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2014 Chevrolet Malibu

After a single model year on the market, Chevrolet gave its midsize Malibu a big makeover for 2014, but the changes aren’t all about styling. Although the refreshed sedan isn’t on sale yet, Chevy has released some important numbers for its new ‘Bu: namely its EPA fuel economy figures and MSRP.

Styling included, the biggest improvement for the 2014 Malibu is its fuel economy. For the base models equipped with the 2.5-liter engine, adding stop/start technology, a new transmission and Intake Valve Lift Control (which helps the engine breathe more efficiently) all help the sedan deliver 25 miles per gallon city and 36 mpg highway. That’s up from 22 mpg city and 34 mpg highway for 2013. Not only are these ratings good enough to put Malibu with the top of its of the base-engined midsize class, but they are almost the same as the 2013 Malibu Eco with eAssist (25 city/37 highway).

Factoring in this fuel economy jump, the 2014 Malibu’s new base price $22,140 (*not including $825 for destination, which itself has risen by $15) is an increase of $145, but it is also about $1,000 lower than the 2013 Malibu Eco – removing the premium for optimal fuel economy. We’re still waiting to get behind the wheel of the refreshed sedan, but Chevy is definitely righting some wrongs on its eighth-gen Malibu to make it more competitive in the segment. Scroll down for more information in Chevy’s official press release.

Continue reading 2014 Chevy Malibu rated at 25/36 mpg, priced from $22,140*

2014 Chevy Malibu rated at 25/36 mpg, priced from $22,140* originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Aug 2013 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Porsche, Earnings/Financials, Specialty, Luxury

Porsche is known for its ability to spin off a litter of variants from a single model, and according to a report in Automobile the 918 Spyder (pictured here) might not be spared the house trick. Having taken too many brains and too much money for too much time, company chiefs are said to be examining ways to get more for their development euro out of the supercar, and Plan A is apparently otherwise known as Plan 984. That would be a four-seater, rear-wheel drive supercar that uses a stretched mold of the 918’s carbon fiber tub, keeping the V8 in the same mid-mounted place and costing around 350,000 euro.

That would be less than half the MSRP of its inspiration, but the details don’t sketch out a car that’s just half as good. Automobile speculates it would get something like 700 horsepower in order to best the coming 911 GT2, and about 440 pound-feet of torque. The 984 is quite a ways short of being confirmed; even though a full-size study is said to exist, it’s like the 918 would need to become a bigger sales hit for the 984 to happen.

The 984’s fortunes don’t change those of the 960, the supercoupe Porsche is building to challenge Ferrari. Its potential specs haven’t changed since the last report in January, power coming from a 5.0-liter, twin-turbo, eight-cylinder boxer engine with something like 650 hp pushing a curb weight of roughly 3,100 pounds. The means a suspected 0-to-60 mile-per-hour time of 2.5 seconds.

And there’s even more than that coming from the Stuttgart fold. You can read the rest at Automobile, and you can register your reaction to a supercar version of the Panamera in Comments.

Porsche 918 Spyder to birth stretched 2+2 version? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Aug 2013 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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