Guess what's going to be the 2nd Fastest Chevy next year.
 

You probally won't believe this, but Malibu may end up being the 2nd quickest Chevrolet next year.

The 2004 Malibu will have a 240 horsepower, 3.5 liter, OHV engine (no, I don't mean OHC). Impala SS's engine will have only a 10 horsepower advantage, despite being a marginally bigger engine and having a supercharger strapped to the top of it.

Malibu currentlu weighs about 3100 pounds, Impala 3450. Add in the weight of a supercharger, intercooler, and related piping, that should be at least an extra 100+ pounds or an Impala pushing 3600 lbs with a Malibu still likely weighing not much beyond 3200.

In addition, the new Malibu engine will be quieter, smoother, and get getter fuel economy.

Although Grand Am will be the same chassis with the same engine, it will be out after the Malibu, and will likely have sportier styling, since Malibu vill basically be a touched up Opel Vetra, but will still be a good looking (and pretty quick) car. :)

Vectra: http://vectra.opel.com/brand_sites/v...me/home.jhtml;$sessionid$ZJ31NNQAAAATHTDHT1XRTGI?pageId=home

GM's new engines:
http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=5406

Ugh. :o

I certainly hope this is the proverbial calm before the storm...

Hope that it's not a misprint.

The L67 is not intercooled.

Malibu sounds pretty nice. I can't wait to see what the new Grand Am looks like.

cool.. GM is getting its act together for its other cars

Also, Saturn L's replacement will be on this chassis in 2006.

Take that V12, stuff it in a XLR and watch the Z8s run for the hills :)

Its so much fun to be armchair CEO.

Really? The Malibu will be faster? I thought that the Silverado SS was going to be faster than the new Malibu. I guess I was wrong. Its good that GM is finally getting some high performance engines to market. The new 255hp 3.6 V6 is just as powerful as the 255hp S/C 3.8 going into the new GTP. I thought it was embarrassing that out of a motor that big supercharged, they could only pull 240 hp out of it. And I agree with Chuck! I wanna see that V12 in an XLR! Watch the SL55 AMG run in fear! And if an XLRv comes in at $80,000 it'd be bearly $35,000 cheaper! Watch the boys in the Z8's run in fear too! If that V12 ever needed a power boost, GM can keep in mind that that engine has a 750hp N/A capability as seen in the Cien! Chuck's right. Being an armchair CEO is fun.

Something about today malibu being considered fast is strange, but welcomed. I'd like to have a peppy daily driver with 4drs. If done right, I'll be in line.

A domestic car to challange the already riced out accord:D

As long as they dont call it a FWD Malibu SS or Chevelle Malibu SS I will be ok with that

Sounds good--I'll have to take a test drive in one- at least the power is getting competitve.

I believe that the 3800SC is limited in its power production do to the torque handling of the transmission, not the ability of the engine to produce more power. The G Force show car had 280 horses, which I think would be no problem, but the current tranny won't take that kind of power.

I would almost bet money that we will see the new V12 show up in the XLR sooner or later. What else is Caddy going to put it in?

Escalade, STS, the upcomming FTS.

Guion, whast the FTS?