Quick redo of Chevy Malibu to boost sales due by summer

• Full lineup of redone mid-size just went on sale last summer
• Sales growth has lagged others in competitive product segment with many new designs
• GM%27s U.S. head also says Malibu launch marketing was lacking

General Motors is redesigning parts of its Chevrolet Malibu which is under-performing its competing midsize sedans about one year after its 2012 launch, said Mark Reuss, president of GM North America

The changes will be made in coming weeks and be noticeable by showroom shoppers this summer.

"For the car itself, we need to have the new design language of Chevrolet in that car, so that is what we are going to do," Reuss said.

He cited design issues and the lack of a coherent marketing campaign as reasons for Malibu's disappointing sales, which totaled 30,640 for the first two months of 2013, a drop of 11.6% from a year earlier.

Reuss said GM is making changes to the Malibu's front end, while simplifying interior combinations.

"We are going to take some of the complexity out of the interior," Reuss said

Chevrolet sold more than 210,000 Malibus in 2012, up 3% from 2011. The midsize segment is led by Toyota Camry, which has outsold Malibu by more than two-to-one this year, while the Honda Accord and Ford Fusion sales have jumped 51% and 42%, respectively this year.

"The roll out and launch of (Malibu) was what it was. The sales rate of it, we are not happy with it at all and that is why we are changing it," Reuss said. "You will see that change by this summer."

Alan Batey, GM interim U.S. marketing chief, said Malibu sales have increased sequentially over the last six months and will increase again in March. New advertising for the Malibu as part of the "Find New Roads campaign" will come later this year.