Chevrolet will unveil a radically redesigned version of its Malibu midsize sedan at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January.

The first picture of the car’s interior reveals a far more upscale and inventive design than the current model’s straightforward passenger cabin.

The interior features a dual-cowl dashboard reminiscent of Chevrolet’s classic Corvette Stingray and a two-tone interior with optional leather trim.

The 2008 Malibu also features a totally new body, a stylish rounded shape unlike the current car’s squared-off profile.

“There’s lots of upside” for Chevrolet sales “if they do the Malibu right,” said Jim Hall, vice president for industry analysis in the Southfield office of consultant AutoPacific. “It’s the first Chevrolet in years that looks more expensive than it is. That was the secret of success for the 1955 Chevrolet,” the car that launched Chevrolet’s greatest era, he said.

“Since Chevrolet lost its way in the 1980s, this is the first model that has a chance of achieving the core of what the brand’s success has been about since 1955,” Hall said.

The website InsideLine.com predicts the new Malibu will be ”bigger, more powerful and better looking” than the current model, adding the 2008 “may finally put some heat on the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.” The website predicts the car will feature four-cylinder and V6 engines and an optional six-speed automatic transmission.

The 2008 Malibu should go on sale next fall. GM will build it in the Kansas City plant that produces the current Malibu and the new Saturn Aura. GM has not announced prices, but the least expensive model should not rise much above the 2007’s base price of $17,155, excluding destination charges.

Cheverolet Releases Sneak Peek of 2008 Malibu

DETROIT, Mich. – Chevrolet today released an advance image of the exterior of the all-new 2008 Malibu, which will be unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January and will arrive at Chevrolet dealerships later in 2007. The photo was released in conjunction with the announcement of a $208 million investment in the Fairfax, Kansas Assembly plant to prepare for production of the car.

The image reveals a partial shot of the front of the car featuring a dual-port grille, which is described as representing the "new face of Chevrolet."

"The 2008 Malibu design is expressive and brings new proportions and a fresh perspective to the mid-size market," said Ed Peper, Chevrolet General Manager. "The new Malibu boasts a poised, wheels-at-the-corners stance with a longer hood and shorter deck appearance that conveys motion, agility and attitude."

Chevrolet previously released a sneak peek of one of the car's available two-tone interiors, which demonstrates a much more upscale look and feel with more premium materials and a new level of refinement in the extremely competitive mid-size car segment.

The folks over at Inside Line appear to have an itchy trigger finger, and as such, the embargo on the 2008 Chevy Malibu is toast. Given the spate of vaporized embargoes we've seen over the last week or so, this is about as surprising as the sun rising in the morning. That said, we're more than happy to bring you all the skinny on GM's new midsize sedan now that the cat's out of the bag.

Like the Saturn Aura, the all-new Malibu rides on the 112-inch wheelbase Epsilon platform. Given that we've driven the Aura and liked it very much, this bodes well for the new Chevy. We'd been wondering how GM would differentiate the two cars, and now we can tell you more about that. While the Saturn comes in two trim levels with V6 power only (3.5 or 3.6), the Malibu will be offered with three trim levels -- LS, LT, and LTZ -- with power coming from either a 164-horse 2.4L Ecotec or the very capable 252 HP 3.6L V6 with VVT.

If you think that the top-level Malibu LTZ is a V6-only car, you're wrong. The 2.4L four cylinder is available for all three trim levels, and when selected for the LTZ, it's mated to GM's Hydra-Matic 6T40 automatic with wheel-mounted shift paddles. (On LS and LT models, the four-banger is hooked up to a four-speed auto.) As with the Aura, the 3.6L is connected to the Hydra-Matic 6T70.