Beijing 2016: Chevrolet’s Malibus make us wonder
Does old versus new show how people have been forgotten in the car-design process?
When launching a new model, a carmaker will often roll out something cool from its heritage collection to show the illustrious lineage of whatever new car isn’t quite interesting enough to hold its own when given centre stage on a show stand.
The Chevrolet Malibu on display in Beijing is a case in point, with the new-to-China Malibu XL given a little extra historical significance by a classic Malibu sitting just off to one side.
A look at the old car’s beautifully resolved surfaces in comparison to the new version’s creases makes you wonder if rolling out the classic car was the best idea.
However, for us it also raised a wider concern. When you take in the old Malibu’s low beltline and large glasshouse all round, combined with its open sociable interior, it’s extremely easy for someone looking at the car from the outside to imagine people in the car, enjoying the shared space inside, and the view out.
It’s tough to see anyone able to enjoy the new Chevy, or a fair few other cars at the show we’ve seen so far, because they appear so hostile to the outside, whether you’re a pedestrian or another road user. Could a return to friendliness inside and out of the car help return the car from something taken for granted, to something everyone looks forward to experiencing? Seems like that’s something that’s gone missing to us…
