Chevrolet Teases 2013 Malibu Ahead of Global Unveiling

It really looks like the big American automakers have taken the lessons learned during the economic crisis to heart. Ford is making the new Focus a global product, while GM has the Volt. There can be no denying that the Chevrolet Malibu is an important product, with a loyal following, in the United States, so they could have stuck with the home market.

However, the carmaker has chosen to make the 2013 model a global product, sold in nearly 100 Countries on six continents. The challenge of making a car that appeals to such a wide variety of cultures is hard but the rewards can be substantial.

This image is the first look we get at the 2013 Chevy model, which is due to be officially unveiled at the 2011 New York and Shanghai Auto Shows in April 19th. So far, all we get is a little teaser, showing the rear of the car and some details regarding the specs, but the fact that the picture revealed by GM bears the number ‘009’ could mean we might get another teaser by the time of the launch.

GM’s press makes a big point of the Malibu’s previous sales success in the States, but does not reveal much about what will really interest customers: the powertrain configurations.

We can speculate that the carmaker’s current four-cylinder engines (2.4 and 2.0-liter) and six-speed transmission will make their way into the 2013 model, but we can’t be sure of the V6 option. The current Malibu comes with a 3.6-liter 2LT six-cylinder unit with 252 hp, but this could be replaced by more frugal engines in the future.

A hybrid version is also highly probable, as GM makes use of the eAssist tech in the some Buick modes of the same size. Given the 2013 designation, we don’t expect to see the car on sale unit next year.