor has it Chevy will be offering the Malibu with ESC (or rather their version, Stabiltrak) so that the 2008 model can recoup its position as one of the few GM products that is a recommended, top pick of the Insurance Institute in their crash tests. (The Malibu had this honor in 2006 with the optional side curtain/torso airbags, but in 2007 the Institute demands stability control as well).
Hopefully Chevy will pay the extra crash test costs required by the IIHS to test the safety-optioned Malibu version.
Alas, I finally like the oddball square lines of the current 'bu and hope they don't make it into too much of a G6/Aura clone.
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SoloTwo 2:51PM (11/21/2006)
Thats the same steering wheel GM has been using for awhile and is in the Malibu SS. Its also the same wheel that is in my HHR.
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spencermfi 2:54PM (11/21/2006)
I think they should focus on getting it right in a single color first.
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Todd S. 3:09PM (11/21/2006)
Interior design is very similar to the Saturn Aura, down to the shift paddles on the steering wheel, rolltop cover on the center console, seats and radio/AC control placement. Aside from the color and dual-arc design, the only changes I can see are the addition of a center storage compartment on the top of the dash, movement of hazzard/passenger air bag light to lower center stack, diameter of the gauges (a bit bigger) and the center vent design.
I've had my Aura XR with the Morroccan Brown interior for a little over a month now and consistently get compliments on the car, especially the interior. Overall quality and layout is great. It's true that there are areas where cost-cutting is very clear (armrest and door inset materials bother me the most), but I was very willing to give up a little padding to save $5000+ versus the Acura TL or Audi A4.
Hopefully GM is able to keep these designs distinct enough so that we don't return to the carbon-copy badge engineering days of the 80s - 90s.
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Ben Dover 3:14PM (11/21/2006)
I think it looks pretty sweet. Not to keen on the colors, but I'm sure there will be quite a few options. GM better not screw around with the engine choices - they better come out of the pen fighting - the standard V6 better be at least as nice as what they're putting in the Saturn.
I'm on the edge of my seat though thinking about the 2009 rear drive Impala.
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spencermfi 3:17PM (11/21/2006)
I like the Aura, but think you get more than "a little padding" with an A4 or TL. I've always considered the Aura to be comparable to a Camry, Accord, Fusion or maybe a Passat.
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Saracen 3:32PM (11/21/2006)
Looks pretty sharp, hopefully the rest of the car looks just as good.
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MC 3:39PM (11/21/2006)
haha $10 says this car will just be a rebadged Aura - the interiors are nearly identical!
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Dr1v3r 3:37PM (11/21/2006)
GET RID OF THAT UGLY BOWTIE!
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Tankstelle 3:27PM (11/29/2006)
Damn, that is amazing for a Malibu. I'd be curious to see their take rate on leather.
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laserwizard 3:48PM (11/21/2006)
Ugly as sin color combination - looks extremely cheap - the red looks like it came off of a 1880's buggy seat and the styling is yesterday's Japanese. That's GM for you - one step behind and falling a little further behind with each attempt at building a car.
What would have been impressive is some added functionality to the design that would allow the occupant to move the dashboard components further away or closer depending on who is sitting in the car.
Blatant ripoff of what Japan already builds. Yawn!
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phez 3:47PM (11/21/2006)
I agree on the Aura comments. Hell, I'll bet that interior will be toned down TONNES by the time we can get our hands on it. You'd be silly to believe otherwise.
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Richard S. 3:48PM (11/21/2006)
Is the final model or will GM bean-counters magically transform this beautiful brownish leather into the usual stale rental-fleet gray.
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J 3:51PM (11/21/2006)
I have an Aura and the only thing I can see that is identical is the door rests, steering wheel, radio(except mine has orange lighting) and the gated console compartment except mine is opens the other way then the Malibu.
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Tony 3:56PM (11/21/2006)
wow! I didn't read the article but this new AURA interior is really nice!
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Jason 3:55PM (11/21/2006)
It's incredible to think that is a Malibu's interior. I'd say GM is on the right track.
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