Chevrolet Malibu Cruiser

Since its debut in 1997, the Chevy Malibu has developed a solid reputation for dependable, reliable transportation that’s perfect for family life, road trips and daily commuting. It offers style, comfort and standard V6 power, all for a great price.

Yet beneath that rather conservative demeanor lies an entirely different personality, one that oozes sass appeal. The Malibu Cruiser is proof that a traditional family sedan can be transformed into a sporty vehicle for the tuner crowd.

"The Malibu Cruiser concept car shows Malibu’s potential and how it can be customized to attract everyone from the youthful enthusiast to the empty nester seeking more performance and fun from a daily driver," said Lew Elbert, Malibu brand manager.

The shocking chartreuse green exterior is the first thing one notices about the Malibu Cruiser. This highly saturated custom color, called Sublime Lime by BASF, gives this Malibu a distinct appearance that’s sure to turn heads.

The exterior also features a larger front end, new rocker trim, hood, front and rear fascias, rear spoiler and an aggressively raised cowl hood. A brushed aluminum gas cap, tinted gray windows and fog lamps also distinguish this Malibu show car.

Under the hood, an orange-painted engine block – a long time Chevy trademark – peeks out from under a sleek polished aluminum engine cover. A modified, turbocharged 3500 sequential fuel injected 60-degree V6 engine pumps out 230 hp @ 5000 rpm and 286 lb-ft of torque @ 2900 rpm. The engine has an enlarged combustion chamber and the cylinder bore has been increased by .252-inches, to 93.50, to achieve 3.5-liter displacement. The V6 is mated to a 4T65-E automatic electronic transmission.

The Cruiser also has Stainless Steel Brake Corporation stainless steel four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and polished rotors, as well as rack and pinion power-assisted steering.

The independent front and rear suspension has Mantapart coilover struts and has been lowered by 1.5-inches. The Malibu Cruiser rolls on Mille Miglia Evo 19X8 wheels and Toyo Proxes T1-S tires.

Inside, the black leather and carpeted interior features a new full-length console, four bucket seats and carbon fiber accents. Throughout the cabin are chartreuse and black dual-twill carbon fiber and Kevlar accents. The panel under the hood also picks up the chartreuse and black pattern, which was created with yellow Kevlar fabric, that when overlaid with laminate, turns green. The center console also features green carbon fiber trim and black leather, plus polished aluminum cupholders and a Kenwood mobile entertainment system that features radio, CD, DVD, TV, amplifiers and 10-disc CD changer.

Vehicle Highlights

* Turbocharged 3500 SFI 60-degree V6 engine with larger cylinder bore and combustion chamber

* 4T65-E transaxle, four-speed automatic

* Independent Bilstein coil-over strut front and rear suspension

* Aerodyne Aerocharger 53000 series turbocharger

* Unique airbox for increased airflow demand

* BASF Sublime Lime exterior paint

* Black leather Sparco Milano interior

* Unique front and rear fascias, rear spoiler, rocker trim and raised cowl hood

* Mille Miglia EVO 19X8.5 tires

* Toyo Proxes T1-SP235/35 ZR 19 tires

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