The all-new 2016 Malibu is scheduled to debut at the 2015 New York Auto Show and ahead of that, Chevrolet has decided to detail some of the extreme testing conditions it's been subjected to in order to ensure that it's reliable and safe.
According to the company, this new sedan has been subjected to more than 1.5 million miles (about 2.4 million km) of tests in both the real world and laboratories. That's just marketing talk, but what's real are the extreme conditions experienced, more extreme than anything average motorists sample.
The sedan was driven in the Arizona desert at 107 degrees Fahrenheit (41.6 Celsius), after which the Canadian wilderness brought things to a chilly -13 (-25 Celsius).
“Although most Malibu owners will never put their car through similar abuse, we test all new vehicles in extreme climates, inclement weather and on punishing road surfaces,” said Dan Devine, Malibu validation engineer. “The 2016 Malibu is definitely up to these challenges.”
Most people will never venture outside if their thermometer shows 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 Celsius). Heck, that sounds like the hell on earth, but the 2016 Malibu can take it and even withstood 150,000 miles of potholes and speed bumps at the GM’s Milford Proving Ground in Michigan.
Built to last? Yes, but also more efficient than the previous generation, thanks to the use of high-strength steel which will shave off around 300 lbs (136 kg). The current generation dates back to 2012, which would make it one of the shortest lived cars in GM history. Word has it that both design and connectivity features will be so good, they will mark the return of the big American sedan.
We'd stop short of calling it a Corvette-based look, but it will certainly give the Ford Fusion a good jog for its money. Stay tuned for details, as the 2016 Malibu makes its way to an April 1st debut in New York.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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