Like many other car brands in history, Chevrolet had humble and small beginnings, but it has grown to be one of the largest automotive brands in America.
If you live in America, you’ve heard of the Chevrolet brand. If you haven’t, you’re either Amish, which means you shouldn’t be reading this, or you’ve denied those bowtie-badged vehicles all around you. Chevrolet is part of General Motors, and it’s often referred to as Chevy. Currently, this rand offers more than 20 vehicles, some names that seem to change regularly and others that have become timeless names that we love and admire.
The Right Beginnings in the Right Place
The Chevrolet Motor Car Company was founded in 1911 in Detroit by Louis Chevrolet. He was a Swiss race car driver who partnered with automotive engineer William C. Durant, who was the founder of General Motors. This puts Chevy as one of the first brands to come from GM to be the cornerstone brand for the various names that would come under the GM umbrella over the next century. From a small start to what we see today, this automotive brand name has become popular and highly recognizable around the world.
An Odd Beginning and Way Back In
The General Motors Company had been around for a few years before Louis branched off. Initially, Durant headed GM, and Louis was hired to drive Buicks or the Buick Motor Company, of which Durant was the head of before GM.
In 1910, Durant was forced out of the organization, but Louis was his ticket back into the fold. With a production plan in mind, the two began work on the first Chevy motor at the first factory located across from Kettering University in Michigan. This space is now known as “Chevy Commons” and is a significant location of great significance for many gearheads.
Why is the Chevy Commons significant? This location is where the very first Chevy Series C Classic Six was developed, along with many other models that came after it. This first model was designed by Etienne Planche, using specific requirements drawn up by Louis. The vehicle had a sleek, classic motor that was first shown at the 1913 New York Auto Show, where it received a ton of attention.
How Did Chevy End Up in Canada?
It didn’t take long for the new Chevy name to catch on. In 1915, both William and Louis traveled to Toronto, Canada, to see if they could set up new production facilities in the area. They met with Sam McLaughlin, owner of McLaughlin Motor Car Company and manufacturer of the McLaughlin Buick. Sam agreed to this move and a partnership that would benefit both parties. This is how the Chevrolet Motor Car Company of Canada began.
At the time of this partnership, Chevy wasn’t part of GM, and neither was McLaughlin. Three years after this meeting, GM purchased both operations and brought them under the General Motors umbrella. The success of Chevy was enough that Durant was able to buy shares in GM in 1916. This allowed Durant to become president of GM in 1917 when the merger was finally completed.
Where Did the Bowtie Emblem Come From?
Some automakers have changed their emblems many times throughout the years. Chevy isn’t one of them. The iconic bowtie emblem of the brand first arrived in 1914 on the H series Baby Grand, Royal Mail models, and on the Light Six L Series models. The origin of this logo has many potential stories. Some think it came from wallpaper from a French hotel room; others think it came from the Coalettes coal company. Still, others think the bowtie is an altered version of the Swiss cross to pay tribute to the Swiss heritage of Louis. Regardless of where it came from, the bowtie logo continues to be a symbol of this longstanding and popular brand.
A New Chevy Arrives on the Scene in 1918
The Model D, which was a V8-powered four-seat roadster, arrived in 1918. This car was also offered as a five-seat tourer and helped propel the Chevy brand forward. By 1920 Chevrolet was the third most popular automotive brand behind Ford and Dodge. The Chevrolet Superior arrived in 1925 and was one of the most affordable cars in the market. This car could be purchased for $650. After the sales success of the 1920s, the next two decades were incredible for the Chevy brand. Both the 1930s and 1940s were decades of incredible innovation for this now-vaunted name.
What Were Some of the Innovations of these Early Decades?
The successful decades of the 1930s and 1940s allowed Chevy to be the first brand to bring hydraulic brakes, independent front suspensions, and V-grilles to the market. This growing company developed its first station wagon in 1939, and a convertible coupe which was a powerful and affordable car, became a reality in 1940.
Innovation and success didn’t stop when World War II arrived. The 1950s was another decade when the first Corvette arrived in 1953. This was the first ever car that wore a sporty fiberglass body which became a huge hit at the time and is still extremely popular with collectors to this day.
The Corvette wasn’t the end of innovation in the 1950s. Chevrolet created an automatic transmission, the small block Chevy V8 engine, and several different car models. These changes made the Chevy brand one of the most popular in America through the 1960s, during the heyday of family road trips, drag-racing muscle cars, and incredibly useful vehicles for every American to enjoy.
Chevrolet Endured Despite Challenges
From the 1970s until today, there have been many significant challenges in the American automotive market. Whether it was the emissions regulations of the 1970s, the continued strictness of the 1980s, or the global recession of 2008, Chevy has withstood these challenges and come out stronger on the other end. Today, we see this brand with some amazing names on the precipice of becoming a global leader in the electric vehicle market.
What will Chevy look like in ten years? Most likely, the entire lineup offered will be electric vehicles riding on some version of the Ultium battery platform. These new EVs should be extremely popular and continue to offer the qualities that have made Chevrolet a household name.
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