Chevrolet Malibu is in the mid-range model range of General Motors. Serial production of the car began in 1962, it immediately reached the export level, which allowed to supply Malibu to the markets of four countries: the USA, Mexico, Canada and Israel. Strictly speaking, the first Chevrolet Malibu was called the Chevrolet Chevelle. Under this name, the model existed until 1977. Chevrolet Malibu did not quite match the size of the middle class cars of that time, it was slightly smaller.
However, his diminutiveness often played a positive role. In the early sixties, America already said goodbye to the huge limousines. The car market gradually filled with compact and maneuverable cars. Chevrolet Malibu, photos presented on the page, could not be better fitted into the new framework of automotive standards.
Two modifications of the Malibu - Chevrolet Malibu Landau and Chevrolet Malibu Classic - came off the assembly line. Malibu Landau had a signature difference - a two-tone body and a plastic roof. In 1978, the cars were equipped with engines of four types, there were two V-shaped six-cylinder and two V-shaped with eight cylinders. The power of the first was 100 and 105 hp. Respectively, and two V8 developed thrust in 145 and 165 hp. These motors were assembled with three- and four-speed manual gearboxes. Switching the speeds on the steering wheel was traditional for American cars of that time.
As for the bodywork, the Chevrolet Malibu was produced in three versions - a station wagon, a four-door sedan and a two-door coupe. The sedan was used as a regular version of special vehicles, police and other law enforcement agencies, as it was a convenient rear-wheel drive car with reliable characteristics.
In 1979, the Chevrolet Malibu received a new V8 engine with a power of 126 hp. With a cylinder capacity of 4.4 liters. All cars with this engine also came to the garage of municipal services. A quick, dynamic car met all the tasks of police patrolling and could demonstrate its excellent speed qualities.
1980 was marked for Malibu by the release of a unique new model Chevrolet Malibu M80. The appearance of this car was a curtsey towards the past, but not forgotten era of large American cars. The series was small, the cars dispersed in a matter of days. Until now, the number of Chevrolet Malibu M80 is unknown. But it is known that the unit went under the engine in 170 hp. The Iraqi rulers tried to order this model, but they could not promise the right number of cars, in the end Baghdad reoriented its order for the standard version of Chevrolet Malibu, the technical specifications of which met all the customer's requirements (12,000 cars were bought for the taxi fleet of the country).
In 1983, after twenty years of successful production, Chevrolet Malibu was removed from the assembly line. The second generation appeared only after 15 years. General Motors introduced a completely new front-wheel drive car in 1997, this was the beginning of the next era of Chevrolet Malibu. A four-door sedan with streamlined bodywork with smooth body lines became the owner of the title "Car of the Year" in the nomination of the magazine "Motor Trend" in the same year. Further Chevrolet Malibu improved from year to year, the engine power was increased, aerodynamics improved. In 2005 the car was named Chevrolet Malibu Classic, under this name the fifth generation of Chevrolet Malibu got a start.