The Chevy Malibu is dead, long live the Chevy Malibu.

This month, for the second time in the last 60 years, one of General Motors Co.’s most recognizable nameplates is discontinuing production at the Fairfax Assembly Plant in Kansas. But it’s likely not the last we’ve heard of it. The Malibu is a time capsule on four wheels, tracing the evolution of the U.S. auto industry from 1960s muscle car to the 1980s regulatory turmoil that caused the Chevrolet’s first retirement to its resurrection as a family sedan to the current SUV trend that has sidelined it again.

It has traced industry technology trends from frame-rail to unibody chassis, from Turbo Hydra-Matic transmission to Android Auto connectivity, and from V-8 engines to hybrids.

Named after the hip California beach community north of Los Angeles, the Malibu arrived on the scene in 1964 as an upscale trim of the Chevelle. It was the also the year that another American icon, the Ford Mustang, debuted. LBJ was president, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 became law, Beatlemania invaded “The Ed Sullivan Show,” Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, knocked out Sonny Liston, Richard Petty won the Daytona 500 and “Dr. Strangelove” opened at the box office.

“Malibu endured, in part, because it had a cool, evocative name,” said veteran auto author and editor Matt DeLorenzo. “A lot of car badges have lost that romance. The industry has gotten hung up on alphanumeric badges and made-up names.”

Here’s a look back on nine generations of Malibu and what made each unique.

First generation, 1964-67

Malibu debuted as an upper-trim family car for the Chevelle lineup, and was built in multiple forms: sedan, coupe, station wagon, convertible. It was produced on a rear-wheel-drive ladder frame, a similar architecture to that of today’s Detroit Three pickup trucks. Both 6-cylinder and V-8 engines were on offer.

Along with cars like the Pontiac GTO, Oldsmobile 442 and Mustang, the Malibu SS helped define the 1960s muscle car era with its 327-cubic inch, 300-horsepower V-8 engine — a number that climbed to 350 ponies in 1965.

Detroit makers dominated the U.S. market, and the Malibu was produced in plants across the U.S. and Canada. The trim sold 200,000 copies its first year — today, Malibu sales hover just over 100,000 units a year with a dependency on rental fleet sales.

Second generation, 1968-72

The car’s sleek, muscular design really came into its own in 1968 with a swept, coupe-like look. Malibu offered a short and long wheelbase to accommodate the variety of body styles. A 5.7-liter V-8 topped a healthy menu of engine options that drank leaded fuel — before ‘Bu transitioned to unleaded in 1971.

Great in ’68: For its second generation, the Malibu gained a curvaceous design and more powerful engine choices.

Chevrolet, Chevrolet

The interior got upgrades, too, including a new instrument panel with round gauges — similar to what fellow muscle car Camaro featured.

Third generation, 1973-77

The Chevelle got a complete redesign for 1973 with the face distinguished by a stacked pair of headlights on either side of the grille. Malibu in 1974 became Chevelle’s entry-level badge — and Laguna the premium model.

Befitting its muscle-car image, Malibu entered NASCAR from 1973-83, appearing in the winner’s circle 25 times. That success translated to sales — win on Sunday, sell on Monday — as Malibu was the best-selling Chevelle nameplate.

Fourth generation, 1978-83

For its fourth act, Malibu in 1978 became its own model line — replacing Chevelle — as mpg regulations forced Chevy to downsize its lineup. Malibu was downsizing as well — a foot shorter, 500 pounds lighter, with a V-6 on offer as well as the V-8. The SS model was axed and the two-door coupe style was discontinued after 1981.

The sedan proved popular with U.S. police departments, and the 1981 model also caught the eye of Iraq’s Saddam Hussein-led government. Iraq placed an order for 25,000 specially configured Malibus to be used primarily as taxicabs. Only half of the “Iraqi Taxis” were ultimately delivered.

Like a lot of downsized, rear-wheel-drive muscle cars, Malibu saw its sales struggle, and the model was discontinued in 1983.

Fifth generation, 1997-2003

The comeback kid. The Malibu was reborn after a 14-year hiatus — not as a muscle car — but as a front-wheel-drive, regulation-friendly, more fuel-efficient family sedan riding on a modern, unibody chassis. With the V-8 era in the rearview mirror, the ‘Bu offered a choice of four and six-cylinder engines.

“It’s like a hot dog with everything on it,” declared a 1997 ad for the car, which featured standard anti-lock brakes, theft-deterrent system, AC, zinc-coated body for rust prevention and a 4-speed automatic transmission. It advertised a drivetrain so advanced “you can travel up to 100,000 miles before the first scheduled tune-up.”

“The name was still magic,” recalled DeLorenzo of the car that replaced the Chevy Corsica. “It was a name that would resonate in a market where Chevy was facing increased competition from Japanese automakers like Toyota and Honda.”

Its trophy case also grew as the new model was awarded 1997 Motor Trend Car of the Year.

Sixth generation, 2004-07

In 2004, the Malibu made another significant platform change, shifting to GM’s global architecture. This generation sported perhaps the Malibu’s most understated design language — available in both sedan and wagon (Maxx) body styles.

In a blast from the past, Chevy for 2006 revived the SS model with a 240-horse, 3.9-liter V-6 and upgraded transmission to add some fudge ripple to the vanilla car’s reputation.

Seventh generation, 2008-12

The 2008 model was received with huzzahs from the press, winning 40 awards, including North American Car of the Year. While the new ‘Bu was hardly a head-turner, it was an upgrade from the previous gen’s anonymous looks, and Kelley Blue Book awarded it the “2008 Best Redesigned Vehicle.” The huzzahs didn’t translate to the hybrid model as Chevy tried its hand at the latest green trend. Introduced in 2009, the Malibu Hybrid landed with a thud and was discontinued after one model year.

“The standard, gasoline-only Malibu turned out to be an impressive family sedan. But it’s time to add the Malibu Hybrid to the growing pile of hybrid failures from General Motors,” panned the New York Times. The model was screwed together in Kansas City, Kansas, at Fairfax Assembly.

Eighth generation, 2013-15

Sold on six continents, the Malibu became a global nameplate. The interior gained a big console touchscreen. A hybrid model returned, part of a lineup of three four-cylinder engines for the North American market — half the cylinders from the ‘Bu’s V-8 beginnings.

Europe also got a sippy engine in the form of a diesel. Malibu was wrapped in safety tech, including front, side and even knee air bags. In 2014, the Chevy scored the highest marks from JD Power’s 2014 Initial Quality Study.

Ninth generation, 2016-24

The last-generation Malibu drew design inspiration from the 1960s fastback look — though the awkward, split-grille face didn’t match the athletic body. To meet ever-stricter mpg rules, it debuted stop-start technology, shed 300 pounds, and gained a hybrid model boasting 47 mpg. Though the base 1.5-liter turbo engine only had four cylinders, it still produced 35% more horsepower than the original 1964 car’s base 6-banger.

The 2016 car optioned a 2.0-liter turbo engine that put out 250 ponies. Notably, the front-wheel-drive Malibu era never ventured back to the NASCAR track. Even as Toyota raised its Malibu competitor, the Camry, to NASCAR Cup status, Malibu deferred to the more muscular Camaro.

“Malibu has been a performance car, an economy car, and a family car,” DeLorenzo said. “It has a great legacy. Shame it’s dying as a fleet car as customers flock to SUVs.”

As Malibu wraps up production, Fairfax Assembly is being retooled for another Chevy nameplate that’s being revived: the all-electric Bolt crossover.

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or @HenryEPayne