Detroit, Michigan – Fifty-one years after it was introduced as Chevrolet’s first midsize car, production of the Malibu sedan has crossed the 10-million mark.
Chevrolet has reached the sales achievement for the global sedan with sales in more than 25 markets, though the United States, China, and Korea collectively account for more than 90% of sales.
“The Chevy Malibu joins an exclusive club of vehicles that have achieved this extraordinary milestone, and we acknowledge it today by honoring the common thread linking every one produced: The customer,” says Alan Batey, president, global Chevrolet. “Some people are buying their very first Malibu today and others may have driven a Malibu from a different generation as their first car. It is a car that has resonated with customers for more than half a century.”
Malibu’s 10-millionth milestone comes as the new 2016 Chevrolet Malibu enters production. The ninth-generation sedan is restyled and is the most fuel-efficient, connected, and technologically advanced Malibu ever – and many of its new and enhanced features, like its Teen Driver system which encourages safe driving habits for teens, were influenced by the voice of customers.
Longer and lighter, the new Malibu offers more interior space. Its wheelbase has been stretched nearly 4” (101mm), and it is nearly 300 lb (136kg) lighter than the previous model.
The 2016 Malibu reaches an exceptional level of fuel efficiency with an all-new, available hybrid powertrain that uses technology from the Chevrolet Volt. It helps offer a General Motors-estimated 48mpg city, 45mpg highway – and 47mpg combined.
The Malibu’s standard 1.5L turbo powertrain is projected to offer 37mpg highway. It also features a fuel-saving stop/start technology that enhances efficiency in stop-and-go driving.
Named after the California city famous for its beaches, the 1964 Chevrolet Malibu was the top-line model of an all-new vehicle line touted as a premium choice for families that needed space and efficiency for long commutes.
Chevrolet called the Malibu an “intermediate” car – positioned between the full-size series and the compact Chevy II. It represented the birth of the mainstream midsize segment, which has grown to be the highest-volume segment in the industry. Customers snapped up more than 370,000 in the first year from a lineup that also included the entry-level 300 and Chevelle models, and a range of body styles that included coupes, sedans, wagons, and convertibles. The lineup also included the Malibu SS muscle car.
Sales of Chevy’s upstart intermediate range topped 503,000 by 1969 – with the popular Malibu two-door sport coupe accounting for 300,000 of them.
Malibu rolled through the 1970s as one of the best-selling cars of the decade. It was retired in 1983, after its fourth generation. It returned in 1997 as a modern, front-drive sedan. In the nearly 20 years since, it has evolved and offers the latest in efficiency-enhancing technologies, safety features, and more recently, the connectivity features that have become increasingly important to customers.
The 2016 Malibu is built at the GM Fairfax Assembly facility, in Kansas City, Kansas.
Source: General Motors