2012 Holden Malibu

Holden’s engineers have commenced local fine-tuning work on the all-new Holden Malibu medium sedan ahead of its launch at the end of 2012.

Specialists from Holden’s Powertrain Engineering team are currently calibrating the Malibu for General Motors’ global markets, as well as for Australia’s unique conditions. The car will be badged as a Chevrolet in almost 100 countries around the world, but the Holden Malibu will get a badge transplant and a chassis tune-up for the home market.

The Malibu will be available with a seven-inch colour touchscreen incorporating Bluetooth audio streaming and will conceal a 15cm-deep bin for storing phones and wireless devices.

The exterior is fitted with LED taillights and the alloy wheel selection will range from 17 to 19 inches.

The Malibu is being calibrated at Holden’s Lang Lang Proving Ground in Victoria and is also being evaluated on public roads. It has been pictured at the coastal resort town of Phillip Island.




Press Release

Aussie Engineers Begin Work on All-New Malibu
2011-06-08

Holden's engineering team has been recruited to help fine-tune the stunning new mid-sized Malibu that will go on sale in Australia late next year.

Engineers from Holden's Powertrain Engineering team are currently calibrating the Malibu for GM's global markets, where it will play an important role in the Chevrolet portfolio.

The Malibu is being calibrated at Holden's Lang Lang Proving Ground in Victoria and is also being evaluated on public roads. It has been pictured at the coastal resort town of Phillip Island.

Holden's work forms part of GM's global workshare strategy, which uses the available resources and skills of the company's engineers from around the world to perform development work on future model cars. It will see the team continue to work on Malibu until the end of 2012.

About Holden Malibu
Holden will bring the Malibu nameplate to Australia for the first time in late 2012 with a line-up of fuel efficient and responsive four cylinder engines. Outside Australia, it will be sold under the Chevrolet name in nearly 100 countries around the world.

2011 Geneva Preview: De Tomaso SLS Concept

The model that will relaunch De Tomaso at next week’s Geneva motor show will be this Pininfarina-designed BMW 5-series GT-rivalling luxury crossover concept, dubbed SLS.

This model, which was built as a Sport Luxury Sedan (SLS), was made possible with the support of Italian business man Gianmario Rossignolo. However, fans may be disappointed because even if the car is from Pininfarina, there are several elements that don’t belong to what the public expects from a De Tomaso rebirth.

Even if the name that signs the lines of the car belongs to Pininfarina, there’s more than one element that doesn't actually fit with what the public was expecting from a De Tomaso rebirth. The most striking of all is the fact that the model is officially called a sedan, it is in fact a large crossover (until this official announcement, the model was dubbed as a Sport Luxury Crossover, but for some reason that has changed). That's exactly what fans were NOT expecting.

De Tomaso plans to build two more vehicles on the same architecture with the goal of selling a total of 8,000 units per year. We're hoping to hear more about the marque's future plans after we hit the ground in Geneva.





Press Release

During the next Geneva auto show (March 2011) will be unveiled the new De Tomaso Car.

The new De Tomaso company, Chaired by Mr. Gianmario Rossignolo, will unveil a Pininfarina-designed concept for a premium large crossover, dubbed SLS (Sport Luxury Sedan).

The four-wheel-drive SLS is set to go into production this year using two gasoline engines, a 550-hp V-8 and a 300-hp V-6. It will not be sold as the SLS, but the final name will be revealed during the Geneve press conference (1st March 2011 - 3.30 pm).

Rossignolo plans to build 3,000 units a year of the SLS, as well as 3,000 limousines and 2,000 coupes.

The cars will be built at De Tomaso Automobili S.p.A. plant, a former Pininfarina S.p.A. factory near Turin and in the Livorno factory by the ex-Delphi workers.

De Tomaso's business plan foreseen for a three-model range of aluminum vehicles based on an innovative construction technology called Univis. Univis requires just about 30 dies to build a vehicle.

During a 22-year career with Fiat group, Gianmario Rossignolo was a top marketing executive at the company and CEO of the Italian automaker's Lancia brand from 1977 to 1979.

In December 2009, Rossignolo signed a deal to rent Pininfarina's factory in Grugliasco, in the western outskirts of Turin, one of three Pininfarina plants.

The new De Tomaso company will invest 116 million euros in its rebirth project.

The Grugliasco plan currently employs 900 people and includes a body shop, paint shop and final assembly facility, while in the Livorno one will be employed 150 people.