Chevy – The American Icon

Chevy Bel-Air

Since it was founded on Nov. 3, 1911, Chevrolet has produced more than 200 million cars and trucks. At the time of its founding a century ago, 270 American automotive brands existed. Today, only four of those survive: Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac and Ford. Here is a little history of the famous Chevrolet brand.

In 1911 Race car driver Louis Chevrolet and GM founder William C. “Billy” Durant co-found the Chevrolet Motor Company in Detroit on Nov. 3.

The first car to roll off the production line in 1912, was Series C “Classic Six,” a luxurious high-performance six-cylinder model.

Chevy Car Classic Six
Chevy Car Classic Six

In 1913: Louis Chevrolet parts company with Billy Durant, leaving behind the rights to produce cars bearing his name. The Chevy bowtie logo, designed under Durant’s auspices, appears for the first time in an ad.

In 1914: The first car wearing the Chevy bow-tie logo appears. It is the ‘Royal Mail Roadster’.

Chevy Car Bow Tie Logo
Chevy Bow Tie Logo

1916 heralded the arrival of the Chevy Model 490, with a list price of $490. It was the first “value-priced” Chevy, that put Chevrolet in direct competition with Henry Ford’s Model T.

Chevy Car Royal Mail Roadster
Chevy Car Royal Mail Roadster

This was also the year that Billy Durant, who had been forced out of General Motors in 1910, regained control of the company he founded.

1927 was the year that Chevrolet overtook Ford for the first time, with sales of more than 1 million vehicles.

The road to success was wide open to Chevrolet and production extended to plants outside of America.

The years of 1942-45, saw a temporary closure of civilian car manufacturing for Chevrolet, as they made way for the production of military vehicles.

1953 saw the Corvette debut with the industry’s first regular-production fiberglass body.

The 50 millionth General Motors car is a gold, 1955 Chevrolet Bel-Air.

The Bel-Air went on to be an Amercan Icon.

Chevy Car 2
1955 Chevrolet Bel-Air

The Beach Boys record “4-0-9” In 1962, an ode to Chevy’s powered by the brand’s 409 cubic inch V-8.

The Beach Boys

“She’s real fine, my 4-0-9
She’s real fine, my 4-0-9
My 4-0-9

Well, I saved my pennies and I saved my dimes (Giddy up, giddy up, 4-0-9)
For I knew there would be a time (Giddy up, giddy up, 4-0-9)
When I would buy a brand new 4-0-9 (4-0-9, 4-0-9)
Giddy up, giddy up, giddy up, 4-0-9”

In 1963, the now-legendary Corvette Sting Ray Split-Window Coupe debuts. The only model year for the split rear-window design, the car is highly

Chevy Corvette
Chevy Corvette

coveted today by collectors.

Chevy Corvette Icon
Chevy Corvette Icon

1979 sees the 100 millionth Chevy – a 1979 Monza – roll off the production line.

2009: The 638-hp Corvette ZR1 is the fastest and most powerful production car in GM history – a distinction it retains today.

And the story goes on, success, success…….

I’m going to stop here, but why don’t you take a detailed read through the article that gave me all this wonderful information.

Note also, that all Chevy pics came from Google Image, who has the most extraordinary collection.

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