I read in Motor Trend that the next Malibu would be built on the same platform as the Regal & that the new Impala would be Lacrosse based. time will tell which is accurate or not.

I read on automativenes.com that the new Malibu will be out in 20011. The article was about GM speading up production of all vehicles that were put on hold during bk.

I was hoping for some pics of the mock up.

Absolutely outstanding… after decades in the auto biz Lutz has discovered the power of chrome. I’d quit now while I was at the top of my game if I were him.

I wonder if they’re “accelerating” that Aveo with a turbo and a fart can.

Sure, more chrome. Yes, that’s it. While you’re at it, add wood decals to the side, eight headlights and an Edna on the roof.

corny name, however you look at it

Lutz’s and his chrome. He wrecked the second-generation Cadillac CTS with it, and it will continue to do so with other models. Is this his new adviser role at GM: Chrome Monger? All the more the reason that the longer GM keeps Lutz the faster GM will fall (if that’s possible).

Regal and LaCrosse are on the same architecture, Epsilon II. The new Malibu will be as wide as the LaCrosse but with a shorter wheelbase (Regals?) putting it into the midsize segment. I would imagine the Impala will also be Epsilon based but with the longer wheelbase of the LaCrosse, putting it into the large segment with the LaCrosse and Accord. Perhaps they can stretch the wheelbase even further for more interior room.

Kind of a duh press conference – we all knew this was going to be on the new LaCrosse platform.

Ashes – shut up. Seriously, Lutz is a man who knows cars and will do what’s best for GM. I’m sure he’s talking about tasteful chrome as opposed to just chrome in general. I prefer the polished aluminum look of Audi and my Volvo – but that’s just me. Alot of Americans like chrome, so he knows the market well.

Oh Mr Lutz we can’t wait for the Mud Flaps and the Wire Wheel Covers ! This is why GM Fails time and time again they make 1 Step Forward and trip 2 Steps Back.
“Quality not Chrome” is why Americans buy Foreign Vehicles maybe I’m mistaken but I have not seen a lot of Chrome on the Top 5 selling cars.

Top 5 Selling Cars Of 2008

Toyota Camry: 436,617
Honda Accord: 372,789
Toyota Corolla: 351,007
Honda Civic: 339,289
Nissan Altima: 269,668

-Sarge

Chrome goes into and out of fashion. Its in right now. Look at any European car.

Back in the late 90’s we were doing everything to take chrome off like black chrome and black highlights.

http://z.about.com/d/cars/1/0/Y/z/1/jf_09accord_Grille.jpg

you don’t see a lot of chrome on this?

really?

lulz

Sarge, yes the low end cars that sell a lot due to affordability do not have as much chrome as their higher end brethen.

As Lutz said high end sedans, such as Lexus, have chrome door handles and chrome around the side glass. As do other high end vehicles.

On top of that Leftwing – the top end Accord has Chrome on the door handles, extra chrome on the grill and extended chrome rear exhausts. No chrome, eh?

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41XWLWk9LSL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

Well I see these Grills have Chrome on most current cars which is true but I was referring to the Entire Car the “Monochromatic” IE Void Of All Chrome look I have not seen since Miami Vice went off the Air. Adding more chrome to the Malibu to me would ruin the clean look it has. Again I’m not claim the Competition has Zero Chrome I just don’t see “a lot” of Chrome ALL Over the vehicles,

-Sarge

But Lutz seems to be making the point that the chrome is what gets people to buy the car. When I hear the boss of M-B, BMW, or even Infiniti or Lexus extoll the virtues of chrome as marker of the value of their cars, I will give Lutz a break. But right now he is so GM circa 1980. Juggling superficialities like chrome to try to keep up with the ever-elusive competition, never really making the better car.

“Nothing adds perceived value to a car faster than that chrome surround around the side glass

Well maybe I’m a Little too Conventional and conservative but I grade Value it “Actual Terms” and not “Perceived Terms”. Some may accept $50.00 worth of Chrome and see Quality I am a little more demanding than to be taken in by seeing something shiny and buying it. That has been the problem with the American auto makers the think they can pass of something shiny and it will be good enough. I’d rather that $50 Dollar spent on a better Quality Suspension or Interior Materials.

-Sarge

mitzo

i could not have stated it better thank you !

-Sarge

“Now that GM has exited bankruptcy and gained access to funding…”

You mean taken taxpayer dollars under the auspicies of a loan and then claiming they’re going to pay back the debt next year… all $6.7B when in reality us taxpayers are owed closer to $65B.

That access to funding?

FUNNY, here we go again. Anything to hate on GM.

Lutz said he wanted to put chrome around the side windows. Not ALL OVER the car. Amazing. Take a comment and twist it out of shape. Just amazing.

And to Lutz’s point we can count on one hand the number of higher end vehicles that DO NOT have chrome around the side windows.

Just crazy.

If anything this shows that GM is not cheaping out like they used to, to save a couple dollars.

I’ll tell you what is Funny but maybe Mr Lutz should look at his current Chevy Malibu :

2010 Chevy Malibu
http://www.chevrolet.com/malibu/

I see “Chrome Door Handles And Chrome Around The Side Glass” on the Malibu

Now That My Friend Is Just Crazy

-Sarge

You can put chrome accents all over a Suzuki, it’s still going to be a piece of s*it. Chrome accents do add a nice touch, but they can also make the car look overdone in my opinion. GM just needs to stay focused on building efficient, reliable, and overall solid quality vehicles. As long as they do that, they won’t need the chrome.

are you guys seriously debating the use of chrome? really? some of you are really stretching it be internet funny.

The issue is not the Chrome the issue is Lutz’s emphasis on it. I mean dame he could have stated something about Smoothing the Idle of the 4 Cylinder engine or firmer high speed handling No “He” gave us the finer art of putting Chrome on a car to increase it’s “Perceived Value” I want my Car Value Real and not Perceived

-Sarge

fact is, no matter what lutz was quoted for (it could be “hey, i love cheetohs, they’re cheesy!”) and he’d still get a mountain of **** piled on him for liking a snack food…this is LLN, where nobody wins…everything has to be pulled apart and dissected and criticized…c’mon, bauer, don’t pretend this is news to you!

Actually, I see a lot of us here are not just piling up on Lutz and GM, but dismayed to see the company determined to be the WalMart sweat pants in a world of designer duds.

well just because he says something doesnt mean its gospel, anyone intelligent here knows he runs his mouth sometimes.

Hmm…this means maybe Malibu may come in AWD.

Now if they can get a hybrid that’s on par w/the Ford Fusion hybrid, they may have a bunch more customers.

It really pains me to pay salary for this a$$hole. And need I remind you’ll it is rather large salary.

what pains me is people bitching about the loan almost a year after it happened, as if they had a say in what the government does with our money.

carstuff.. you can count on an even longer wheelbase stretch to the LaCrosse platform when it goes underneath the next Caddy DSTS. If the Malibu does end up remaining on the longer LaCrosse wheelbase (as opposed to the 4″ shorter Regal chassis), that would mean the next Impala would have to ride on the Aussie Caprice platform to be a larger vehicle. According to the Chevy talking head at the LA Auto Show, that has not yet been ruled out with the police-spec Caprice coming here.

I read somewhere that the Malibu would be on the Regal wheelbase. Makes sense it they keep the Impala and need some distance between the two.

You are right with a need for a longer wheelbase version of EPS II when the larger Caddy is built on it.

With Fritz gone and Mark in charge an Aussie Impala is possible. Would be pretty quick to do it.

Amazing to read how some people twist words because they are so angry inside. Ths side-glass chrome-surround is a great idea. Some idiots on here act like Lutz said they were going to abandon all of their previous and future efforts towards quality and focus on amassing chrome on all their vehicles from now on. You are a bunch of kids that come off as intimidated. GM has been improving quality but also needs to focus on perception. Not to mention this story doesn’t tell how people were apparently gawking at the new Malibu when it was revealed at the press preview. Not a single negative comment about its looks from what I read. I understand that Lutz must have made this chrome comment but it just seems like an odd and poorly integrated quote for this story.

Is it a realease date of 2012? Or actually model year 2012 to be realeased in 2010 or 11?

I think what was said at the press review is that Chevy is taking it up a notch in visible content. Chrome was an example. Chevy is the value end of GM and Lutz remark was made to show that a little cost can be perceived as a higher end vehicle.

The current Malibu looks a bunch more premium than the Camry or Accord. It looks Audiesque.

From car and Driver:

“The exterior styling is modern, distinctive, and more European than anything else in a Chevy showroom.”

Lutz said 2 years, which if accurate, would mean a 2012 model.

The Malibu has so many good moves, is so much better looking than the Honda or Toyota, yet americans keep turning their back on an american company to support the japs. Weird. Makes me laugh when you talk about patriotism.

I wonder why their changing the Malibu (just won car of the year). Could it be that it is approx. 70 in. wide (around Neon width – 2600 lbs) and weighs 3500 lbs in 4 cyl. form? Oh the useful idiots.

Because when the new one comes out it will be almost 5 years old.

Well……tons of gaudy, ugly chrome hasn’t helped the Edge, Flex, Fusion, F-150, Super Doodie, Focus, Taurus, etc.