Too many buyers for Malibu

General Motors Corp. has finally built a family sedan Americans crave, yet dealers across the country are having a hard time getting the cars on their lots.

It likely will be spring before GM is able to build enough of the new Chevrolet Malibus to meet demand, the automaker's sales chief said Wednesday. Meanwhile, thousands of dealers are without a made-over Malibu on their lots.

GM says the shortage is a good problem to have — and several automotive analysts agree.

But the automaker is walking a fine line in the utilitarian and highly competitive midsize sedan segment, in which consumers have scores of options and limited patience.

The new Malibus "are turning faster and more prolifically than we anticipated. They're selling well in Southern California. They're selling well in Flint," Mark LaNeve, GM North America vice president of vehicle sales, service and marketing, said Wednesday. "We don't have anywhere near the availability we'd need for peak (sales) performance." More at Detroit News