Nov 27, 2012

New Chevrolet Malibu, Test Drive



After 35 years since its inception (it was 1964) and after 9.6 million units sold, the eighth-generation Malibu arrives for the first time in Europe. After making his debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2011, the new baby of the house is the new flagship of the Chevrolet brand in Europe. In the past it was an immediate success, so much to sell a total of over 200,000 units in the first year. With a wheelbase of 2,737 mm and a width of 1,855 mm, the car is well planted on the ground. The impression of stability is enhanced by the large 18-inch alloy wheels. The grid Chevrolet split, divided in ratio 30/70 between the top and bottom and equipped with chrome frame, with the bow-tie at the center, is one of the main characteristics of the bodywork of Malibu. Within the large headlights are tapered headlamps xenon. The housings of the headlights are distinguished by chrome effect "jewel" and direction indicators LED integrated into the lower edge. Malibu is characterized by strong and defined shoulders back and edgy taillights four elements that draw inspiration from those mounted on Camaro.


Engineers and designers have spent about 400 hours in the wind tunnel. Among the many interventions to improve the aerodynamics of Malibu is worth mentioning the following: 
- rounded front corners - from the bottom of the bumper to the front headlights - to encourage the flow of air along the sides of the body of Malibu 
- mirrors exterior mirrors specifically designed to deflect wind without impeding the flow of air 
- spoiler integrated into the boot lid with brake light with LED mounted in a high position and central location. E 'with an edge net which helps to separate the flow of air from the rear of Malibu.

In Malibu, the interior designers have created a comfortable and refined. The integrated center console dominates the typical split dashboard is home to Chevrolet and the touch screen in color. The dashboard naturally continues in the doors and is characterized by the ornamental band with black chrome inserts that follows the entire length of the dashboard until the outlets outer front of heating and ventilation.

Behind the wheel, three-spoke, the instrument cluster with two indicators has a sporty character and brings a clear glare-free light. The housings of the two indicators are inspired by those of the Camaro. At the center is the on-board computer that shows various data such as average speed, mileage, tire pressure, fuel consumption, etc.. The dashboard and a number of control knobs and compartments are highlighted by ice blue backlight, a characteristic of Chevrolet. The backlight of the dashboard, decorative band, chrome accents and door is made with the technology of the light tubes.

The aerodynamic shape of Malibu and the strategic application of insulating materials in many places led to the creation of a car extremely quiet. The stiff body structure and isolated engine cradle are functional to reduce noise and vibration. Among other interventions to reduce noise include: 
- doors with triple seals 
- wipers positioned below 
- strategic application of acoustic insulating foam in the cavities of the body structure 
- acoustic laminated windshield and roof panels are laser welded 
- sound-absorbing materials and liquid melting 
- acoustic panel in the trunk to reduce the noise generated around the wheel arches 
- water deflectors perimeter insulation completely sealed on all four doors

Comfortable seats
The seats of Malibu ensure at the same time excellent support and comfort and are made ​​of foam and durometer frame of high strength steel. Compared with the traditional structures of the seats, allow more room for the legs and knees of the rear passengers and save about 10% by weight. Everybody is able to find its ideal position, thanks to the column adjustable in height and inclination of series and to 266 mm stroke and 60 mm of height adjustment of the seat. The interiors are characterized by electric and heated front seats with memory function, lumbar support and sporting trim in leather.

Standard is included radio with CD player connected to the touch-screen 7-inch color and a premium system with 9 speakers. The screen can be used for many functions, including navigation and viewing of photographs, and is equipped with Bluetooth wireless connection to use mobile phones through a voice recognition system. The radio is equipped with steering wheel controls. The Malibu is equipped with dual-zone automatic air conditioning as standard with anti-pollution and anti-odor filter. spacious Interior The interior of the new Malibu offers plenty of room for passengers high, a feature that is particularly valuable in the longer trips. The height of the interior space is 991 mm (rear: 952 mm), the legroom of 1069 mm (rear: 946 mm), and the shoulder of 1,461 mm (rear: 1,450 mm). With a luggage compartment of 545 liters, the Malibu also has a lot of cargo space. If not enough, you can break down the rear seats are asymmetrical (60/40) to increase the load capacity.

Passengers can store personal items in a hidden compartment behind the 7-inch touch screen radio, which slides up and down. Other items can be placed in the large illuminated glove box, center console under the armrest folding in the side compartments and door pockets that can hold a 1 liter bottle. The sunglasses are found within a compartment at the top. The rear seat passengers have at their disposal an armrest with cup holders and a further compartment for small items. The keyless entry system allows you to keep the key in your pocket when you open, close and start the car. Inside, a launcher eliminates the need to insert and turn the key to start the engine. Technology Who will buy Chevrolet Malibu will be able to take full advantage of the characteristics of the diesel engine 2.0L. Built in Kaiserslautern, Germany, delivers 160 hp at 4,000 rpm, with maximum torque of 350 Nm at 1,750 rpm. Among the main features of the engine include the common rail high-pressure injection (four valves per cylinder), the double overhead camshaft and advanced variable geometry turbocharger with intercooler.



With a manual gearbox, the engine accelerates from 0 to 100 km / h in 9.7 seconds and reaches a top speed of 213 km / h. Fuel consumption in the combined cycle of 5.1 litres/100km, equivalent to CO2 emissions of 134 g / km. The engine is equipped with a maintenance-free particulate filter.

The motor can be selected with the six-speed automatic transmission. On manual transmission all gears are synchronized, including reverse. It 'also available six-speed automatic transmission. It is a gearbox with Driver Shift Control (DSC), which allows you to change gear manually. Among the gearshift is adaptive automatic braking that requires the change to remain in a lower gear if the vehicle slows down or moves at low speed downhill.

The technicians who worked on the new Malibu have road tested the car for a million miles (1.6 million km) for about 22 months on six continents.

The configuration of Malibu Pitch - 2,737 mm and front and rear track of 1,583 and 1,585 mm respectively - and a body wrap has been the basis from which the engineers have calibrated the dynamic characteristics of the vehicle. A key element of the dynamics of Malibu is improved steering system with ZF that provides a smooth transition between the different relationships and a sense of stability. The electric power steering box mounted on the steering (EPS) helps to reduce fuel consumption. The optimal braking capacity is provided by disc brakes ventilated front and solid rear brake calipers with aluminum. A series of electronic systems intervenes in a manner imperceptible to increase the feeling of control of the driver, including:


- Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with integrated yaw rate sensor, lateral accelerometer and steering angle sensor 
- Traction Control (TC) which ensures traction limiting the loss of adherence of one or both of the front wheels 
- four-channel ABS with Electronic Braking Distribution (EBD), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), Brake Insufficient Clearing System (Hydraulic Brake Fade Assist) system and Brake Assist. EBD distributes the braking pressure while the CBC takes action to correct oversteer or understeer when the car brakes in a bend. The Clearing System Insufficient braking (Hydraulic Brake Fade Assist) compensates for the loss of braking power when braking fully repeated. If you need to make an emergency stop, the brake assist system increases the braking power. 
- Assist System hill start Hill-start Assist - standard 
- Rear parking sensors - standard. This device uses a system of triangulation to determine the distance to any object and activates an alarm if you get too close. , the Malibu is equipped with cruise control is controlled by buttons on the steering wheel. The electronic parking brake is standard on all models. You enter by pressing a button on the center console and automatically unlocks by pressing the accelerator pedal.


Outstanding Safety
Passenger safety is a priority when designing the Malibu, which is among the safest cars in its segment. In November 2011, experts from the European New Car Assessment Programme (EuroNCAP) assigned to Malibu five stars, the highest rating.

In addition to a sophisticated electronic control system, Malibu is equipped with a security structure very robust, 65% of which is composed of high-strength steels (HSS) for maximum protection in the event of an accident. The front and rear crumple zones have been designed to yield in a controlled manner thus absorbing the energy released in case of impact: the front subframe, the longitudinal elements and the upper bars which run down to the lower area of ​​the front uprights create three load paths that dissipate energy in a frontal collision. The rear section is designed to direct the energy of the impact towards the lower zone of the rear uprights, the wheel arches and the underbody.

Malibu is equipped with six airbags activated form of diagnostic sensors, including dual-stage airbags for driver and front passenger airbags, front seat-mounted for thorax and pelvis airbags and inserted into the roof bars. The active front head restraints for protection against whiplash, five seat belts with three anchor points, with pre-tensioners and load limiters on the two front seat belts, and collapsible pedals are part of the complete set of safety equipment provided as standard . The child seats can be securely anchored to the two outer rear seats tested using the Isofix mounting system. Among the actions for the protection of pedestrians in the event of an accident there is adequate space between the bonnet and engine, and the adoption of a hood 'soft', with large openings on internal flexibility and stiffness. Three Year Warranty Every new Malibu in Europe will be equipped with three-year warranty or 100,000 km, six-year anti-corrosion warranty and one-year emergency roadside assistance.

Pricing
On sale this September, the Malibu has a price ranging from € 31,000 with the manual gearbox, at € 32,300 with the automatic.

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