Chevy Malibu ads will aim at Camry, Accord

When the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu hits dealerships on November 1st, 2007, GM will be hoping to steal some market away from the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. However, GM’s vice president of vehicle sales, Mark LaNeve, admits that the Camry and Accord owners will be a “tough conquest target.”

“Without getting into a lot of specifics, we are going to clearly identify that we’re competing in the segment with the Camry and the Accord and that we feel we’ve got the best car in the segment,” Mark LaNeve told Automotive News.

LaNeve says that the Malibu ad campaign is designed to show that GM has built a car equal to or better than its two main competitors. GM’s research has shown that owners of imported brands would be willing to buy an American car that is as good as or better than an import.

GM will not be pulling the same stunt it did with the Saturn Aura by putting a Camry and Accord in Saturn dealerships. However, LaNeve said that GM will market the Malibu more than it did the Saturn Aura.

“We’re going to vigorously state our case and hope that people get us on the consideration list,” LaNeve told Automotive News. “That’s all we ask.”

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

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