GM Kills off the Malibu :-(

teamzr1

Supporting vendor
The Chevrolet Malibu is no more, killed off so parent company General Motors can focus on electric vehicles and hybrids.

GM - which confirmed the decision Thursday - has sold more than 10 million Malibus since 1964 worldwide and will end production in November.
The gasoline-powered sedan was a stalwart of family garages for decades after launch.
But sales started to decline in the early 2000s as the SUV became popular and pickup truck sales grew.

However, it was President Joey OBiden's push for automakers to move away from gas cars to electric has proved to be the final nail in the coffin for the Malibu.
The Detroit automaker is investing $390 million at its Kansas assembly plant to build next-generation Chevrolet Bolt EVs instead.

GM has been shifting away from cars in favor of building more SUVs in recent years. It had already halted production of the prior generation Bolt in December.
The Malibu is the last remaining Chevrolet car offered in the United States, besides the Corvette.
GM ended production of the Chevrolet Camaro late last year.
Those watching classic shows like Colombo and Bewitched, filmed in the 1970s and 1980s - also saw the car.

In 1964, the Chevrolet Malibu roared onto the scene, as am upmarket version of the already popular Chevrolet Chevelle.

It came in a variety of styles. There was an upmarket four-door sedan, a sporty two-door-coupe hardtop, and a practical two-seat station wagon.
With a variety of engines including a high-performance one - and plush interiors, it became a hit among Americans.

But tastes for cars are changing - with bigger SUVs now popular. And automakers are increasingly looking to produce more EVs.
In March, president Joe Biden rolled out drastic new rules that force automakers to focus on EVs and hybrids and limit the sale of gas-powered vehicles by 2032

Midsize sedans like the Malibu were once the top-selling type of car in the US, a stalwart of family garages nationwide.
But their sales started to decline in the early 2000s as SUVs became more prominent and pickup truck sales grew. Now the U.S. auto market is dominated by SUVs and trucks.

GM's factory in Kansas City, Kansas, which now makes the Malibu and the Cadillac XT4 small SUV, will stop making the Malibu in November and the XT4 in January.
The plant will get a $390 million retooling to make a new version of the Chevrolet Bolt small electric car.
The plant will begin producing the Bolt and XT4 on the same assembly line in late 2025, giving the plant the flexibility to respond to customer demands, the company said.

Malibu.jpg
 

Roscobbc

Moderator
2024/25 Malibu is a bit 'anonymous' Jon - all too easy to miss it in a car park full of 'lookalikeys' - is it such a loss?
9d55b07c2376cf87f64faa52210e228a.jpg
 

teamzr1

Supporting vendor
I understand your meaning, but my point is if people look at all this
How many Chevy car models alone were there, Now add all the car models for Cady, Buick, Olds, etc
countless nameplate names

Now think about how many cars (not SUV or truck) models are left ?
Can anyone name GM car models as of today other than Corvette ?
 

Roscobbc

Moderator
Much like here in UK - we've lost Ford's Focus, Fiesta, Mondeo in recent years........all cars that were high sellers here and in Europe.
 

C5Steve

CCCUK Member
I didn't even realise they still made a Malibu! But I get the sentiment, as Roscobbc says it's the same as Ford cancelling or renaming models over here. Sad times.
 

Roscobbc

Moderator
I didn't even realise they still made a Malibu! But I get the sentiment, as Roscobbc says it's the same as Ford cancelling or renaming models over here. Sad times.
It all comes in stages........70's saw the demise of the Rootes Group, so cars like Humber, Hillman, Singer and Sunbeam were swallowed-up by Chrysler and later PSA Group. Also Austin, Morris, Riley, Wolsely, Daimler and Jaguar, earlier swallowed-up as British Leyland group more or less disappeared just leaving Rover (we know what happened to them). Kinda ironic that 'surviving' brands in Europe (like BMW, Audi & MB) haven't destroyed individual their strong brand identities yet have (especially BMW) diversified in to huge and often bewildering and seemingly duplicitous rangees of sub-models.
The USA has seen similarities as here in UK with the loss of once strong brand identities...........where will it all end one might ask?
 
Top