In celebration of a key milestone, General Motors CEO Mary Barra gave away a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Monday, a feat that could never happen with the old Malibu, even with Oprah’s help.
The Malibu was given to retired U.S. Army corporal and Purple Heart recipient Trent Brining, who received his medal when a rocket-propelled grenade delivered severe injuries to his arms and legs while on patrol in Baghdad in 2005. Brining is currently a financial advisor for a local credit union near Overland Park, Kansas, 30 minutes south of where his new Malibu will be assembled later this year in nearby Fairfax.
Over the next two days, GM will select four other individuals to receive a new vehicle built in the region where they reside. The giveaways are in celebration of the automaker’s 500-millionth vehicle to leave the assembly line. Barra added her company expects to sell “more than 1,000 new vehicles per hour, 24 hours per day” during 2015, a figure that would deliver an estimated 10 million units in volume by the end of the year.
Speaking of Fairfax Assembly, Chevrolet global president Alan Batey announced the plant would receive a $174-million investment for new equipment and technology to help assemble the 2016 Malibu. The investment is part of GM’s overall $5.4-billion investment scheme to help improve its standing for years to come. Monday’s announcement follows the first one made last week in Michigan, where three facilities will split $783.5 million for similar improvements.
[Image credit: Chevrolet]
There should be a fifth remaining region for the Malibu give-away in southern Ontario, because Oshawa.
The way things are going, they’d better act fast.
@ Nick…..Oshawa Flex, isn’t going anywhere.
While I’m happy that MAlibu’s are growing, what’s with the odd CLA-like sheetmetal?
I was going to say it looks pretty sharp. Just hope there is enough headroom back there.
The design is aping the current Impala.
Dan I was going to say the same thing. It looks more like a small Avalon than a CLA from the side.
I thought it was aping the current 200.
That’s a bad thing?
It’s better-looking than the Impala.
It doesn’t look like a CLA to me (thankfully). Personally, I see a mix of Impala and Avalon – looks decent for its segment.
My reaction too. i hope it looks better from the rear than the CLA.
Another headless homunculus. Should help sell Equinox and Trax.
The first thing I noticed when I looked at this photo of an Impala was the very nice stone work on the garage behind it. It even continues into the driveway, how cool!
I don’t like that the front now looks similar to a Pokemon character having a sad.
That should have had a formal rear roofline like the Uglibu to contrast it with the Regal and to make it more useful.
I agree, but that would involve critical thinking.
There’s no way GM would’ve chanced compromising rear headroom in the model replacing the design with too little legroom.
A quick glance shows a Chrysler 200, which is how the new Malibu strikes me. Doesn’t even have the option of a decent V6 like the Chrysler has, and looks like getting in the back seat will be a head-banging exercise just like the 200.
Not much reason to buy one of these things over an Accord or Camry. In fact I cannot think of a single one. But a free one, sure.
GM is investing 174 million in Kansas?
Heck, for 174 million, you could practically BUY Kansas!
Don’t be silly – Kansas produces 4 million barrels of high grade crude oil a year, @$58/bbl = $242 million alone. It also produces over 500 million bushels of wheat a year, worth over $16 Billion. Mary Barra will have to put more cash on the hood.
Too bad it’s not a 5 door hatchback. It would work well with its exterior lines. And be unusual in its class.
I was thinking the same on making it a 5 door.
I like this new style. I think it is kind of hot. I do like the new Impala a lot, particularly in LTZ trim. This almost looks like a baby Impala, crossed with a 200.
I think that this is a half-size up from the 200, which is where that styling needs to be.
The 200 looks great, but the longer I look at them, the more I think “Dart”.
Put a different badge on this car and some would be falling over themselves on the brilliance of design. Call it a Lexus or Infiniti and there would be no comparing it to ones childhood best friend Pokemon, it would be labeled as another leader in that brand. Bottom line, the new Malibu is a great looking car, and will probably be quieter then any other sedan made in it’s price range.