Chevrolet Malibu, the Most Eye-Catching Car in Shanghai

Forget about Car of the Year titles! The title of Most Eye-Catching Car is the title to shoot for in China, the new land of all opportunities for automakers around the world. Awarded during the Shanghai Auto Show, the title went this year to Chevrolet's new Malibu, the global car with which the Americans hope to bring the yellow logo into the spotlight.

The achievement is not only the result of the vote cast by a more or less arbitrary jury, but also of the preferences of the public. In all, 5.2 million votes were cast during the auto show days.

To be sold in over 100 countries on six continents, the new Malibu will be offered for the start with a 2.5l four-cylinder engine that develops 190 horsepower and 245 Nm of torque. The engine will be paired to a six-speed automatic and will head towards 100 market all around the world.

Three production sites for the car have been confirmed so far by GM, two in Asia and one in the US. The Asian production centers will be located in China and South Korea (production scheduled to begin in both countries by the end of the current year), while the US one will be the Detroit-Hamtramck, who will begin manufacturing the Malibu in the first part of next year.

The award given to the model was accompanied by another one, this time handed to the Chinese division of GM as a whole. GM Shanghai was named Best Car Manufacturer during the Auto Shanghai 2011 Grand Awards ceremony.