The History of the Chevrolet Brand

Chevrolet's headquarters is in Warren, Michigan, just outside Detroit.

In 1911, William Durant, the founder of General Motors, set up the Chevrolet Motor Car Company as one of his business ventures. When he left General Motors, Durant took with him a plan for a very promising car. His partner was Louis Chevrolet, a famous racing driver whose distinctive name was given to the new brand.

Chevrolet's first car, in 1912, was the Classic Six, a prestigious, well-equipped five-seat sedan. It was followed by the Little Four. But these cars were too expensive, which scared off potential buyers. For example, the Ford Model T, a hit at the time, cost one-fifth as much!

So Durant decided to drop luxury cars in favor of mass-market models that were simple and affordable. First came the Baby Grand open touring car, followed by the sporty Royal Mail. These models already carried Chevrolet's famous bow-tie emblem (according to another version, the logo is a stylized cross from the Swiss flag).

In 1916 the company scored a big success with the cheap, well-built Chevrolet 490, powered by a 2.8-liter (171 cu in) engine and equipped with technical novelties: an electric starter and electric headlights. Now Chevrolet could compete on equal terms with Ford, its perennial rival. And in the 1930s, when the Great Depression hit the United States, Chevrolet sold more cars than Ford.

In 1918 Durant, who had put his affairs back in order thanks to Chevrolet's success, merged it into General Motors. Chevrolet cars became a real jewel of the corporation's product lineup. Soon after, its engineers developed an air-cooled engine. In 1934 Chevrolet specialists came up with another innovation, independent front suspension. From 1950, all of the company's models were offered with an automatic transmission.

In 1935 the Suburban Carryall became the first vehicle in a new class of multi-passenger utility wagons.

The Chevrolet Corvette, which debuted in 1953, was an attempt to build a distinctly American sports car. From 1956 on, the model gradually improved and became a symbol of super-powerful American-style performance cars. By 1966, its seven-liter (427 cu in) engine had reached a record output of 560 horsepower.

True, after 1968 the Corvette's popularity cooled somewhat for a number of reasons, although demand for it never disappeared. Meanwhile, new Chevrolet models kept appearing: the Corvair (1960), Chevy II (1961), Malibu (1965), Camaro (1966), Vega (1970), Monza (1974), Cavalier (1981) and many others.

Four-wheel-drive wagons such as the Blazer and the stylish Venture also found worldwide success. 

In America, the luxurious Suburban remains as popular as ever. It is also nicknamed the "Texas limousine," because Chevrolet proved itself here as a builder of upscale vehicles.

Chevrolet's story keeps moving, and the company often delights car enthusiasts with new models and technical innovations. Just look at the stylish and original Chevrolet SSR pickup convertible (built from 2003 to 2006)!