Artist Imagines T1-Generation Chevy Avalanche Pickup
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The Chevy Avalanche was discontinued at the conclusion of the 2013 model year and has not been seen since, with General Motors electing to get rid of the nameplate when it switched over to the K2XX platform. While GM has no plans to revive the nameplate, a digital rendering artist on Instagram recently used his talents to try and envision what it would look like if the automaker produced a new Chevy Avalanche based on its current T1 truck platform.
This rendering is based around a photo of a 2021 Chevy Suburban High Country and as such, it utilizes the full-size SUV’s front fascia and has the same wheelbase. The artist traded the body color body components and chrome trim for utilitarian black plastic cladding, however, which is a nod to the original GMT805 platform Chevy Avalanche and its abundance of exterior plastic. The artist also redesigned the door handles for his fictional T1-platform Avalanche, trading the Suburban’s bulky handles for slimmer handles that appear to sit flush with the vehicle’s bodywork. Ultra-thin C-pillars compliment the flush door handles to give this rendering a sleek, modern look.
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GM Authority penned a long story in 2019 on the inception of the Chevy Avalanche and its demise. We encourage Chevy fans to check out that post and learn more about this vehicle program, but in short, a K2XX-based Chevy Avalanche didn’t make sense from a cost standpoint and many of GM’s top decision-makers felt as though a large subset of Avalanche owners could be transitioned to the Silverado anyway. This was also not long after the automaker’s bankruptcy and federal bailout, which left many GM execs apprehensive to take unnecessary risks with regard to product planning.
Let us know what you think of this modern-day Chevy Avalanche rendering by voting or commenting below.
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They won’t bring back the Avalanche, that’s why the Colorado has all the accessories to LOOK like an Avalanche. To the artist: Good Job but LOSE the cladding.
Why can’t you put that face on the Silverado?
I always wondered why they gave up on the Avalanche till I saw the sales numbers.
Sorry I loved this truck too but but I need to inject a little reality here.
CHEVROLET AVALANCHE – US – BY YEAR
Year sold
2005 63,186
2006 57,076
2007 55,550
2008 35,003
2009 16,432
2010 20,515
2011 20,088
2012 25,789
2013 16,526
2014 92
2015 8
The first three years were ok but not great and it got worse from there. I though they sold better than that but 20K units is not enough to make back the investments on these. The decline matches the same line of the increase in sales of the crew cabs.
I liked the idea and the concept but in the end I think the price really hurt Crew trucks are cheaper and more profitable.
Now if GM were to do a small truck like the Maverick based on a CUV I think the opening cab would be a big selling point to a small truck with a pointless bed.
I know those who had this truck held a lot of passion. for them but sadly there just was not enough of you to support spending money developing a new one.
It is easy and cheap to photo shop out a rear cargo area. To engineer a real one is much more expensive and if you don’t sell many you will lose money.
Great info – sheds a bunch of light on why they ended that line. For me it is a very functional vehicle and I see a lot of them on the road, but numbers show that they evidently weren’t that popular.
I too as shocked at how low the sales were. You do see them a lot but the numbers just don’t look good.
I suspect the added cost over the Crew Cab may have been a big part of it.
I still think the concept would be viable in a smaller CUV. Imagine a Traverse with a bed and opening cab or a Nox.
Why can’t you put that face on a Silverado?
I never understood why the Avalanche came about. The options for the bed cover and such can be added to the Silverado line. The Avalanche is more of a hulky El Camino… Personally I would prefer a new El Camino.
Love everything except the black cladding, needs to be all painted same as body color. Everyone who owns or owed one has that fading black plastic that looks Gray. Also GM should do away with AFM, ruins camshafts & lifters and no a great fuel saver.
Delete the AFM that trashes cams & lifters, also paint all plastics same as body like the 13 models were (no fading problems)
I’ve tried to by another Avalanche recently, and the ones with reasonable mileage are extremely overpriced. I currently own a 2011 Tahoe Z71 and would love a new version of the Avalanche, especially now that the Tahoe/Surburban, etc. have IRS.
Like it. If the price was reasonable id buy one looks like it has a 6’ box pus the fold down mid gate short wb than a crew cab with a long box could make a cool car camper overland rug
I
had an avalanche loved it. would love another!
I’m still driving my ’03 with 300K+ miles on it b/c I refuse to let it go. Had I been able, I should have bought a final year Black Diamond on it’s way out. I still find every aspect of my Avalanche useful and only Ram has similar bed storage bin (RamBox) that can do what my Chevy can do.
I’d do this in a heartbeat.
Buy one? In a heartbeat!!! I’ll take 2. We have a 2002 Z71 with 188k on it and it still runs and looks great. Garage kept saves them. I only wish GM would resume making these trucks. They would sell tens of thousands every year.
I Love my Avalanche!! If they bring it back I would buy another one in a heart beat!!!!! I have had a 05 and now have a 13!!!! Please bring it back!!!!!!!!!
Funny thing is when the Avalanche came out so many popooed it for having a small box. Now how many trucks come with roughly the same size box and then a teneau cover put on top.
Just shut up GM and take my money. I have 26 years working for the General and dropping the OG Avalanche was a mistake
They should never have stopped mak1ing them to begin with along with the Caddy version. Stupid GM.
I had a 2002 Avalanche 1500 and loved it. It was great in the snow and climbing hills, better than my previous and future Silverado’s were. It had a great balance to it and I loved the 32 gallon gas tank. I went to a Max Trailering Silverado with a smaller tank which made no sense and wish I would of bought the 2500 Avalanche to begin with. Like other comments, I had minimal issues with exception to a bad left front ball joint at about 30k. If they bring it back I only hope for the rugged version with plastic side molding like my 2002…..when they went to painted underbody sides, it took the beastiness away from it.
Bring the avalanche Back..!
All of my life I owned Chevrolets. I’ve owned three Avalanches, a 2003, a 2008 and now a 2013 Black Diamond Z71 with 153K miles. All three rank as the best trucks I have ever had. They are sooo vesatile! You can take it duck hunting in the morning , tow the boat to the lake in the afternoon , then put on your tux and take it to the opera in the evening (if you are in for that).
YES! Bring back the Avalanche!!! I’ll buy one in a heart beat!!!