GM stops production of Malibu Hybrid

[zenMachine]

General Motors Corp. has pulled the plug the hybrid-electric version of the Chevrolet Malibu sedan for the 2010 model year due to slow sales that has led to a backlog of inventory of the vehicles on dealer lots.


A GM spokesman said the company made the decision because of a "sufficient stock of 2009s," and said starting up production in the near future is "possible, but not likely." The company will continue to make hybrid versions of the Malibu for fleet buyers, but it is uncertain if GM will ever produce the Malibu hybrid for retail consumers ever again.


GM Pulls Plug on Hybrid Model - WSJ.com

[hill]

Originally Posted by zenMachine

General Motors Corp. has pulled the plug the hybrid-electric version of the Chevrolet Malibu sedan for the 2010 model year due to slow sales that has led to a backlog of inventory of the vehicles on dealer lots.


A GM spokesman said the company made the decision because of a "sufficient stock of 2009s," and said starting up production in the near future is
. . . . . . . . . snip

So even in the midst of reorganization, the 'spin' continues. "Sufficient stock". Uh, is that the same as saying, "This stuff aint sellin' to save our life" ??

"possible, but not likely."
Hopefully that won't be the new reorganized GM success slogan.

[Jimmie84]

Don't bother me. I'd never buy a hybrid anyways.

If I was in business and saw that sales were lacking on a certain vehicle I'm manufacturing, And there is zero demand for it. Why not dump it and move on?

Chevy sold 64,363 from the early part of the year through May, And only 2,142 of them were a hybrid version.

[john1701a]

Originally Posted by Jimmie84

Chevy sold 64,363 from the early part of the year through May, And only 2,142 of them were a hybrid version.

The government agreed to purchase 2,000 as part of the bailout. Based on the drastic spike in Malibu numbers, May could have accounted for 700 of them.
.

[Midpack]

Originally Posted by zenMachine

General Motors Corp. has pulled the plug the hybrid-electric version of the Chevrolet Malibu sedan for the 2010 model year due to slow sales that has led to a backlog of inventory of the vehicles on dealer lots.

But the Volt is going to turn them around when they can't sell a hybrid? Make sense?

[Rakimb17]

I didn't even know the had a malibu hybrid! Not that i'd buy one. I haven't liked the Malibu since the were called Chevelles.

[patsparks]

Originally Posted by Jimmie84

Don't bother me. I'd never buy a hybrid anyways.

and you are on Prius Chat because?

[qbee42]

Originally Posted by patsparks

and you are on Prius Chat because?

Probably to enjoy our collective charm and intellect.

Tom

[patsparks]

Originally Posted by qbee42

Probably to enjoy our collective charm and intellect.

Tom

I suspect he secretly wants one but isn't tough enough to go against the jibes he would get from his Neanderthal work mates in the shelf packing section of Wall-mart.

[donee]

Hi All,

I think the issue with the Malibu Hybrid , was they called it a Hybrid. If it was the standard vehicle Malibu, all Malibu's like this, with a small battery and maybe an optional big battery (the size they used), I think the Malibu (stealth hybrid) would have been a great success. The low production volume made the Malibu Hybrid too expensive, with an increase in cost similar to a Prius, for about 1/3 the functionality and 2/3 the maintenaince cost reduction.

And as Jimmie indcates - the FUD marketers have had an impact.

By not calling the Malibu Hybrid, a Hybrid, but just a Malibu with a auto start/stop, and made all the Malibu's that way - it would have sold just fine - better? - and cost dramatically less.