(October 19, 2011) SEOUL — GM Korea on Tuesday celebrated the production of the first all-new Chevrolet Malibu at its Bupyeong #2 plant in Incheon. Sales of Chevrolet’s first global midsize sedan will start next month in Korea, the product’s initial market.

The 2013 Malibu will go on sale in the U.S. in the first quarter 2012. The first Malibu to hit showrooms will be the ECO mild-hybrid.

GM Korea’s Bupyeong plant is the first in the world to build the eighth-generation Malibu, which will form a cornerstone of Chevrolet’s growth as the brand’s new top-of-the-range offering in global markets.

“The new Malibu is our most important product introduction of the year,” Arcamone said. "It will play a significant role in enabling us to attain our goals in the domestic market while ensuring that GM Korea becomes an important part of Chevrolet’s success in its second century.”

The Bupyeong #2 plant is GM Korea’s center for the production of midsize passenger cars. With the start of production of the new Malibu, it will join the company’s Gunsan, Changwon and Bupyeong #1 plants in operating at full capacity.