The Chevrolet Motor Company, one of America's most iconic vehicle manufacturers, has a rich and storied history that spans over a century. From its humble beginnings to its present-day status of an automotive titan, the company has left an indelible mark on its industry with its innovative designs, iconic cars, and enduring presence. In order to better understand the true significance of these achievements, let’s take a journey through the history of Chevrolet and learn what undergirded its many achievements.

The Chevrolet Motor Company was established on November 3, 1911, in Detroit, Michigan, by Louis Chevrolet, a Swiss-born race car driver, his brother and fellow racer Arthur Chevrolet, and William C. Durant, the co-founder of General Motors. Cars had been part of what brought these men together from the moment they met; Durant had become the CEO of the Buick Motor Company in 1904, and he hired Louis as a racer for Buick’s team in order to better promote the cars. 

Once Durant and the Chevrolets grew closer, Durant realized that their relationship afforded all of them an amazing opportunity. He had co-founded General Motors in 1908, and despite working to add burgeoning manufacturers like Cadillac, Cartercar, and Oakland to its lineup, he was fired from his position in 1910. Durant’s manufacturing connections and the Chevrolets’ reputation as racers poised their joint venture for a quick start and an immediately familiar brand identity. Thus, in 1911, the Chevrolet Motor Company began its journey to becoming a byword for American automotive excellence.

Work began immediately on the company’s first vehicle, the Series C Classic Six. It was co-created by designer Etienne Planche and Louis Chevrolet, and with its 3-speed transmission, electric starter, and engine capable of 65 mph, it was designed to compete directly with other luxury car models at the time. Its $2,250 price tag (which translates to roughly $71,000 today) forestalled the general public’s interest in the brand, but the company’s true entry into the early American automotive wars came in 1915 with the Chevrolet Series 490. The Ford Model T dominated the scene in the early 19-teens due to its unbelievable affordability–the starting price was $495. But by taking a direct shot at Ford and selling its cars for a namesake $490, Chevrolet saw explosive sales and rocketed themselves into the popular lexicon. 490s were so popular that Durant could afford to buy shares in GM, reinstate himself to his old position, and merge Chevrolet with his umbrella company in 1917.

This focus on providing an intersection between practicality and affordability would gain the company a lot of favoritism in the years and decades to come. Its continued introduction of cheap family-oriented cars and trucks had earned it the co-honor of being labeled one of 1928’s “low-priced three” alongside Ford and Plymouth. Chevrolet’s next great successes came as a result of its reimagining of the expensive six-cylinder engines that propelled its first car. 1929 saw the invention of the “Stovebolt,” an overhead-valve inline-six that outperformed Ford’s four-cylinder engines for the same price. Its inline-six powered 1933 Chevy Standard further capitalized on this reputation, formally marketed as the cheapest six-cylinder-powered automobile in the country. 

Once Chevrolets had become significantly synonymous with affordability and performance, the company began to focus on making cars on the cutting edge of visual style. The art-deco inspired 1936 Chevrolet Master became popular for its swooping curves, arched wheel rims, and chrome accents. This innovation gave way to consumer-favorite cars like the Deluxe and the Fleetline, which set the bar for vehicle appearance throughout the 30s and 40s. However, Chevrolet’s all-time greatest visual hits came in the 1950s with the Corvette, Bel Air, and Impala models. Coker tires, convertible roofs, all-chrome bumpers and grilles, and iconic rear flared “wing” bodywork made Chevrolet cars the emblems of the entire decade, both for people who lived during the 50s and people looking back at the period today.

Chevrolet had obviously enjoyed no small amount of popularity or success up until this point. However, throughout the 60s and 70s, the manufacturer would begin to create vehicle lines whose sales justified their endurance to today in one way or another. Their 1965 restyle and reworking of the Impala (and the introduction of its luxury counterpart, the Caprice) broke industry records when it became the first commercial vehicle to sell one million units in the United States. 

Having cornered the sedan market for the moment, Chevrolet set its sights on pony cars, introducing the 1967 Camaro to directly compete with the 1965 Ford Mustang. Its speed and power enshrined the car among younger generations, especially as it began to pivot into a muscle car in the 1970s with the introduction of bigger-block engines. Even other discontinued models from this era, such as the Vega and the Chevelle, became collector’s items that continue to capture the hearts of millions of car enthusiasts to this day.

While this success has always been most obvious in America, Chevrolet has also spent decades as a recognizable name internationally. Its first ventures outside of the U.S., supported by GM Canada and GM Mexico, endeared the company’s flagship brands to its North American neighbors, most significantly in the late 70s, 80s, and 90s. The late 90s and early 2000s saw this popularity expand to east Asia, where joint-company ventures (like Chevy and Toyota in Japan and Chevy and Opel in India) have seen millions across the Pacific fall in love with these cars as well; China is even Chevrolet’s third-biggest market in the world. International influence does not begin and end with actual vehicle models, though. The small-block Chevrolet V8 engine has been in continuous production since 1955, powering more vehicles–including vans, airplanes, and boats alongside cars and trucks–than any other commercial engine in the entire world. 

Given this unprecedented level of global success, it’s hard to believe that Chevrolet began with two racing drivers and a businessman over 100 years ago. Dozens, if not hundreds, of other car companies founded between then and now have come from less humble stock, but almost none of them have lasted longer or seen even close to the same amount of success. Chevrolet is not just a testament to greatness in vehicle manufacturing, but to the viability of American ingenuity if time and effort is put behind it. That ingenuity is the reason why we all know someone (or are someone) who owns a Chevy. It’s why Chevy owners are among the most passionate defenders of their brand in the country and throughout the world. And it’s why we’re sure that Chevrolet will continue to make vehicles that capture the hearts and minds of millions in the years to come.

References:

Chevrolet - Wikipedia

Chevrolet Impala - Wikipedia

A Visual History of the Chevrolet Impala (caranddriver.com)

A Complete History of The Chevy Camaro | Raybuck

General Motors - Wikipedia

HISTORICAL TIMELINE OF THE CHEVROLET BRAND (nwitimes.com)