Chevrolet Announces Final Curtain Call of the Avalanche

Chevy will feature 2013 Chevy Avalanches as Black Diamond editions

After 12 years on the Chevy lineup, it is time to say good bye to the Chevrolet Avalanche.

General Motors announced yesterday that the 2013 model year will be the last for the Chevy Avalanche. For the last unveiling of the Avalanche, GM revealed that all 2013 Avalanche models will come standard with the Black Diamond package, which includes additional equipment and a new badge.  

The Chevy Avalanche was originally shown as a concept during the 2000 Detroit Auto Show and would go on sale in 2001 as a 2002 models.

The Chevy Avalanche was made famous due to two unique features:

1)    It had a foldable midgate which allowed the truck bed to be extended from 5 ft 3 in to 8 ft 2 in

2)    It had lockable storage bins in the side rails of the truck bed with drains located at the bottom of the bins. These holes could be plugged for ice or liquid storage.

GM also announced that it would be cutting the base price of the Avalanche by $2,500. The Avalanche LS will start at $35,980, plus a dealer freight charge.

For the final model year of production, the Avalanche LS will include a rear view camera, rear park assist, fog lamps and remote start. The LT model will have a standard rear camera.

The vehicle is sold with a 5.3 liter V8 engine that is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission and GM's cylinder-deactivating Active Fuel Management technology, which allows a V6 or V8 engine to essentially "turn off" half of the cylinders when carrying lighter loads in order to improve fuel economy

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Impala will see a new redesign for 2014

NEW YORK -- Today at the New York auto show, General Motors will unveil the much anticipated (and long-delayed) redesign of the Chevrolet Impala. Chevrolet’s newest effort hopes to transform a rental-fleet favorite into a showroom champion.

The next-generation Impala will mark the 10th version of the model introduced in 1958, and its first redesign in 8 years. It shows Chevrolet’s effort to make the Impala more upscale in order to accelerate retail demand and reduce fleet sales.

When the redesigned Impala arrives in showrooms about a year from now, GM executives believe it will permanently erase what they acknowledge is the last remaining quality flaw on Chevy's car lineup, which had been called outdated.

GM is aiming to take retail market share from the Ford Taurus, Nissan Maxima, Toyota Avalon and other rivals in a large-sedan market that's been eroding for years as buyers have migrated to SUVs and crossovers.

Shrinking But Strong Market

While the large-sedan market has shrunk, and is expected to keep shrinking, it still remains competitive.

Toyota is also showing a new large sedan this week at the New York Auto Show (which you can read about here: http://newtoyotanews.blogspot.com/2012/03/toyota-to-debut-new-sedan.html), and Hyundai recently launched a redesigned Azera. Chrysler Group also recently refreshed its Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger and Ford is planning a makeover for the 2013 Taurus.

When questioned on the shrinking market, Chris Perry, vice president of global marketing for Chevrolet, stated: "It has been a bit dormant in the full-sized category…But this entry … I think it is going to re-spark some interest in the full-sized sedan."

The price on the redesigned Impala could climb considerably from the current car's price $26,585, which includes shipping. Competitors in the same category such as the Maxima have a sticker price of $32,840 and the Avalon goes for $33,995, also including shipping, so one thing to expect is a price increase.

Changes To justify the increase in price, GM is giving the 2014 Impala a much bolder design as well as much more advanced technology. They are looking for the Impala to appeal to younger buyers, as well as more upscale buyers. The 2014 Impala's exterior has a sleeker profile than previous models, sporting a long nose and short rear deck. To show off their sporty side, GM gave the redesigned Impala a wider grille and power dome hood. In order to give it a more upscale look over its predecessor, GM gave the new impala a new set of wrap-around headlamps and front fascia and chrome accents. Under the hood the 2014 Impala will come equipped with an Ecotec 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine partnered with GM's eAssist mild hybrid system. The 2014 Impala will produce 182 horsepower and is expected to get a whopping 35 mpg on the highway. Optional on the 2014 Impala will be GM's new Ecotec 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine, which pushes 195 hp, as well as a 3.6-liter V-6 engine that pushes an estimated 303 hp. All the engine choices come standard on a six-speed automatic transmission.

Interior and Trims Darren Post, vehicle line director for the Chevrolet Impala, said that the styling changes and technology features inside the car will help GM "shift the distribution to younger buyers." Inside, GM has equipped the Impala with a package of acoustic measures to deliver a quiet cabin, including the use of active noise cancellation, found in some Cadillac models, on the four-cylinder versions. This feature uses microphones and sound waves to counteract unwanted noise and thus keep your vehicle quieter. As far as safety goes, GM definitely made some improvements in the Impala by adding the following optional safety features typically found on luxury cars: A forward collision-alert system and lane-departure warning are two very cool safety features added to the Impala. But even better yet, the 2014 Chevrolet Impala will be equipped with a collision-mitigation system that alerts the driver of an impending crash and applies the brakes. The Impala will come in three trim levels: LS, LT and LTZ. It will be assembled at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck plant, where current models like the Chevy Volt and Malibu also are assembled, and at its factory in Oshawa, Ontario, where the current Malibu is made. Chevy's Revamped Lineup and Future Plans The redesigned Impala will be a part of a much improved car roster that makes us completely forget about Chevy's of even three years ago. The Chevy Cruze compact replaced the lackluster Cobalt in fall 2010 and has quickly become the brand's top-selling car. The Chevy Sonic, created to replace the Aveo, has monthly sales nearly triple of those of the Aveo. This summer, Chevy will release its first mini-car with the U.S. launch of the Spark. GM also redesigned the Chevy Malibu for the 2013 model year, the car that started the sedan revilval with its redesign in 2008. (For more on the 2013 Malibu go to : http://jerryschevynews.blogspot.com/2012/03/2013-chevrolet-malibu.html)

Last month, GM stated that for 2013 Chevrolet's NASCAR teams will replace the Impala with a new vehicle that will closely resemble a production version also planned for sale in U.S. showrooms. This has led to speculation that Chevy is planning to make a RWD performance sedan similar to the Chevy Caprice, which is seen in the U.S as police vehicles. The Rear Wheel Drive sedan could be a nice fit to compete with Chrysler’s Charger, which has been very successful. Like what you read? Follow us on Twitter at @jerrysitsaboutu and @jerryschevybalt for updates on our articles. For more coverage on Chevrolet related news and products follow us on Facebook at: http://facebook.com/jerryschevrolet