The wild cars of the Guanzhou Auto Show continue to drop and the latest is from Chevrolet, which brought a selection of fascinating modified vehicles to the show floor. This one, a Malibu converted into a pickup is the most interesting. Although Ute conversions aren’t groundbreaking, some are more successful than others. This Malibu converted into a pickup may make some people realize that a modern El Camino has been missing from their lives.
Starting with the idea of chopping the
back half of the roof off of a Malibu and carving out everything behind the
front row of seats to make a pickup bed, the tuners responsible for this
conversion certainly weren’t constrained by a lack of ambition. They continued
on with a half roll cage in the bed over top of an air ride
system and put wooden slats down on the bed floor for that beach vibe. The
Malibu is painted a robin’s egg blue on the bottom and white on top, another
successful nod to the classics.
Although it’s unclear if the engine has
been modified, it’s clear that significant time has been spent under the Ute.
With sided-exit exhausts, a widened track, and big fenders, as well a front
splitter, a rear spoiler, and a rear diffusor, the Malibute looks like it might
be pretty handy on an autocross course.
The interior, too, has been given much
attention. Although it has a rich brown leather interior, the real star is the
steering wheel. A thin ’60s-style wheel, what it lacks in space for airbags, it
makes up for in retro-cool. Ultimately, it’s a very successful build and makes
me wonder if a Malibute could have been successful. C
