As Chevrolet continues to expand its lineup into Europe, both the Malibu and Volt received top ratings in the European New Car Assessment crash tests. Both sedans got five stars in all categories and also made the Volt the first U.S.-branded electric car that’s rated with Euro NCAP’s top assessment.

“The Chevy Volt will be sold in Europe as an Opel Ampera and the Malibu’s appearance is its first in the European market.
The results confirm that both vehicles meet today’s highest safety standards. The Volt’s safety performance and propulsion concept highlight the reliability and practicality that is inherent to this outstanding design,” said Wayne Brannon, president and managing director of Chevrolet Europe.

[Source: LeftLane News]

Chevrolet has sold 2.35 million vehicles globally in the first six months of 2011, setting sales records in all the top five markets. The first six months of 2011 was the best half year performance in Chevrolet’s 100-year history. The American automaker sold 286,499 more vehicles in the first half of 2011 than the same time period of 2010, a 14-percent increase year over year.

The automaker set record first-half sales in several countries including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Columbia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, South Africa and Turkey. Chevrolet’s growth has been credited to the new wave of models including the Cruze compact car, Spark mini car, Sonic small car, and Orlando MPV. The Chevy Malibu midsize car and the all-new Colorado compact pickup will soon join the previously mentioned vehicles when they go on sale later this year globally.

Chevrolet has decided to cancel production of its Malibu Hybrid. As shocking as this might seem for a company that claims it is now dedicated to building environmentally-friendly cars, it actually makes a lot of sense.

For starters, while the Malibu itself continues to sell well and has received critical acclaim from auto journos, the hybrid version has never been a popular model – and its about to get less so.

Rated at 24/32 mpg (city/highway) the numbers aren’t all that impressive, due mostly to the car’s “mild” hybrid system. Those numbers aren’t as good as the 33/34 mpg rating for the Toyota Camry Hybrid and are nowhere close to the 41/36 mpg rating of the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid.

The 24/32 rating is even less impressive when you consider the four-cylinder Malibu with a six-speed automatic transmission gets 22/33 mpg and costs significantly less.

General Motors has not commented on if or when a new and improved hybrid system will find its way into the Malibu.

[Source: LeftLaneNews]