Best Selling Cars Around The Globe: Is the Malibu Nameplate Reborn?
After a look at those (surprisingly few) models that sold over a million annual units, after traveling 20 years back to the year of the Taurus and the much-anticipated May World Roundup, today we’re going back to basics and put the spotlight on the good old US market.
Bored with home? That’s ok, because you can check out the best-selling cars in 167 additional countries and territories on my blog. They’re all there and they’re waiting for you so click away!
Back to the US.
In June the Chevrolet Malibu sold 31,402 units, the nameplate’s highest monthly volume in… 32 years!
2012 and 1980 Chevy Malibu. Spot the differences…
While General Motors delivers its highest monthly volume since September 2008 with 248,750 sales, the Malibu was up 32 percent year-on-year and indeed passed the 30,000 units mark, just 705 units short of becoming the country’s best-selling passenger car: the Toyota Camry kept that title in third place overall with 32,107 units.
Now I don’t have monthly figures going back that far but the last time the Chevrolet Malibu was at comparable levels it was in 1979-1980. Back then, the Malibu finished 1979 with 344,233 sales making it 4th overall behind the Chevy Impala/Caprice, the Oldsmobile Cutlass and the Chevy Chevette. In 1980 with 267,732 units, the Malibu was #4 again behind the Chevrolet Citation, Chevrolet Chevette and Ford Fairmont.
The Malibu must have sold over 30,000 monthly units at some stage during those 2 years, before falling below 250,000 annual sales ever since and never getting another chance at tickling these sales levels… until today.
So is the Malibu nameplate reborn?
Is this just a peak due to a one-off order from rental car companies? An exceptionally strong month for fleets?
Are Americans ready to buy American sedans again?
Yes that old chestnut… but really, what do you think?
Does the Chevrolet Malibu deserve to be the best-selling passenger car in its native country?
There. I have asked the Big Question.
I need your point of view dear readers, so take it away!
USA June 2012 Top 10 best-selling models:
PosModelJune/11May2012/11Pos20111Ford F-Series55,02511%1301,14114%112Chevrolet Silverado33,5663%3194,5086%323Toyota Camry32,10750%2213,90345%234Chevrolet Malibu31,40232%7141,43715%9145Honda Accord28,92484%6155,17822%696Ford Escape28,50028%12127,1674%1357Honda Civic27,50057%4162,58227%4128Toyota Corolla26,64741%5151,72611%789Ford Fusion24,43317%8136,8494%11610Dodge Ram23,95112%9138,85124%107You can see the US June 2012 Top 30 here
You can check out the US Full Year 1979 Top 10 here
You can check out the US Full Year 1980 Too 10 here
Matt Gasnier, based in Sydney, Australia, runs a blog named Best Selling Cars, dedicated to counting cars all over the world.
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my uncle had a 78, it was simple, ultra-reliable transportation, and RWD folks, everything went down the drain with the god awful FWD configuration.
Back to the original question... Does the Chevrolet Malibu deserve to be the best-selling passenger car in its native country? 2012 Malibus in this area are 3-8k discounted, increasing sales. The 2013 Fusion should be the one. New design and engines will win.