Chevrolet Avalanche tumbles out of production: The Motoramic Dash

Welcome to the new and improved Motoramic Dash, a quick read of what's happening in the auto industry today:

Chevrolet announced this morning that 2013 will be the final year for the Chevrolet Avalanche, a pickup that was a breakout hit for General Motors when launched -- and still the only GM model to be considered a "Top Pick" by Consumer Reports. But it's going out with a mini-bang, in the form of this, the Black Diamond Avalanche, which sounds dangerous, but is actually cheaper.

Why is GM burying the Avalanche? After an initial flush of popularity, the Avalanche and its midgate system only sold 20,000 copies last year. When it arrived in 2001, crew-cab pickups were rare; now, they dominate the market, and GM's next generation of full-size Silverado pickups due in a year will likely have all the creature comforts the Avalanche can muster with none of the extra body engineering and weight that make it more expensive to build.

The Avalanche isn't the most respected pickup in truck circles, but it's passing will mark an end to some fun experimentation among pickups. It and the Ford Explorer Sport Trac filled a niche for people who wanted some pickup utility without the compromises of a full-size truck. Sales have picked up this year with the rest of the industry -- but it will still be a slow roll out.

Other links from around the automotive world this morning:

Fuel Economy Rules Cut 7 Million Buyers Out of Market, NADA Says: If prices go up by $3,000 per vehicle, sure. If automakers eat some of those costs, not so much. (F&I Magazine)