Staying true to its promise of making the all-new Malibu a global vehicle available in nearly 100 countries worldwide, Chevrolet will debut the 2013 ‘Bu for the European market at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show in September. The Epsilon II-based midsizer will go on sale in 2012 to become Chevy’s flagship in Europe (replacing the craptastic Tosca). This will be the first time the Malibu nameplate will see European shores.
The European Malibu will differ from its North American twin by cradling a different set of powertrains, a 2.0 liter gas-sipping unit good for 165 horses as well as a 2.4 liter diesel mill rated at 169 ponies. By contrast, the American-market Malibu will start production equipped with a 2.5 liter naturally-aspirated ECOTEC four-banger. And unlike in North America, where the Malibu will only be available with a six-speed automatic, the European variant will have the option for manual and automatic gearboxes.
The ‘Bu will offer nine exterior hues, four interior color combinations, and wheels that range from 17 to 18 inches in size. It will be built at GM’s manufacturing facilities around the world, including the United States, China, and South Korea. In Australia, the Malibu will sport the Holden badge.
It will be interesting to see whether Europeans will get the Malibu ECO equipped with GM’s mild-hybrid system.
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