Chevrolet – Providing Quality and Innovation for Nearly a Century
By Fei Lim

History

In November of 1911, William (Billy) Durant and Louis Chevrolet began selling Chevrolet cars. Before this, Durant was head of GM motors, which he had founded in 1908. He had been forced out of the company by bankers who felt he was unfit to run an enterprise of the size GM was becoming. On November 3, 1911, Durant started the Chevrolet Motor Company, intending to use it to regain control of GM. He chose to name the company after his partner because he liked the sound of the name, and because Chevrolet was prominent in motor sports. In 1912, Chevrolet brought out the "Classic Six" - a large touring sedan capable of seating 5 passengers. This sedan had a long list of standard features, including four doors, electric lights and folding top. At the time, its windshield and tool box were also unusual as standard features. In 1914, the classic Chevrolet bowtie logo first appeared. This logo was designed by William Durant over a period of several years.

The first Chevrolet trucks went on sale, the same year, 1918, that Chevrolet Motor Company once again became part of GM. Two years before, Durant had purchased enough stock in GM to walk in an declare himself president once more. The first Chevrolet truck was the Model 490 Light Delivery truck. In those days, anyone who bought a truck had to provide their own body and cab. The chassis was the only thing the company provided. Some people built their own truck bodies from wood, but others purchased ready made bodies and cabs from independent suppliers. In 1924, the first Chevrolet vehicle with an optional built-in radio was made available for purchase, and in 1927, Chevrolet outsold Ford for the first time, by selling more than one million units. In all but four years out of the next 55, Chevrolet was the highest-selling American nameplate.

1929 saw the introduction of Chevrolet's and the auto industry's first 6 cylinder engine. Because the purpose of a truck is to move the largest load in the shortest time at the lowest cost, the additional power was a hit with consumers. The new engine produced a greater increase in power and torque and permitted the truck to move or pull larger loads. Chevrolet produces a variety of workhorse designs to this day, including the Silverado, Colorado, and Avalanche.

In 1950, Chevrolet introduced the first automatic transmission in the low-price field, the powerglide. Three years later, it was followed up by the very first Corvette. Many skeptics did not think that Chevrolet would offer such an unusual body design, made entirely of fiberglass, to the general public. The next year, power brakes, seats, and windows were first offered as luxury features.

The legendary Chevy v8 was first produced in 1955. It was an innovative engine, destined to be one of the most famous ever. Cars with this new engine also had new and innovative body styles, set new sales records, and forever changed the look of the American automobile. This year, as well, the Corvette introduced the first ever bucket seats, the style of seat we use in cars today. Vehicles before this had the more cumbersome bench seat. The first modern chassis came about with the famous 1963 Corvette Sting Ray. This car had independent suspension all around the car, and power-operated headlights that sunk into the hood.

The 1970s saw the introduction of the first light duty pickup trucks, then called "light utility vehicles." Also released in this decade was the Chevette – Chevrolet's answer to the small, inexpensive Japanese import cars. In 1979, at the close of the decade, the one hundred millionth Chevrolet was built.

In recent years, Chevrolet has continued to release innovative lines of cars, trucks, and the newly popular sport utility vehicle. The Corvette remains a timeless classic of sports cars, updated every year in new and exciting ways. Joining the Chevrolet family have been the Venture, Tracker, and redesigned Malibu. The number one sellers in the United States include the Impala and the Silverado. The latter is the second best-selling pickup truck in the U.S. Chevrolet appears ready to continue producing a variety of inspiring vehicles well into the twenty-first century.