Even a good problem could be bad when it comes to the Detroit Three. Take for example the story of the highly successful Chevrolet, Malibu.

The good part of the equation for General Motors is that the retooled family sedan, which has won rave reviews, is basically out of stock. It seems like a good supply of the Malibu’s will not appear on showroom lots until we hear birds chirping and flowers blooming again in the spring.

Although GM knows it has a winner, it might have underestimated the demand.

The negative part of the equation is the segment the Malibu is in. While it seems advantageous to have a product where demand exceeds supply, leading to prime profit on each unit, the midsize segment has a lot of swell alternatives. Ever hear of the Camry, Accord and to a lesser extent the Altima?

If a buyer can’t find a Malibu, will they migrate to the competition? A perplexing problem for GM over the next few months.