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Chevy Malibu will become 45-mpg strong hybrid with next update

Come next year there'll be no more mild hybrid pretensions for the Chevrolet Malibu - the next-generation sedan will borrow technology from the 2016 Volt and get a proper hybrid powertrain. A 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine gets help from a two-motor drive unit adapted from the Volt for 182 system horsepower, the motor drive powered by an 80-cell, 1.5-kWh lithium-ion battery. Chevrolet says that when combined with features like grille shutters and a lower ride height, it expects the Malibu Hybrid will post a combined fuel economy rating of more than 45 miles per gallon, which would best the hybrid trims of the Ford Fusion, Toyota Camry and Hyundai Sonata. Electric power alone can power the car up to 55 miles per hour, and The Bowtie's first use of exhaust gas heat recovery will help maintain high hybrid performance in cold weather and be used to heat the engine and cabin. The Malibu Hybrid should go on sale in the Spring of next year, for now there's a press release below. Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid Derives Technology from Volt GM estimates combined fuel economy ratings to exceed 45 mpg DETROIT, 2015-03-25 – Chevrolet's recent production announcement of its all-electric vehicle based on the Bolt EV concept, as well as the introduction of the 2016 Chevrolet Volt, will be joined by a strong hybrid version of the next-generation Malibu. Using technology from the 2016 Chevrolet Volt propulsion system, Malibu Hybrid will offer an estimated combined fuel economy rating exceeding 45 mpg, higher than the combined mileage ratings of the Ford Fusion, Toyota Camry and Hyundai Sonata hybrid variants. "The 2016 Malibu Hybrid will offer impressive fuel economy, exceptional driving characteristics and gorgeous styling," said Jesse Ortega, Chevrolet Malibu chief engineer. "Besides leveraging innovation from the Chevrolet Volt, the Malibu Hybrid also has unique features that help improve aerodynamics, like upper and lower grille air shutters to improve airflow and a reduced ride height, all of which help reduce fuel consumption," Ortega said. An all-new direct-injection 1.8L 4-cylinder engine mated to a two-motor drive unit slightly modified from the 2016 Chevrolet Volt drive unit powers the Malibu Hybrid. The drive unit provides additional power to assist the engine during acceleration, for 182 horsepower (136 kW) of total system power.

GM adds 1,200 jobs at Detroit-Hamtramck plant

General Motors is making a big move at its Hamtramck, MI, factory, announcing it will add a second shift and hire over 1,200 workers within the next several months. It's expected that by early 2016, the factory will employ over 2,800 workers to build the Chevrolet Volt, Impala, Malibu, Cadillac ELR, and by early next year, the new CT6. According to GM Hamtramck spokesperson Courtney Zemke, 40 of the 1,200 positions are for salaried employees, while the remainder will be hourly positions. As for where these employees will go, positions are being made available across the factory, so GM isn't focusing on any particular area for its new hires. It's a similar story behind the hiring surge itself. GM said in its press release that the "second shift is necessary to meet forecasted market demand," a position Zemke reiterated. It's a matter of demand across the plant's portfolio, rather than any one particular product seriously outstripping supply. Naturally, the United Auto Workers is happy with the move. "The workforce at Detroit-Hamtramck is second to none," UAW Local 22 Shop Chairman Don LaForest said in the attached release. "We appreciate the opportunity to expand our UAW-GM family." Hiring is going on now, with the second shift slated to get underway in early 2016. GM's Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly to Add Second Shift and More Than 1,200 Jobs Plant will nearly double its workforce by early 2016 2015-10-22 DETROIT – General Motors is nearly doubling its workforce at Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly by adding a second shift and more than 1,200 hourly and salaried jobs. The addition of a second shift will increase the plant's workforce to approximately 2,800 people when hiring is completed. The second shift is necessary to meet forecasted market demand for the five cars produced at Detroit-Hamtramck. "This is the result of the award-winning vehicles Detroit-Hamtramck produces and the confidence GM has in our team to build world-class quality for our customers," said Plant Manager Gary West. Second shift hiring is underway, and the shift is scheduled to begin operations in early 2016. "The workforce at Detroit-Hamtramck is second to none," said UAW Local 22 Shop Chairman Don LaForest. "We appreciate the opportunity to expand our UAW-GM family." The 4.1 million-square-foot Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly opened in 1985. GM has invested $1 billion in the plant over the last six years, making it one of the company's most-agile manufacturing facilities in North America.

GM Recalling Another 2.7 Million Vehicles In Five Separate Campaigns

The recalls keep rolling in from General Motors, evidently keen to avoid repeating the mistakes of the ignition-switch debacle and clean house. This time they're all coming at once, with five separate recalls announced together covering approximately 2.7 million vehicles. The largest of the five actions involves over 2.4 million units of the previous-generation Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura in order to fix brake light wiring harness, which have been found to be susceptible to corrosion. The recall is separate from the 56k Aura sedans which GM recently recalled over faulty shift cables, not to mention the previous massive recall of 1.3 million vehicles – some of them the same models – but appears to have resulted from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation that started with the G6 almost a year ago. The second-largest campaign involves the 2014 Chevy Malibu, specifically those fitted with GM's 2.5-liter engine and stop/start system, approximately 140,000 examples of which has been found to have problematic brakes. The issue does not appear to be connected to the recall of 8k Malibu and Buick LaCrosse sedans (also involving brake woes) which we reported upon last week. Four crashes have been reported in such models, but GM admits it's not yet clear if the problem was a contributing factor in the accidents. A further 112k Corvette models from the 2005-2007 model years are being called in for problems with their low-beam headlamps resulting from a flexing relay control circuit wire that's not meant to bend. GM says it is "aware of several hundred complaints" about this issue, but notes that there have been no reports of related accidents. In addition, over 19k examples of Cadillac CTS from the 2013 and 2014 model years are being recalled over windshield wipers that might not work after a jump start. Finally, GM is also bringing in 477 examples of its 2014 Chevy Silverado, Tahoe and GMC Sierra (though not the Yukon) to fix a problem with a tie rod in its steering rack. As ever, all recall repairs will be performed free of charge, and GM is now estimating that recall-related actions this quarter will result in an estimated $200-million charge against its second-quarter earnings. Read the full announcement from GM below for further details.