By: Jeffrey Ross
Autotropolis.com
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Back in high school, if a new kid wanted to make a name for himself, the easiest thing to do would be to walk up to the most popular kid or the biggest jock and punch him square in the mouth. From there, he better have what it takes to back up his actions or face immediate and rather painful consequences.
Life is no different in the automotive world. 
When Chevrolet launches its all-new 2008 Malibu this fall, the midsize sedan has the class-leading Toyota Camry square in its sights. Despite holding the position of top sales for the better part of the last decade, the Camry will have some stiff competition from the all-new Malibu.
While Toyota has come a long way in designing the Camry from a small, blocky car of 1983 to the best-selling midsize sedan, it can be argued that maybe Toyota went a little bit too far in creating a unique design for the 2007 Camry. The end result, however, is a sporty sedan that offers a spacious interior and a powerful and economical powertrain. 
The new Malibu will be a vast improvement over the outgoing model growing in all dimensions not to mention more powerful and efficient drivetrain and a much more inspiring design. Unfortunately, the Malibu’s new exterior may only be enough to keep it at an even pace with its competitors.
The 2007 Camry has a rear design heavily influenced by the once-controversial-but-now-popular look of the BMW 5-, 6- and 7-Series. Similarly, the rear of the Malibu also mimics a top-end luxury car by having a Maserati-influenced look, which is highlighted by the swooping rear quarter panels and the flat, upright rear end. Although both cars feature unique, attractive and sporty designs, the Camry (especially with the lower body cladding) holds a slight advantage in curb appeal.
Even before any full pictures were released of the all-new Malibu, pictures were released showing off the car’s interior layout. It was clear that Chevrolet looked to reverse common opinions about domestic cars and their less-than-inspiring interiors. High-quality materials and a functional design will highlight the Malibu’s interior, and the wide assortment of colored inlays available inside the 2008 Malibu will help create a look and feel that few domestic cars have been able to offer in recent years. 
Since the Camry isn’t looking to make as much of a statement as the Malibu, the interior wasn’t required to provide as much flash. While there is no shortness of comfort or amenities, the Malibu’s interior definitely creates a more unique atmosphere. to put the Malibu at an even level with its competitors.
The base model Malibu will offer a 164-horsepower, 2.4-liter four cylinder and Chevrolet expects to achieve 31 mpg on the highway. The upscale Malibu LTZ will offer a six-speed automatic (a first for any four-cylinder car in its segment). The available V6 for the Malibu is DOHC 3.6-liter that pumps out 252 horsepower. The V6’s variable valve timing and a six-speed automatic transmission will help it get an expected 26 highway mpg.
While the Camry’s standard 158-horsepower, 2.4-liter four cylinder gives up a little in power, it has a modest advantage in fuel economy getting 24 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway. The 3.5-liter V6 option offers 268 horsepower and like the Malibu uses variable valve timing and a six-speed automatic. The main difference is fuel economy – getting an estimated 22 mpg in the city and an incredible 31 mpg on the highway. With the new EPA ratings in effect, achieving over 30 mpg for any midsize sedan will be much harder to attain.
In our opinion, the Camry will hold a slight edge over the upcoming Malibu, but the fact that it will even be a close race should have Toyota worried, and the plot could thicken even further when Chevrolet releases the new Malibu hybrid next year. With last year’s Malibu sales (163,853) slightly better than a third of the Camry’s (448,445), Chevrolet still has a lot of distance to make up. The 2008 Chevrolet Malibu will start its schoolyard battle in fashion this fall. Leave a comment and let us know what you think.