Ahead of its arrival here in the U.S, General Motors has been rigorously testing the all-new 2013 Chevrolet Malibu. As part of this testing, engineers have already traversed 1 million miles in the new Malibu across six continents.
The new Malibu will truly be a global car, as it’s slated to be sold in 100 countries on 6 continents. As such, engineers wanted to ensure the vehicle delivered the utmost level of comfort, quality, and durability, before it entered showrooms.
“You learn a lot about a car when you spend so much time in it – and that’s exactly the point,” said Mark Moussa, global chief engineer. “In the last year and a half, during every minute of the day, a 2013 Malibu has been driving somewhere around the world – all to make it the best car it can be.”
Early prototypes were hand-built and deployed across the global. On the highways and back roads of the United States, Canada, Australia, South Korea, China, England, Dubai and Germany, engineers evaluated the performance of every part of the new sedan, from the Malibu’s air conditioning system to its seat comfort. Even the coin holders were evaluated.
“Along more significant differences among markets, such as powertrains, there is a myriad of small details that vary in markets around the globe and they must all be validated in real-world driving tests,” said Moussa. “Even small things such as holders for toll change or tickets varies for different markets.”
The 2013 Malibu will serve as a flagship Chevrolet midsize in many parts of the world. It will arrive in U.S. dealerships in the first quarter of next year with a base price of $25,995.
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