Chevrolet is slowly letting loose details on its upcoming 2013 Malibu sedan, including its latest tidbit – a radio face that articulates up and out of the way to reveal a six-inch-deep illuminated storage compartment.
The innovative feature is a midsize sedan first, GM says. The one small teaser photo GM has released also gives us a quick glimpse into the Malibu’s new infotainment system, but we’ll have to wait for more details.
The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu will make its global debut at the Shanghai Motor Show about 48 hours before its bows on U.S. soil at the New York International Auto Show.
New video gives us best look yet
GM teamed up with the dark side – veteran spy photographer Jim Dunne – to talk about what it takes to “outsmart a spy.”
The video gives few unknown hints into the process of new car spying, but it does give us by far our best look at the new 2013 Malibu. Clearly, the Malibu follows many of the styling themes of the current model, but the look will be considerably more bold than before.
We also get a quick glance of the Malibu with its trunk open, which shows that GM has skipped the space-saving (and costly) struts for gooseneck hinges.
Designer video
GM released a short video with some reasonably detailed illustrations of the new car that give us some other hints about its design. Narrated by designer Dan Gifford, the video shows us that GM drew heavily on its heritage for the new four-door sedan.
We were treated to a sneak peak of Chevrolet’s upcoming 2013 Malibu more than a year ago, but GM has remained mum about its plans for the next generation of its bread-and butter sedan. Now, however, a report suggests that Chevrolet will drop the low-volume V6 currently offered in the Malibu in favor of a Hyundai Sonata-inspired four-cylinder-only lineup.
Hyundai became the first mainstream automaker to drop V6 power from its midsize sedan lineup when it launched the 2011 Sonata earlier this year. The midsize family sedan market has seen V6s go from being the default choice for most buyers to an “extravagant” extra rarely selected by consumers.
The 2013 Malibu will drop its V6 in favor of at least two four-cylinders – one naturally aspirated unit and one turbocharged offering. GM is developing a new family of four-cylinder engines, although it’s unclear if the 2.5-liter variant will be ready in time for the Malibu’s late 2011 release.
Judging from the latest spy shots and the videos, the 2013 Malibu will retain many of the design cues of the current car, although it will be moving to GM’s Epsilon II platform. The front headlights appear to have a jeweled look, not unlike the treatment seen on the 2011 Buick Regal. Chevrolet’s signature cross-bar grille, however, remains front and center.
The rear of the Malibu also appears to be in line for an update, with the taillights receiving a Camaro-like treatment.
It’s been reported that the Malibu will shrink a bit in its next iteration, but the extent of that downsizing remains unknown. The current Malibu rides on a 112.3 inch wheelbase and it seems likely that the Malibu will adopt either the Buick LaCrosse’s 111.7 inch wheelbase or the Regal’s shorter 107.8 inch wheelbase, although the former seems more likely. Both the LaCrosse and Regal ride on versions of GM’s Epsilon II platform.
GM will also likely continue to offer a larger midsize sedan to replace the aging Impala.
We’ll have more details on April 18, when GM officially unveils the new Malibu.
Look for sales to begin late this summer in North America – and China, where the Malibu will displace the Chevrolet Cruze as Chevy’s biggest offering.
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