Distracted Driving is part of 80% of Crashes

We’ve all heard the statistics and seen the news reports about how dangerous distracted driving can be. Mobile devices and our incessant use of them while behind the wheel has made many people as dangerous if not more dangerous than those who are driving impaired.

This graphic examines the facts about distracted driving, showing us that a quick Tweet while on the road can be deadly.

Chevrolet Avalanche to End its Trendsetting Run

2013 Black Diamond Avalanche offers unique final-year model

Following Avalanche’s lead, crew-cab pickups now dominate light-duty segment

DETROIT – The Chevrolet Avalanche, which won buyers with trendsetting design and unique features – and helped launch the boom in crew cab pickups – celebrates its final year in production with the 2013 Black Diamond Avalanche.

Black Diamond Avalanches will feature body-colored bed surrounds, a unique badge on the sail panel, additional features on LS and LT models, and lower prices across the lineup.

“More than 580,000 Avalanches have been sold since its introduction in 2001, and Avalanche has won major awards and recognitions throughout its run,” said Mark Clawson, Avalanche marketing manager. “So it is only fitting that Avalanche retires on a high note.”

“The Chevrolet Avalanche was one of the earliest forays into re-inventing the traditional pickup truck, said Michelle Krebs, senior analyst, Edmunds.com. “It was a vehicle that maintained the traditional truck image and capability but was more versatile for the person buying it for personal use more than work – a lifestyle truck more than a work truck. Other variations on the theme from competitors followed the Avalanche's debut.”

For 2013, a rear camera, rear park assist, power adjustable pedals, fog lamps and remote start will be added as standard equipment on LS models, while LT models have added a standard rear camera. Base prices have been reduced $2,500 (after equipment adjustments) with the 2WD Avalanche LS now starting at $ 35,980, plus $995 dealer freight charge.

“Although Avalanche sales have tapered off in recent years, as crew cabs have grown to dominate Silverado sales, we know there are many Avalanche enthusiasts among Chevy customers,” said Clawson. “The Black Diamond Avalanche is our way of saying ‘Thank you’ and making it just a little more attractive to own one more Avalanche.”

Avalanche reshaped the pickup market
When introduced for the 2002 model year, Avalanche offered unique styling and innovative features like a midgate that extended the bed into the cab. Perhaps more important, its overall design proved to be one of those rare ideas that change a segment – a light-duty pickup with comfortable accommodations for five people.

This concept of a well-equipped light-duty pickup that could tow, haul, and carry the family attracted enough interest to generate 93,482 sales in 2003, its third full year of production. Recognizing the appeal of the Avalanche, Chevrolet and other truck makers began developing light-duty crew cab pickups. By 2011, crew cabs accounted for more than 65 percent of light-duty pickup sales, and helped transform the pickup from a workhorse into a true multipurpose family vehicle.

Through it all, Avalanche retained a core of passionate fans who loved its style, comfort, and versatility. Avalanche was named 2002 Motor Trend Truck of the Year upon its introduction, and 2007 Truck of the Year by the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada. Avalanche also has been top choice in a number of consumer publications.

Avalanche at a glance
The Chevrolet Avalanche is one of the industry’s more-flexible utility vehicles, combining the passenger-comfort attributes of a SUV with the cargo capability of a truck, thanks to the exclusive Midgate. It opens to extend the cargo-area from 5-foot-3-inch-long (1.6 m) length to 8 feet 2 inches (2.5 m). It is available in LS, LT and LTZ models, with 2WD and 4WD.

Storage compartments alongside the cargo box provide ample and lockable storage with pluggable drains that can be filled with ice and used as coolers.

The Avalanche is based on GM’s full-size SUV platform, offering a maximum towing capacity of 8,100 pounds (3,674 kg). It is powered by an efficient combination that includes the Vortec 5.3L V-8 with cylinder-deactivating Active Fuel Management technology and a fuel-saving Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed automatic.

Avalanche also delivers useful technology and comprehensive safety features, including Bluetooth wireless phone connectivity with specific steering wheel controls, standard rear camera system, head curtain side-impact air bags and StabiliTrak electronic stability control. Avalanche offers an integrated brake controller that works with the ABS system to provide immediate and measured brake force signaling to electric-controlled trailer brake systems; there is no requirement for external and/or aftermarket brake control systems.
Avalanche milestones

• The Avalanche was introduced at the 2000 North American International Auto Show in Detroit as a concept and was described as a no- compromise Chevy Truck with a unique combination of configurable passenger and cargo space. The production Avalanche was positioned as an Ultimate Utility Vehicle (UUV) when it went on sale in 2001 as a 2002 model
• A special Avalanche was equipped to protect and transport the Olympic Flame during the Torch Relay prior to the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City; the relay covered more than 13,500 miles and passed through 46 states on its way to the Olympic Stadium for the Opening Ceremony on Feb. 8, 2002
• In addition to receiving Motor Trend’s Truck of the Year for 2002, the Avalanche received the Design and Engineering award from Popular Mechanics. Both recognized the vehicle’s revolutionary innovation
• Chevrolet teamed up with outdoor outfitter North Face and offered a special edition Avalanche in 2002 that was used to transport a team of kayakers through the rugged terrain of the Himalayas to the Tsangpo Gorge in Tibet, where they successfully accomplished first descent of the most-feared whitewater on the planet
• In 2006, Chevrolet introduced an all-new Avalanche with a fully boxed frame and redesigned suspension to deliver more refined ride and handling; a new Z71 off-road package was introduced and front featured special off-road tires, unique grille and fascia, an integrated front bumper winch and oversize tow hooks
• A 2007 Avalanche was presented to the 2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game MVP Michael Young of the Texas Rangers

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality.

2013 Traverse: Family Place Gets New Face

Offering a combination of best-in-class cargo space and room for up to eight, the Chevrolet Traverse was designed to be the perfect family gathering place for families on the go. And now, for the new model year, it boasts upgraded amenities and a fresh new look.

“The new Traverse is a family vehicle without compromise,” said Chris Perry, vice president, Chevrolet Global Marketing and Strategy. “It is more capable than many sport-utility vehicles, with as much room as a minivan and better functionality than both. The Traverse is clever, capable and confident—and there when you need it most.”

It’s much more athletic-looking, too, thanks to a revised exterior design that’s also cleaner and more sophisticated, and the 2013 Traverse also introduces a new front-end appearance that will be used throughout Chevy’s family of crossover utility vehicles.

Highlights include a more aggressive multi-bar grille, an imposing powerdome hood, redesigned headlamps, a dash of chrome, and flowing rounded corners that draw their inspiration from the look of the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu. The brand’s designers also introduced some intricate new cues at the rear of the vehicle, accented by a revised license-plate pocket and taillamps.

“We have injected a stronger presence into the Traverse exterior by focusing on the details,” said Phillip Zak, GM director of exterior design. “The small but important changes give it a more vibrant personality that more closely reflects the lifestyles of the families who rely on the Traverse to get them through their busy lives.”

In the cabin, those families will enjoy more soft-touch materials for a premium ambiance, with the driver benefiting from a new center stack that packs a color-touchscreen radio with a 6.5-inch screen as well as improved climate controls that are both easier to use and redesigned for an upscale feel. Chevrolet also made a noticeable effort to improve the overall attention to detail in the 2013 Traverse’s interior, adding further refinement.

The ultimate family-friendly feature—a rear-seat entertainment system—remains available on the 2013 Traverse, which also offers a new high-tech infotainment advantage: Chevrolet MyLink. It integrates owners’ smartphones to enable access to Internet music-streaming services like Pandora and Stitcher, while enabling hands-free calling through the Traverse’s audio system.

Further, it’s not just the new Traverse’s design that’s more similar to Chevy’s car lineup; the vehicle’s suspension gains notable changes—like front-strut rebound springs and new shock valving—that enables a smoother, more car-like driving experience. But the 2013 Traverse is no poser when it comes to pulling power. Holstering an advanced V6 engine that makes up to 288 hp, the Traverse is capable of towing 5,200 lbs.

Today’s families also demand superior levels of safety in their vehicles and here, again, the 2013 Traverse is leading the way: It’s the first vehicle in the industry to offer a front center airbag that deploys between the driver and front-seat passenger to provide added protection in opposite-side impact scenarios.

“While no restraint technology or feature can address all body areas or all potential injuries, the front center air bag is designed to address field-relevant, side-impact crashes that are not addressed by current regulatory or consumer metric test conditions,” said Gay Kent, GM executive director of Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness. “It works with the vehicle’s other air bags, safety belts and structure to deliver a safer occupant environment.”