GM's new Chevy Malibu will be scarcer in rental fleets

Sharon Terlep | Link to Original Article @ The Detroit News

WARREN -- General Motors Corp. said that it will cut by half the number of Chevy Malibu sedans it sells to daily rental car fleets with the madeover 2008 model.

The Malibu had been GM's most fleeted car but going forward the company intends that only 20 percent of its production output will be sold to rental car companies, compared to 40 percent of current Malibus.

Those that are sold as rentals will feature amenities such as sunroofs and more luxurious interiors.

Over the last couple of years, the Detroit Three have been trying to withdraw from sales to rental-car companies. Rental fleets can drive down the value of vehicles by saturating the market and undermining a vehicle's image.

Production of the Chevy Malibu will begin Monday at the GM Fairfax plant in Kansas City, Kan.

GM has said it will pump more than $100 million into a marketing campaign for the redesigned sporty sedan, considered one of the automaker's most key launches in years.

The first new 2008 Malibu had been scheduled to hit showrooms Nov. 1 as part of GM's effort to reduce its reliance on truck sales and make a splash in the passenger car market.

GM's new Chevy Malibu will be scarcer in rental fleets

Sharon Terlep | Link to Original Article @ The Detroit News

WARREN -- General Motors Corp. said that it will cut by half the number of Chevy Malibu sedans it sells to daily rental car fleets with the madeover 2008 model.

The Malibu had been GM's most fleeted car but going forward the company intends that only 20 percent of its production output will be sold to rental car companies, compared to 40 percent of current Malibus.

Those that are sold as rentals will feature amenities such as sunroofs and more luxurious interiors.

Over the last couple of years, the Detroit Three have been trying to withdraw from sales to rental-car companies. Rental fleets can drive down the value of vehicles by saturating the market and undermining a vehicle's image.

Production of the Chevy Malibu will begin Monday at the GM Fairfax plant in Kansas City, Kan.

GM has said it will pump more than $100 million into a marketing campaign for the redesigned sporty sedan, considered one of the automaker's most key launches in years.

The first new 2008 Malibu had been scheduled to hit showrooms Nov. 1 as part of GM's effort to reduce its reliance on truck sales and make a splash in the passenger car market.

I like the Fairfax plant, they built many a Grand Prix for me. I even went into the VOS system and changed my order 10 minutes before it began to be built. There is also enough room to park the QE II in the employee's parking lot!

I think 20% is still too much. They should keep it around 10% or less. The old Malibu can make up for the loss in #s.

The old Malibu should be called Corsica and kept around til 2010.

That would be fine with me fleet 'em away.