2013 Chevrolet Malibu: 2011 New York Auto Show Preview

GM's best-selling sedan gets a major refurbishing early next year in the form of the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, which is being teased today in this photo released by General Motors.

The current Chevy Malibu was named North American Car of the Year when it was introduced for the 2008 model year, and since then, it's become one of General Motors' sales pillars. Chevy sold 198,770 Malibu sedans in 2010, ranking alongside the likes of the Hyundai Sonata (196,623 sales), Ford Fusion (219,219 units), and Nissan Altima (229,263 units), though behind the sales titans among family sedans--the Toyota Camry (327,804 units) and the Honda Accord (311,381 units).

The new car will be the eighth new vehicle to wear the storied nameplate, though over the decades the Malibu has been transformed from a rear-wheel-drive car with V-8 to front-wheel drive and V-6 and four-cylinder engines.

The Malibu also was briefly offered as a mild hybrid, with some retail sales in 2009 and to fleets only in 2010.

In this new iteration, GM says the Malibu will put an emphasis on fuel economy with a range of four-cylinder engines and six-speed transmissions. A GM spokesman says no V-6 powertrain will be offered in the new Malibu.

GM may have more news on hybrid Malibu drivetrains next month, at the New York Auto Show. A plug-in hybrid drivetrain is possible, given GM's experience with the technology in its serial hybrid Volt. GM also could offer an "eAssist" mild-hybrid system in the new Malibu, since the sedan is related to the new Buick LaCrosse, the first GM sedan with that battery-assist technology.

GM claims European-style handling for the new Malibu, and it may be a pre-requisite given ambitions for the new four-door. GM plans on selling the new Malibu on every continent save for Antarctica, in more than 100 countries in all.

Production begins this summer at two plants in the U.S.--at the Hamtramck, Michigan, plant where the 2011 Chevy Volt also is built, and at the GM plant in Fairfax, Kansas.

The Malibu will be unveiled next month at both the Shanghai Auto Show and on Chevrolet's Facebook page, prior to its first live U.S. showing at the 2011 New York Auto Show on April 20. The live reveal begins on the 18th at 8:30 p.m. EDT with Webcasts going out over GM's Webcast channels for the Apple iPad and Apple iPhone.

GM also is asking consumers to submit questions about the new car during the Webcasts via Twitter using the #MalibuReveal hashtag.

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