This is the first official photo of the all-new Chevrolet Malibu show car that will debut simultaneously at the Shanghai Auto Show in China and the New York International Auto Show in mid-April. And if you’re wondering why GM made plans to show it in China, that’s because unlike the current model that’s offered only in North America, the new Malibu will be a global vehicle that will be sold in nearly 100 countries on six continents and built in multiple locations, including China and two facilities in the United States.

“This Malibu takes Chevrolet’s established and award-winning nameplate to new places and introduces it to new audiences around the world,” said Rick Scheidt, vice president of Chevrolet. “Whether the Malibu is sold in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, or Australia, it has been engineered from the ground up to meet the needs of customers around the world.”

The cropped photo of the new Malibu’s rear-end reveals the Camaro-esque squared taillights and confirms the patent designs we first showed more than a year ago. GM said that its newcomer in the mid-size segment was designed to stand out in all markets around the globe, adding that it will come with “European-inspired driving characteristics”.

Evidently, the engine lineup will differ from market to market, but GM said it will feature a global family of fuel-efficient and powerful four-cylinder engines, along with six-speed transmissions. Buyers should expect a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline as well as a hybrid variant in the near feature.

The new Malibu will be introduced onto the market within the next year as a 2013 model. We’ll have more details from the official reveal on April 18.

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