Did The Chevrolet Malibu Miss Its True Calling As An El Camino Pickup Truck?

The wild cars of the Guanzhou Auto Show continue to drop and the latest is from Chevrolet, which brought a selection of fascinating modified vehicles to the show floor. This one, a Malibu converted into a pickup is, to my eye, the most interesting.

Although Ute conversions aren’t groundbreaking, some are more successful than others. This Malibu converted into a pickup may make some people realize that a modern El Camino has been missing from their lives.

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Starting with the idea of chopping the back half of the roof off of a Malibu and carving out everything behind the front row of seats to make a pickup bed, the tuners responsible for this conversion certainly weren’t constrained by a lack of ambition.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8tjytyHuxg

They continued on with a half roll cage in the bed over top of (what looks like) an air ride system and put wooden slats down on the bed floor for that beach vibe. The Malibu is painted a robin’s egg blue on the bottom and white on top, another successful nod to the classics.

Although it’s unclear if the engine has been modified, it’s clear that significant time has been spent under the Ute. With sided-exit exhausts, a widened track, and big fenders, as well a front splitter, a rear spoiler, and a rear diffusor, the Malibute looks like it might be pretty handy on an autocross course.

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The interior, too, has been given much attention. Although it has a rich brown leather interior, the real star is the steering wheel. A thin ’60s-style wheel, what it lacks in space for airbags, it makes up for in retro-cool.

Ultimately, it’s a very successful build and makes me wonder if a Malibute could have been successful. Can America sustain a sedan-turned-pickup or must it be satisfied with only SUVs converted to pickups?