The Malibu has earned a worldwide market, having produced new generations for six decades. 1964 saw the birth of the Chevrolet Chevelle, a front wheel drive with many guises. The Malibu was the top-of-the-line trim option of the Chevelle.

A four door, two door, convertible and station wagon were all brought to life. On the inside they excelled in terms of their lushness. Deep carpeting and vinyl upholstery gave passengers a comfy champagne ride. For the singles, a two door Sport Coupe hardtop with bucket seats supplied enough spice to tempt the twenty-somethings. The option of 300 ponies came with it, together with four-speed manual or Power glide transmission.

The crowd that followed brought new and trendy looks to the flower generation, with exhaust alterations, new-look grills and an added 50 horsepower. In 1965, Malibu came into its own as the Chevelle Convertible. This model had enough hippie groove to fit in with a Beetle-era and become a collectors piece now auctioned for up to half a million dollars.

A rounder shape took the 1967 Concour into the disco era in all its woodgrain glory. At 0-60 in 6.2 seconds, it had taken a dip of 25 horsepower. The newly included cassette player made up for lost ponies. Malibu's second generation was a racy number that came in four categories. With theft a relatively new issue, these featured steering locks. In a decade of Abba, the dancing queens were racing around in the new V8 Chevelles, with lower line options introduced for the budget-set.

Third generation Chevelles were unruly for their class, showing the rare styling of four square headlights. The Laguna S-3 marched onto the market as the SS' replacement. It was only the fourth generation Eighties models which unclothed the Malibu name for the first time, bringing two tone paint jobs and a fresh badge.

The Eighties brought political intrigue when GM and Oshawa modelled a special four door Sedan for Saddam Hussein's government. The V6 arrived this way and will sadly reach its demise in 2013. If it delivers the promised 38 mpg on the highway, however, consumers will be satisfied.

Unlike 2012's affordable but turbo-power absent Chevrolet Malibu, Chevvy Malibu 2013 is ranking on the ten-best lists of car journals lucky enough to have had a preview. Rather than its predecessor's lithe exterior, this model has the muscle of a panther. Physically, its Bentley-like shape with brawny muzzle gives it beauty that's far from adolescent. The Malibu Eco comes across less as a family sedan and more as an extravagance. Whether the price weighs up to its lavish looks nobody knows. GM has yet to announce its price.

Indoors, the Eco sustains its extravagant face with suitably weighty credentials. GM hopes it won't be known as a hybrid but the word is simpler to say than 'light electrification.' Underneath, every power source is backed up by another. Its 32 lithium cells are crammed with a 65 pound battery pack. The electric motor exerts 15 horsepower while the gas engine supports it with 182 horsepower. This is just the creature to introduce to the rest of the globe, which is precisely what GM intends to do. Previously the Malibu was the sole property of North American consumers. Next year the Eco will take Malibu across oceans to global markets.