The Malibu hybrid was dropped for the 2010 model year. The Z-16 option included the convertible boxed frame, a narrowed rear axle and brake assemblies from the contemporary Impala, heavy-duty suspension, plus virtually all Chevelle comfort and convenience options. [81] China and South Korea are currently the only two countries outside of North America where the 2016 Malibu is sold, meanwhile the car was introduced in the Philippines in early 2018. Interior room remains mid-size, like the previous Malibus, and has been decreased from 101 cubic feet (2.9 m3) to 97.7 cubic feet (2.8 m3), despite having a longer wheelbase, although front legroom has increased from 41.9 in (1,064 mm) to 42.2 in (1,072 mm). Overall, it is three inches (76 mm) longer, with a six inches (152 mm) longer wheelbase. Their intent was to attract younger buyers to the stock model and demonstrate that aftermarket modifications could be made. No doubt this design contributed to the number of factory air conditioning units sold with the cars, to the benefit of General Motors and Chevrolet dealers. [29], Chevelle sales remained strong: 327,631 of them in the 1973 model year, plus 59,108 station wagons. New grilles, rear decks with taillights moved into the bumper and revised Sport Coupe roofline highlighted this year's changes. This was now called a coupe (or pillar coupe) while the 2-door hardtop remained a sport coupe. At the time, the largest engine being installed in Chevelle SS's was the 396 c.i.d. "[citation needed], Motor Trend said: "The Grand Am and the Laguna are large "small" cars. The Super Sport option included a 325-horsepower 396-cubic-inch V8 beneath a double-domed hood, along with a black-out grille displaying an SS emblem and a black rear panel. Chevelle options included headlight washers, power windows and locks, and a rear defroster. The 454 was available with GM's THM-400 automatic or Muncie 4-speed manual transmission. While the Malibu Maxx was discontinued after the 2007 model year, the Malibu sedan remained in production for the 2008 model year, known as the Malibu Classic. RPO Z25 SS equipment option included one of these 402 cid engines but was still marketed as a 396. This also included a coupe utility (El Camino) which was a derivative of the two-door wagon. He finished last in the Daytona 500, but assumed command of the points chase in August. The SS option was dropped at the end of the model year.[30]. The RTX series is the latest from Dakota Digital, focused on retaining that stock look without sacrificing the late-model features you love. The top-line LTZ cars had clear brake light lenses with red LEDs, the balance of trim packages retaining red lenses with conventional brake light bulbs. For 1974, the Deluxe was dropped, and the Malibu became the entry-level Chevelle. Later speculation was that the Iraqis backed out for financial reasons, due to their escalating hostilities with Iran requiring the immediate diversion of funds to support the Iraqi war effort. The Malibu began as a trim-level of the Chevrolet Chevelle, becoming its own model line in 1978. Three bodystyles were produced (station wagon, sedan, and coupe), and the design was also used as the basis for the El Camino pickup truck with its own chassis. GTX Plymouth 66 - 67 Hood Scoops, Cowl Hood Scoops, Aero Hood Scoops, Misc. The new Laguna S-3 featured the urethane front end with a revised grille as well as new front lamps and taillights. Sales to rental customers dropped to 27% of the total, as GM limited sales to rental fleets. Bonus Earnings expire 3/1/2021. The Bresler was based on the Doble steam engine.[21]. Numerous interior modifications included a full-length custom center console, four black leather Sparco racing seats, and a Kenwood entertainment center (with radio, CD, DVD, TV, 10-disc changer and numerous amps and speakers). That's almost 10.4 liters of muscle, making 920 horsepower. All M80s had to be white with dark blue bucket seats and center console interior. [58] The version offered in the Middle East had the 2.4 L Ecotec engine. The redesigned Malibu sold more than 50% more units in 2008 than in 2007, increasing GM's mid-size market share to 8.4% from 5.7%, while the Camry and Accord percentages remained flat at about 21% and 17.5%, according to GM. Cars of the 70's - By the Editors of Consumer Guide, Speed and Supercar-June 1973: Driving impression 350 Laguna, 1973-77 NASCAR recap by the Auto Editors of Consumer Guide. The grille on the Super Sport was painted flat black, other models got a silver finished grille. Previously a 9.5 race car and missing stock wiring. The recall affected 426,240 in the United States, 40,029 in Canada and 7,572 in other markets.[43][44]. For the American rock trio, see, 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle Super Sport Coupe, 1964 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu Sport Coupe (with Malibu SS hubcaps), 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle SS396 Hardtop Coupe. Our sweet 1965 Chevelle boasts additional desirability thanks to its Malibu … The grille was widened and featured a bright horizontal bar that divided it into two sections. Only the V6-engined LT was available to private buyers, with the LS versions only built for fleet sales. It combined Laguna luxury with the upgraded handling of the SS, which it replaced. 1972 was the last year for the cowl induction option for the 454 cid engine and was not even mentioned in the 1972 Chevelle brochure. In Europe, the Malibu replaced the Chevrolet Epica. [36], Edmunds.com praised the Malibu's interior and exterior styling, quietness, and balance between ride and handling, while criticizing the thick C-pillars that obstruct the driver's view, the narrower chassis compared to other midsize cars[37] (which reduces rear seating room and also lacks a center armrest) and lack of features such as dual-zone HVAC, Bluetooth compatibility, and keyless ignition.[38]. in production alongside the ninth generation Malibu. The unusually thin windshield pillars also contributed to much better visibility. Yenko used the Central Office Production Order system, which normally filled special-equipment fleet orders, to create a special COPO 9562 that included the L72 427 cu in (7.0 L) with a single, four-barrel 800 CFM Holley carburetor that produced 425 bhp (431 PS; 317 kW) at 5600 rpm and 460 lb⋅ft (624 N⋅m) at 4000 rpm of torque unit[24] and the needed drive train upgrades. Cost a bit but clean conversion. Variable-ratio power steering was now standard with V8 models, and all 1975 models came with steel-belted radial tires and a catalytic converter. [18][25] Rear legroom has decreased from 38.5 in (978 mm) to 37.6 in (955 mm). Engine choices ranged from the standard 155 horsepower (116 kW) six-cylinder and 200-horsepower 307-cubic-inch V8, to a pair of 350 V8s and a pair of 402 engines. The North American version was offered in 2.5L. We understand that bad credit happens to good people and everyone deserves to drive a nice car, truck or SUV. The Malibu was an extensively used body style in NASCAR competition from 1973 to 1983. All 1969 Chevelles had a new locking steering column one year ahead of the Federal requirement,[20] and headrests required for all cars sold in the U.S. after January 1, 1969. [65] The Eco is not a Malibu LS, LT, or LTZ. $13.95. Only three of these (Malibu sport coupe, Malibu convertible, and El Camino pickup) were available with a choice of one of two SS options; RPO Z25 with the SS 396 (402 cid) engine and RPO Z15 with the new 454 cid engine. Gasoline cost of, Chevrolet Chevelle § First generation (1964-1967), Learn how and when to remove this template message, Chevrolet Chevelle § Second generation (1968-1972), Chevrolet_Chevelle § Third_generation_(1973–1977), Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, Transverse front-engine, front-wheel drive, https://media.chevrolet.com/dam/Media/documents/CA/Archives/EN/Vehicles/chevrolet/1997Malibu.html, http://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/automotive-history-snapshot-1981-chevrolet-malibu-iraqi-taxi/, https://jalopnik.com/this-chevy-malibu-tells-a-far-out-story-from-a-far-away-856827455, https://newsok.com/article/2920844/from-start-to-end-br-a-timeline-of-oklahoma-citys-gm-plant, "1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass GLS - Sneak Peek", https://newsok.com/article/2740529/conversion-nears-gm-workers-face-temporary-layoffs-before-production-change, "Dishonorable Mention: The 10 Most Embarrassing Award Winners in Automotive History- Yahoo! Reliable Autos LLC is widely recognized to be among the best in quality, reliability, value, and customer satisfaction in both sales and service. The six-cylinder version ran $90 less. New grilles and rear decks with revised taillights highlighted the 1969 Malibus and other Chevelles. The LS models were equipped with the four-speed transmission only. Power's 2014 Initial Quality Study. New round instrument pods replaced the former linear layout. A manual transmission was not offered. Clearances for spring travel were also revised; the coil springs at each wheel were computer-selected to match the individual car's weight. 81 = 229 V6 (110 hp), 231 (3.8 L) V6 (110 hp), 267 V8 (115 hp), 305 V8 (140 hp), 350 V8 (170 hp) The Malibu name was moved to GM's new Epsilon platform based on the 2002 Opel Vectra C for 2004. General Motors recalled 473,841 vehicles involving the Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura from model years 2007 through 2010 equipped with four-speed automatic transmissions. Another was a 15.3-cubic-foot (430 L) luggage capacity, an increase of 2.5 cubic feet (71 L) over 1972 models. Since the 307 V8 was the standard base V8 in 1971, it could not be ordered with the SS option; one had to order the LS3 402 or the LS5 454, or one of the two 350 V8 engines (L65 or L48 - which reintroduced the small block to the SS option for the first time since the 1965 model year for USA market Chevelles). Top engine option was now a 350 hp (261 kW; 355 PS) 327 cu in (5.4 L) V8. This move reduced horsepower ratings on the big-block engines to 300 for the 402 cubic-inch V8 but the LS5 454 option got an "advertised" five-horsepower increase to 365. Also new for 1966 was the Chevelle Malibu four-door Sport Sedan hardtop. The rare, and striking, 1980 Malibu M80 was a dealer package for only North and South Carolina. In 1981, General Motors of Canada (GMCL) produced a special order of 25,500 four-door Malibu sedans at their Oshawa plant for Saddam Hussein's Iraqi government. With the rear window regulators no longer required, Chevrolet was able to recess the door arm rests into the door cavity, resulting in a few extra inches of rear seat room. A two-door station wagon was available in 1964 and 1965 in the base 300 series. Hardtop coupes featured a semi-fastback, flowing roofline (with a long hood and short deck, influenced by the all-new Camaro. strikes. Chevelle wagons measured 10 inches (250 mm) shorter than full-size wagons and weighed about half a ton less, but sold much slower. All Chevelles were 13000 series. [32] This same model year also saw the deletion of the steering wheel mounted paddle shifters on 6AT cars in favor of a selector mounted rocker switch for manual operation; no reason was ever given for the change. Two-door hardtop coupes, and convertibles, four-door sedans, and four-door station wagons were offered throughout the entire run. [33][34], The 2008 Malibu received critical praise from the automotive press, with The New York Times referring to it as being "like a super Accord, but from GM" and Car and Driver magazine declaring, "Camry, Beware." It features Forward Collision Alert with Following Distance Indicator, Adaptive Cruise Control with Front Automatic Braking, and Front Pedestrian Alert with last-second automatic braking. This was possible because the Mexican emissions regulations remained relatively free at the time. [26] The interior design was revised, with a selection of two-tone color combinations (brick and tan two-tone), telescoping steering wheel, higher-quality materials and a twin-cowl dash design. In standard form, Chevelles had a 250 cu in (4.1 L) six-cylinder engine or a 145 hp (108 kW), 305 V8. [24][41], The short-lived Malibu Hybrid, along with its sister, the Saturn Aura Green Line, which share the powertrain and other major components, was particularly criticized due to its lack of fuel savings and cost (relative to a standard 4-cylinder Malibu), plus the Hybrid's worsened driving dynamics. The sole option beyond that was a 170 hp (127 kW), four-barrel 350 V8, which came as standard equipment in the Malibu Classic station wagon. The upscale luxury trim level for 1974 was the new Malibu Classic, offered in sedan, coupe, and station wagon models. [67] The IQS study "examines problems experienced by vehicle owners during the first 90 days of ownership." The fastback appearance was a revival of a streamlining bodystyle on all GM products from 1942 until 1950, as demonstrated on the Chevrolet Fleetline. 1970 also saw the introduction of the 454 cid engine and was only available with the RPO Z15 SS Equipment option. Chevrolet specifications for 1971 included both "gross" and "net" horsepower figures for all engines. Chevrolet honored California beach resorts once again by naming the top Chevelle series Laguna with the Malibu taking the middle spot while the base series was called simply Deluxe. In 2011, the base LS 1LS Malibu gained more standard features, like Bluetooth technology with stereo audio playback capability, a remote USB and iPod/iPhone port, remote start, a security alarm, an upgraded OnStar system, power front driver's seat, chrome hubcap wheel covers, body-colored side mirrors with power adjustments and body-colored accents, a single wood dashboard accent, tinted windows, and a six-speed automatic transmission with overdrive and manual shift capabilities. Chevelles sold in California were not available with the 307 V8, but had a 350-cubic-inch engine. Price=220.00Weight=4 each Ship: '66 Front Fenders. Bulging rear fender lines and a "flying buttress" roofline (tunneled into the "C" pillar) were highlights of the '66 hardtops, shared with other GM "A" body models. These Concours options (ZK5, ZK6, and ZK7) should not be confused with the two Concours station wagons. To permit usage of the lower-octane fuels, all engines featured low compression ratios (9:1 and lower; well below the 10.25-11.25:1 range on high-performance engines of 1970 and earlier). Fewer SS396-optioned 300 Deluxe coupes and sport coupes were built than their Malibu counterparts and they are solid gold for collectors. "[citation needed]. Chevrolet Malibu Forums Since 2007 Chevy Malibu Forum is the best place for owners of the sedan to connect with the community and discuss MPG, mods, and more. Black-accented Super Sports had F70x14 red-stripe tires and a standard 325-horsepower 396-cubic-inch Turbo-Jet V8 engine with the special twin-domed hood; 350 and 375-horsepower 396 engines were optional. 236.3K posts 83 = 229 V6 (110 hp), 231 (3.8 L) V6 (110 hp), 4.3 L V6 Diesel (85 hp), 305 V8, 350 V8 Diesel (105 hp). Extensive engineering and design went into the remodel. Originally conceived as an upsizing of the Chevy II with a unibody platform (similar to the Fairlane and the full-size Chrysler B-platform of the same era) which originated with the XP-726 program, GM's "senior compact" A-platform used a body-on-frame construction using a suspension setup similar to its full-sized automobiles with a four-link rear suspension (the differential has four control arms which are attached to the frame with rear coil springs sandwiched between the differential and spring pocket—this design was used with the B platform vehicles and later used by Ford Motor Company with its FOX platform automobiles). Come in today to visit Harbor Chevrolet located in Long Beach, CA and test drive a new or pre-owned Chevrolet car, truck, or SUV. SS396s produced from this point on shared the same VIN prefix with the Malibu sport coupe (136), with the exception of the 300 Deluxe based SS396s using (134), where the original buildsheet and/or Protect-O-Plate (which is an aluminum tag included with the original sales invoice from Chevrolet dealers) can ID a genuine SS (especially for a numbers matching original which is unaltered); however, the VIN number alone cannot ID a genuine SS as in previous years. [7] Introduced in August 1963 by "Bunkie" Knudsen, the Chevelle filled the gap for Chevrolet with sales of 338,286 for the year.[8]. [29] [2] Only two trim levels were offered - Malibu and Malibu Classic. The car was painted in "Sublime Lime" by BASF[12] and featured a highly modified turbocharged 3500 SFI 60-degree V6 (producing 230 hp (172 kW) at 5,000 rpm and 280 lb⋅ft (380 N⋅m) of torque at 2,900 rpm), a 4T65-E four-speed transmission with overdrive, a set of 19x8-inch wheels by Evo wrapped in Toyo Proxes T1-S high-performance tires. [35] Car and Driver stated that while it would not be "enough to steal the top-dog sales title from the perennial Honda and Toyota mid-sizers", they noted "for the first time since Chevrolet revived the storied nameplate in 1997, it has enough of what it needs to sell in significant numbers to the public, not just rental fleets". The Chevrolet Malibu is a mid-size car manufactured and marketed by Chevrolet from 1964 to 1983 and since 1997. The Canadian Malibu SS got its "SS" name from the "Sports Option" package under RPO A51 and was primarily a trim option. 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