Chevy Malibu Celebrates 50 Years

Once upon a time, cars were about as disposable as cellphones are these days, with many middle class families replacing a car every three to four years. At this rate of consumption new models and nameplates are constantly replacing those deemed old and out-of-touch, and within the American auto industry there aren’t many names more than a decade or two old at most.

But there are some notable exceptions, among them the Chevrolet Malibu, which debuted back in 1964 as a top-level-trim for the Chevelle. Though it would eventually become its own model separate from the Chevelle, the nameplate did take a 14 year hiatus from 1983 to 1997, when it made its return. This month marks 50 years since the Malibu name debuted, and the car has come a long way in those five decades.

The Malibu has been many different cars to many different people, including an economy-minded intermediate and a V8-powered Super Sport model that can lay down rubber with the baddest muscle cars. The latest iteration of the Malibu features a 2.5 liter engine standard that delivers up to 36 mpg on the highway and 25 in the city.

More impressive though is the fact that the 2.5 liter engine delivers 65% more horsepower than the 3.2 liter six-cylinder that was standard on the original 1964 Malibu. An optional 2.0 liter turbo delivers 259 horsepower and 295 ft-lbs of torque, which would give even the big-block Malibu SS a run for its money. It’s funny how far automotive technology has come, and how some names just stick around.