Autoblog

GM is still dancing with the UAW over contract issues, now its doing it with local plants regarding items that weren't in the national agreement. However, The General has managed to wring two more days to negotiate before workers at its Fairfax assembly plant in Kansas City, KS, walk out. The 2,600 workers of UAW Local 31 churn out 3,100 Malibus every week.

Local contracts -- as opposed to the national agreement -- concern work-rule, seniority and other non-economic issues. The UAW Local says that GM isn't following the blueprint of the national agreement and is pushing for too much. GM says it is negotiating in good faith.

And Fairfax isn't the only plant affected. Strikes and idling due to rejected contracts have taken place at GM plants in Parma, Ohio, Lansing, Michigan, and Detroit-Hamtramck. Those interruptions have halted production of the Buick Lucerne and Enclave, Cadillac CTS, Saturn Outlook, and GMC Acadia. The Hamtramck plant is calling workers back, which will get the Lucerne and CTS in production again, but now the Malibu is on the block. GM has a 37-day supply of the hot commodity, and it also has another plant that builds Malibus. If GM and UAW Local 31 can't come to an agreement, Malibu production at the Fairfax plant will cease tomorrow.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

click above to view high-res gallery of the 2008 Chevy Malibu

They're not quite done putting it through the paces, but Consumer Reports for the most part is liking Chevy's new Malibu. They've opened up the car's logbook on the magazine's blog, and here are a few of the positive quotes they shared:

"Wow. Impressive to drive, even in the four-cylinder version."
"Best normally-aspirated Ecotec (four-cylinder engine) application out there."
"Distinctive dashboard - definitely not a 'me-too' design."
This is a heavy hitter that competes head-on with Camry, Accord, and Altima."

Luckily for Chevrolet, the positive comments so far are in the lead, and most of the negatives are for relatively minor things like:

"hard to reach seat levers"
"I do not like the interior trim. The dash has a pink tone to it, whereas the other browns are more orange."
"I'm disappointed with the low shoulder belt anchor, poorly placed seat heater switch, and lack of a shifter indicator in the dash."

They promise to have a full review of the car in the magazine's March issue, which we're sure Chevy can't wait to read.

[Source: Consumer Reports]



Photos Copyright ©2007 Chris Tutor / Weblogs, Inc.

With oil hitting $100 per barrel and customers clamoring for more fuel-efficient vehicles, GM is dropping coin to showcase its smaller transportation. Now is a good time for the General to tout its lighter fare, as the Detroit automaker has some real winners in its stable. The new Chevy Malibu and Cadillac CTS have received critical praise from the automotive press, and early sales receipts show that both vehicles are a hit with the public as well. In fact, GM is looking to increase Malibu production in a soft market due to brisk demand at Chevy dealers around the country. Saturn will also receive ad dollars, as newer products like the Vue could use a boost, and the hot new Astra will benefit from a coming out party.

GM is also concentrating more of its cash on web advertising, and it will also pony up ad dollars to tout Chevrolet as its environmentally friendly brand. While automotive enthusiasts know GM has come up with a string of solid vehicles, the general public may not be as informed. Nothing spreads the word quite like money.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Once you've got a Corvette, what's left? Why, a boat, of course! You're not going to want to step out of your C6 into some aluminum row boat with a 5-horsepower Evinrude hung off the back. A 2-stroke buzz can't hold a candle to the barrel-chested rumble of an LS V8. Malibu Boats has introduced its latest Corvette Limited Edition Sport-V speedboat to solve your problem. The Corvette's most prominent styling cues have been lifted from the car and rendered in V-hull form. There's authentic Corvette seats, a dashboard that emulates the four-wheeled version, and even roll-down windows.

There are two different versions of the Sport-V, the Coupe and the Z06. The Coupe isn't lacking in anything, with 400 horsepower from its own V8, but the Z06 is just that much more over the top. There's not only 105 more horsepower on tap, but it also includes a lexan engine hatch to show off the LS7 engine and a two-tone interior and dash. To haul the Z06 around, it comes with a trailer that even uses Z06 wheels. General Motors approves, and the Sport-V speedboat will ease the pain of separation when you leave your 'Vette in the parking lot at the marina.

[Source: 4wheelsblog]

Promising the best possible fuel economy for whichever type of vehicle its customers choose, GM's Bob Lutz and Ed Peper trotted a full lineup of green vehicles from their arsenal. The Aveo5, Impala E85, Malibu Hybrid, Tahoe Hybrid, Silverado Hybrid, Volt, Equinox Fuel Cell, Beat and Groove were used to show off that Chevy will be the brand carrying the greenish flame most prominently into the future for GM. Lutz talked about having a whole range of options available to meet future trends, from hybrids, to flex-fuel burners, to fuel cells, to electrics like start/stop technology and good old-fashioned economy cars that get great fuel economy.

click above image to view a new high-res gallery of the 2008 Chevy Malibu

Autoblog gets numerous comments saying that the domestic automakers could easily sell more products if only they would make them good enough to buy. We agree. With the introduction of the 2008 Chevy Malibu, it could very well be time for us all to put up or shut up.

GM knows the midsize sedan segment is dominated by the Toyota Camry and has taken direct aim at that very car with the new Malibu. The car's measurements come close to the Camry in almost every category, including length, interior space, trunk size and engine displacement. Where they differ is in design. The Camry provides the automotive appliance for those who don't really want a car, but need to go places. The Malibu brings style to the game at a competitive price.

GM invited us to spend some time with the new Malibu in Memphis, Tenn. this past weekend, and we put the car down some of the roughest streets of the city and the twistiest back roads we could find in northwest Mississippi.

To start the day, we chose a top-of-the-line LTZ model with the 3.6L V6 and 6-speed transmission from a lineup of about a dozen Malibus parked in front of the Gibson Guitar factory in downtown Memphis. A couple of passersby stopped to ask what was going on, commenting on how good the new model looked. Apparently, it really is hard to ignore.

Continued after the jump.


General Motors provided the vehicles for testing. Autoblog does not accept travel or lodging from automakers when attending media events.

Live Photos Copyright ©2007 Chris Tutor / Weblogs, Inc.

It looks like General Motors is anticipating big numbers for the new Chevy Malibu. Production just started at the Fairfax Kansas assembly plant a few weeks ago, and they're already gearing up to add more capacity at a second facility. The company informed employees at the Lake Orion, MI plant this week that they will start building Malibus alongside the Pontiac G6s they already produce beginning next spring. The current plan is to add about ten to twenty-five percent more Malibu capacity from Lake Orion. Maxed-out, the Michigan plant could build up to 100,000 Malibus on top of the 150,000 G6s it churns out.

[Source: Detroit News]

When news came back in May that GM would encourage Chevy dealers to have a Camry on hand for customers to compare directly to the forthcoming Malibu, we lauded the company for walking the walk. Similarly confident in the Saturn Aura, the General ran a program earlier this summer in which Aura shoppers were offered comparison drives in both the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. According to GM, the Saturn program was a success, and Aura sales rose during the promotion. Despite that, the Malibu vs. Camry deathmatch is now officially DOA.

No specific reason has been given for the change of heart. A GM spokesperson says only that "it's been off the table for quite some time" and that "it wasn't the best approach" for the Malibu. The (undoubtedly significant) costs associated placing comparison vehicles in the 4,000+ Chevy dealers was said to not be a factor in the decision.

[Source: CNNMoney]

The Malibu's debut at dealerships this November is coming up quick, so Chevrolet formally announced pricing for the entire lineup, including the hybrid.

You can read the full press release after the jump, but the quick and dirty version begins with the base LS model that comes in at $19,345, a full $2k more than the previous model. The 1LT package is $20,305, while the 2LT is priced at $21,985 and the top-of-the-line LTZ model gets a sticker of $26,345. The hybrid comes in $4-grand cheaper than the LTZ at $22,140, which also undercuts its nearest competitor, the Camry Hybrid by about $3,000. Naturally, none of these prices include the $650 destination charge.

When GM launches the 2008 Malibu this fall, look for it to go directly after the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Mark LaNeve, GM's sales, service, and marketing VP, says GM will be laying out the reasons why it feels the Malibu is better than its competition in the new ad campaign. We hope to see the fur start to fly in the bread-and-butter sedan arena, with response ads upping the ante before being met with another challenge. LaNeve acknowledges that it will be a hard battle to pry backsides out of the Camry or Accord (especially with an all-new version of the latter), but GM's got an excellent car in the new Malibu. The assault on the incumbent evergreen models is already going on over in Saturn stores, where GM's actually placed the competitor's cars in the showroom next to the award winning Aura.

Customer research has told GM that import owners would be persuaded to buy a different brand that is as good or better than their current car, but only actual results will prove the hypothesis. One possible bone of contention is residual value, where the well-burnished reputation of the segment leaders has them holding on to nearly 50 percent of their original sticker after three years, versus about 35 percent for the Malibu. Instead of buying a car based on how much you can get for it in three years, we suggest you buy a car you're happy with, and we see a lot that's encouraging in the new Malibu. Heck, you might even want to keep it after it's paid off -- imagine that! Besides, if the car lives up to the expectations GM is whipping up for it, resale values will rise as word spreads. We can't wait to try one.

[Source: Automotive News]