How Would You Feel About The New Malibu Being Called The Chevelle

"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
11/03/2015 at 22:10 • Filed to: Question

This is now the 2016 Chevy Chevelle. What do you think? How do you feel about that?

It seems like the brand equity between the Malibu and Chevelle nameplates have switched places. I want to see if anyone else has noticed or understands what I mean.

DISCUSSION (32)

TheHondaBro > Wobbles the Mind
11/03/2015 at 22:14

Kinja'd!!!

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Wobbles the Mind
11/03/2015 at 22:14

If anything the SS should have been called Chevelle.

bwp240 > Wobbles the Mind
11/03/2015 at 22:17

Take a decent car and name from the past, make it big, bulbous and boring. Sounds like a winner.

Where did we go wrong?

Kinja'd!!!

ranwhenparked > Wobbles the Mind
11/03/2015 at 22:19

It would be a mistake, only because GM has invested a lot of time and money re-establishing the Malibu name in the segment. Against all their horrible instinct, they made a choice and have actually stuck with it, better or worse, for multiple generations.

They could have just as easily chosen Chevelle to revive back in the ‘90s instead of Malibu, but they went with Malibu and I’d rather they stick with it.

Either way, the two names mean exactly the same thing- middle of the road, intermediate family sedans. Malibu was originally just a trim level of the Chevelle anyway. GM could have used either one, they probably just decided that Malibu was more recognizable/had better connotations - plus it was more recently deceased of the two, so still fresher.

dogisbadob > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
11/03/2015 at 22:19

This x1000

Also, the Chevelle and Caprice should be offered to retail customers with both V6 and V8 power. Drop the lame FWD Impala

The Malibu can stay, though.

Wobbles the Mind > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
11/03/2015 at 22:20

I know what you mean, but since it’s a fullsize it would be a Caprice (which we do have in longer wheelbase form as fleet only models). So odd.

phenotyp > Wobbles the Mind
11/03/2015 at 22:21

Here’s what I did with the 2001 Malibu in 2003:

Kinja'd!!!

bob and john > Wobbles the Mind
11/03/2015 at 22:22

oh good gods no

Dunnik > Wobbles the Mind
11/03/2015 at 22:26

Wait, what? They’re renaming it?

That’s no Chevelle. Now this, THIS is a Chevelle:

Kinja'd!!!

Wobbles the Mind > ranwhenparked
11/03/2015 at 22:27

You touched on the reason I asked this question. Somehow the Chevelle name has been elevated to such a level that I think most have forgotten that Malibu was the top dog. So Chevelle would actually be a step down. However, I think they could take advantage of the reversed equity and model overhaul to remind people that the midsized sedan isnt named after the place but the extremely successful top trim level of a renowned model. I think it would be as successful as Ford switching from Five Hundred to Taurus. People like new names for new cars rather than 10 generations of blah.

Wobbles the Mind > bwp240
11/03/2015 at 22:29

Isn’t it amazing that every sedan on the market is like this now? Even the ones with alphanumeric ones.

Wobbles the Mind > Dunnik
11/03/2015 at 22:37

I think this is a ‘70 Chevelle Malibu SS. I’m really bad with GM products. I had a suspicion that people would be upset, but wanted to remind people it has already happened.

Kinja'd!!!

Steve in Manhattan > Wobbles the Mind
11/03/2015 at 22:40

Either nameplate brings back pleasant memories for me.

Chariotoflove > Wobbles the Mind
11/03/2015 at 22:44

I think no at this point. Chevelle means something to car enthusiasts/historians, but not to the people who are now buying this car. For that matter, the history of the Malibu name is lost on most as well. Better to stick with the brand equity built up in the Malibu name over the last several years. In addition, Chevelle may sound too much like Chevette to those who don’t know cars and remember that particular crap-box from their youth. That is not an association you want to risk. My 2 cents.

Chariotoflove > phenotyp
11/03/2015 at 22:45

Pretty cool, Man.

tromoly > Wobbles the Mind
11/03/2015 at 22:46

Is there any real evidence they’d bring back the name? Or is it just rumors?

Wobbles the Mind > Chariotoflove
11/03/2015 at 22:50

You know, I bet most of today’s youths would think Chevette would be a smaller Corvette. I also laugh at how excited people would be for a 2000lb, RWD subcompact car with a manual. I just can’t understand what’s going on anymore.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Wobbles the Mind
11/03/2015 at 22:50

Honestly I think it’s a great idea. I think the nameplate equity switched a long time ago. But, they would have to make it look a bit more retro, rear wheel drive and give it a V8 option. A direct competitor to the charger basically.

Chariotoflove > Wobbles the Mind
11/03/2015 at 22:52

You’re probably right.

Wobbles the Mind > tromoly
11/03/2015 at 22:54

I was talking to some people a few days ago that mentioned how the SS should be a Chevelle, but I said it would be odd with the Malibu already being a Chevelle in name. Plus Impala was the fullsize, so since Impala is taken it would be a Caprice (which we do have as a long wheelbase version for police fleets).

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Wobbles the Mind
11/03/2015 at 22:54

I don’t understand Chevy’s naming system and likely never will. There’s been a million different Impalas with no real rhyme or reason, but they refuse to use Chevelle even when it makes perfect sense and instead call that car by the name of a trim level of another car.

If it’s me, I go old school: call the Cruze a Nova, Malibu remains a Malibu, performance variant of it is a Chevelle. The SS becomes the Impala, and the Impala is a Caprice. And give me a damn El Camino while we’re at it.

Wobbles the Mind > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
11/03/2015 at 23:00

Maybe not Nova. That old joke in Spanish about No Va meaning “doesn’t go.” I do know what you mean though but have to point out we have romanticize a lot of crappy vehicles from the 60s and 70s by only remembering the perfectly restored, modified, top trim level hoonsters. Most of these cars were just as crappy as the base and mid trims of current cars.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Wobbles the Mind
11/03/2015 at 23:29

Did Malibu really have any equity? They have dragged it through the mud forever. It’s remarkable that after the 5th and 6th gens they didn’t change the name to avoid the stigma they’d created. Even Chevelle was mixed with Malibu and swapped at least once.

If anything, it should only be applied to an SS version.

Frank Grimes > Wobbles the Mind
11/04/2015 at 00:23

make it a big coupe with V8 power and awesome styling and I wont complain.

RallyWrench > Wobbles the Mind
11/04/2015 at 01:02

I generally like the idea of using old names, but this is not cool enough to be a Chevelle. It's too generic for that. The Malibu name has been diluted from being the top-spec 2-door Chevelle to being a boring rental car. The Chevelle name still has some historical punch, and shouldn't suffer the same fate. If it was a badass, muscular looking sedan along the lines of the Charger, sure. Even the base trim Charger looks mean. This thing is warm milk.

RallyWrench > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
11/04/2015 at 01:04

Great minds... I just wrote the same thing without having seen this.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Wobbles the Mind
11/04/2015 at 06:42

Oh absolutely. If you hopped into a bunch of those cars and drove them, your main takeaway would be how good modern cars are.

boxrocket > Wobbles the Mind
11/04/2015 at 07:04

A different name doesn’t change the fact that it looks like another car that got squashed and they decided to go with that design. Furthermore, the volt, crude, and Malibu all seem to derive their styling cues from the Hyundai Elantra, which is already being replaced with a new model.

Underwhelming, at best.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Wobbles the Mind
11/04/2015 at 07:55

http://www.autotrader.ca/a/Chevrolet/Ch…

acarr260 > Wobbles the Mind
11/04/2015 at 10:46

The Malibu was the entry level of the Chevelle, and the SS was the step up for a Chevelle.

wiffleballtony > Wobbles the Mind
11/04/2015 at 14:26

Is it going to be a RWD V8?

AMC/Renauledge > Wobbles the Mind
11/04/2015 at 14:34

Rather than “bargain-basement,” which is what it used to mean, Chevelle now means “muscle car.” The new Malibu is better off as a Malibu.