01/11/2008 23:15. American automakers revel in grand model announcements, but incremental changes to existing products sometimes have a flash of their own.

Chevrolet's expanded use of its six-speed automatic transmission on Malibus with the 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine would be easy to overlook.

However, with money and credit tight, four-cylinder engines have assumed a new cachet in the car market.

With the previous four-speed automatic, which is still used on base LS models, the Malibu four seemed noisy and unrefined when compared with similar Japanese models.

Chevy's updated power train combination, a $695 option on the LT1 trim and standard on the LTZ, would seem to level the playing field for the Malibu.

In fact, with Chevy's liberal discounts, it is probably tilted in Chevy's favor.... // Austin American-Statesman