As one who takes my auto blogging very seriously, I keep a sharp eye on my inbox watching for the many tips and referrals that filter in each day. One day last week, I received one that just about knocked me off my chair. General Motors was inviting me, along with a lot of other auto bloggers to Santa Monica for the launch of the 2008 Chevy Malibu! I actually had to read it twice to be sure I had read it correctly. Conveniently, the to list was left public and what a list it is, a veritable who’s who of the blogging world.

So why is some press junket big news?

Within the “traditional” journalism community, there is still the stigma that anybody who works online is not a legitimate journalist. While this may be true for some, there are others among us who take things very seriously. That stigma has also affected the perception of many auto manufacturers who have been burned by web guys who have flogged media vehicles rather than performing responsible, professional road tests. This has made life difficult for many legit writers to gain access to media testers.

The General has realized the power of the blogosphere and has chosen to invited a couple of dozen auto bloggers to experience the upcoming 08 Malibu. They are flying us to California, putting us up in a hotel, feeding us and giving us access to not only the Malibu, but also to GM execs. Along the way, we will visit the Edmunds.com headquarters to see how the big guys do their thing.

Bloggers typically aren’t known for holding their tongue when they see a problem with a vehicle, so GM is taking a pretty big leap on this one. If the Malibu shines, so will the publicity. If the car isn’t so wonderful, this whole thing could backfire. Either way, you have to give General Motors credit for seeing a potential marketing opportunity that will reach many thousands of enthusiast readers and taking a chance on it.

I can’t wait!