Just last month, our spy associates snapped GM engineers testing the next Chevrolet Malibu in Europe, and now, we caught the mid-size sedan in the States.
Too bad it retains the black sheets in these shots provided by Carscoops reader Brett Borgard, though we can still pinpoint several elements of the design highlighted by the sloping roofline and the stretched rear window that almost discard the trunk lid.
It’s pretty evident from the Audi A7-esque shape that GM wants to give the next Malibu a more youthful and dynamic appearance.
The front-end of the car looks more squared off and will probably keep a certain family resemblance with the bigger Impala.
The pictures (notice the longer rear doors) suggest that the Malibu’s replacement will ride on longer wheelbase to improve the car’s rear passenger legroom, which is considered one of the current model’s main weak spots.
It’s too early for GM to be talking official details, but the Malibu is believed to be based on an updated version of the firm’s global Epsilon II platform, possibly offering the option of all-wheel drive.
Don’t expect to see anything other than four-cylinder engines in atmospheric (2.5-liter), turbocharged and hybrid versions powering the Malibu.
If GM releases the new Malibu at the end of 2015 or in the beginning of 2016, as we hear, it will have a 2016MY moniker, but if there’s a delay, it could get a 2017MY designation.
We salute Brett for the scoop!
Photo Gallery
