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New Chevrolet Malibu racks up 1 million test miles across globe

2012-01-18

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Detroit. On the cusp of its global introductions, engineers for the all-new Chevrolet Malibu have rolled past 1 million miles (1.6 million km) of on-road development testing – accumulated in about 22 months on six continents.

The extensive road development and validation process helps ensure the new Malibu's overall ride and handling, comfort, quality and durability are exemplary when production begins. The new Malibu will be sold in nearly 100 countries on six continents, making it Chevrolet's first truly global midsize sedan.

"You learn a lot about a car when you spend so much time in it – and that's exactly the point," said Mark Moussa, global chief engineer. "In the last year and a half, during every minute of the day, a Malibu has been driving somewhere around the world – all to make it the best car it can be."

The million test miles were accumulated since the first quarter of 2010 on a fleet of about 170 pre-production vehicles, driven for a cumulative average of more than 45,450 miles (73,145 km) every month. That's the equivalent of:

• 66.66 years of driving a car 15,000 miles (24,140 km) annually
• 201 round-trips between New York City and Los Angeles
• Two trips to the moon and back.

While the testing regiment for the Malibu mirrored GM's standards for new-vehicle validation, the global scope of the Malibu project magnified it. More drivable prototypes were built compared with a single-market vehicle, and they represented 13 powertrain combinations and numerous equipment packages the Malibu will offer around the world.

The greater number of market conditions helped spin the program's collective odometer quickly to the seven-digit range.

The early prototypes were hand-built by General Motors in the United States and shipped around the globe. They were driven at GM's proving grounds around North America, as well as on the freeways, highways and back roads of the United States, Canada, Australia, South Korea, China, the U.K., Dubai and Germany.

The development stage the Malibu pre-production cars represented meant the powertrains, suspensions and other core elements of the cars were already green-lighted for production. The round-the-clock driving helped fine-tune their overall dynamics in performance, interior quietness, seat comfort, drivability and more.

During their testing, the Malibus were driven through Death Valley in the hottest summer days to validate the air conditioning performance, and driven to the top of the Rocky Mountains for high-altitude tests. The cars were subjected to hundreds of miles of stop-and-go rush hour drives in Chicago and Seoul; and through the winding hills of North Carolina to evaluate seat comfort and other long-drive factors.

"Along more significant differences among markets, such as powertrains, there is a myriad of small details that vary in markets around the globe and they must all be validated in real-world driving tests," said Moussa. "Even small things such as holders for coins or tickets varies for different markets.

"In Korea, for example, the hazard lights are often used as a 'thank you' to other motorists, so the long-term durability of the switch must be ensured," Moussa said. "We've got to test not only the big things, but the seemingly small ones, to make sure we are building a quality product that meets the needs of all these different markets and uses."

From monsoon grooves to German highways

Speaking of Korea, it and other Asian markets that are prone to heavy rains during monsoon season, have deeply grooved concrete road surfaces to channel water off the highway. They're effective during the rain season, but driving on them when dry can generate a considerable noise challenge for engineers.

"It's a very tough noise to isolate and happens to be at a frequency that is very annoying to the human ear," said Kara Gordon, acoustics engineer. "But that is the reality for drivers in those markets and because the acoustic performance of a vehicle helps form one's perception of quality, making sure the Malibu soaked up those grooved roads quietly was an essential component of development."

Final chassis tuning for the European variant of the Chevrolet Malibu was completed in the Germany. The evaluation involved putting the car through its paces on a former air base which today serves as a test facility. Overall, about 3,000 kilometers were accumulated to determine the chassis set-up best suited for European roads. Further testing carried out in Europe focused on engine and transmission calibration and the Malibu's navigation and radio systems.

And while most of those development cars were running around the clock, others didn't see many miles at all. Development cars in the U.K. and the U.S. were run through salt water troughs and placed in a chamber to simulate years of corrosion and winter road driving, while others were parked in the Arizona sun to see how the interior materials held up to extreme heat.

In a nod to the development work leading up to the Malibu's million miles of testing, engineers found a few areas of the vehicle that required attention as a result of it – one of them being a change in the application of liquid sealer to steel parts of the body structure, which helped produce a quieter ride.

"You never know about those fine details until you get the vehicle on the road," said Moussa. "Our million miles in testing should inspire confidence for anyone who considers buying a new Malibu."

Chevrolet's eighth-generation Malibu will serve as the brand's flagship vehicle in many parts of the world including China, Korea, Europe, Australia. In Europe, the Malibu will be equipped with a 4-cylinder 2.0-liter diesel or a 2.4-liter gasoline engine. While gasoline variants will be launched in spring 2012 in several markets, the diesel version will be offered in the second half of the year.

About Chevrolet

Chevrolet is General Motors' largest global brand with annual sales of more than four million vehicles in more than 140 countries. It is the fourth biggest global car brand in terms of sales and also one of the fastest growing brands in the world. Chevrolet cars combine bold design, performance, innovation and practicality. They provide outstanding value for money. Established in the U.S. by Swiss émigré Louis Chevrolet in 1911, the brand celebrated its centenary in 2011. The brand was re-launched in Europe in 2005. It is represented with a total of 2,500 sales and service outlets in Western and Central Europe. The European Chevrolet line-up includes the Spark city car, the small Aveo sedan and hatchback, the compact Cruze sedan and hatchback, the Orlando family van, the Captiva SUV, the legendary Camaro and Corvette sports cars and the extended-range Volt electric car. In 2012, Chevrolet is launching the Cruze station wagon and the Malibu mid-size sedan. More information on Chevrolet can be found at www.chevroleteurope.com or media.chevroleteurope.com.