2013 Chevrolet Malibu Arrives in China, 1.6L Turbo Engine Announced

When Chevrolet first started teasing us with a taillight from the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, we thought that the car would be more similar to its predecessor, offering a big V6 under the bonnet, as the 2006 model came with a big lump under the bonnet. However, GM has really thought this through and is offering region-specific engine and transmission.

The 2013 Malibu recently enjoyed its big day under the spotlights at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show, and the carmaker has revealed that it will be offered with 10 different 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder units that run on gasoline, diesel or LPG fuel and will be linked to manual and automatic transmissions.

In China, the mid-size will come with two naturally-aspirated gasoline engine options, a 2.0-liter and a 2.4-liter, both linked to a 6-speed automatic transmission. The model will be built in the major Asian market, and

However, the US automaker will also introduce a 1.6-liter turbocharged version for the international market, details of which are yet to be released. This sort of powertrain should do well in the European market and indicates that Chevy buyers are increasingly choosing smaller engines.

According to recent data released by the manufacturer, in 2007 four-cylinder models represented 23 percent of Chevrolet retail sales in the US, now that percentage has grown to double that, or 46 percent.

“The shift in consumer preference evidenced by Chevrolet’s lineup is a great example of how much four-cylinder engines have improved across the industry,” said Bill Visnic, auto analyst at AutoObserver. “Four cylinders used to be something to settle for. But advances in engine design and technology have made four-cylinder engines vastly more refined, and power output has increased to where V-6 engines were just a few years ago.”