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Chevrolet

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Chevrolet Logo
Chevrolet Logo

Chevrolet, often nicknamed Chevy, is a brand of automobile, now part of General Motors. It is one of the most popular car companies by General Motors. For 2005, Chevrolet outsold its main domestic rival, Ford, for the first time in 19 years, making it the top-selling marque in the United States.

History

One co-founder, Louis Chevrolet, was a racing driver, born on December 25, 1878 in La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland. The other co-founder, William C. Durant, had been forced out of GM in 1910 and wanted to use Louis Chevrolet's designs to rebuild his own reputation as a force in the automobile industry.

1922 Chevrolet

On November 3, 1911, Chevrolet entered the automobile market to compete with the Ford Model T. A year later (1912), the 'Classic Six' was introduced. The 'Classic Six' was a 5-passenger touring sedan equipped with a 299 in³ (4.9 L), 6 cylinder engine capable of taking the car to a top speed of 15 miles per hour (25 km/h).

Chevrolet first used its 'bowtie' logo in 1913.

In 1916, Chevrolet was profitable enough to allow Durant to buy a majority of shares in GM. After the deal was complete in 1917, Durant was president of General Motors, and Chevrolet was merged into GM, becoming a separate division.

Master, A model name of Chevrolet used in the 1930's. It was the deluxe version Chevy with knee action front suspension. In 1936 the master series was longer than the standard series Chevrolet.

Famous Chevy models include the large and luxurious Impala (1958) and the short-lived mid/rear-engined Corvair (1960).

Chevrolet had a great influence on the American automobile market during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1963, one out of every ten cars sold in the United States was a Chevrolet. 1

One of the most recognized of classic cars is the 1957 model Bel Air (commonly referred to as a "57 Chevy").

The Corvette, which was introduced in 1953, remains the longest running production car from Chevrolet and is still produced today.

The Suburban also known as the Suburban Carryall, was introduced in 1936 and remains in production today, making it the longest running production truck from Chevrolet.

The Chevrolet Camaro ceased production in 2002 after 35 years of production. The last one to be rolled off the lot was a red Z28.

Chevrolet outside North America

In markets outside North America, the Chevrolet brand name has been used on other GM models.

Latin America

Historically, many Latin American-market vehicles from GM were modified derivatives of older models from GM's North American and European operations. The current S10 and Blazer exemplify this strategy. However, more modern vehicles are now being marketed as market conditions change and competition increases.

In Brazil, the Chevrolet Opala was based on the German Opel Rekord from the late 1960s, continuing in production until the early 1990s, when it was replaced by a version of the Opel Omega. Other smaller Chevrolets in Brazil, such as the Kadett and Monza, were based on the Opel Kadett and Ascona respectively. Chevrolet's product line-up in Brazil now comprises some exclusive designs like the Corsa "B" based Celta sold in Argentina under the Suzuki brand, the Astra, and a brand new, Brazilian designed Vectra based on the current Opel Astra, while the current Corsa is built and the Omega name is now used on the Holden Commodore. Utility and four wheel drive vehicles line-up includes the S10, the Blazer, and the Montana. The Montana is a compact pick-up truck that is also sold in other Latin American markets. From the 1960s to the mid 1980s, there was also a large station wagon, derived from the C10 truck (somewhat similar to the Suburban) called the Veraneio.

In Argentina (whose factory was opened in Rosario in 1995), the models are the same Opels made in Brazil, along with the S-10, Blazer, and Avalanche. Chevrolet had a presence in Argentina since the 1960s where it locally produced the Chevy II (sold in Argentina as the Chevrolet 400 or Chevy), but it stopped its operations in 1981, due to high inflation.

In Mexico, some of these Opel-sourced Chevrolet models are sold alongside US models. An example is regarding the Vectra. While the Brazilian Vectra is derived from the current Astra, the Mexican Vectra is actually the current Vectra as sold in Europe. Mexico also has some cars of its own, such as the Chevy C2, which is a reworked last-gen Corsa, the Sonora (which is a rebadged Tahoe), and the Cheyenne (which is similar to the Silverado but is as different as the Sonora is to the Suburban).

South Africa

In South Africa, Chevrolet was GM's main brand name until 1982. In the 1960s, the advertising jingle braaivleis, rugby, sunny skies and Chevrolet came to epitomise the ideal lifestyle of white male South Africans. Originally, Chevrolets were CKD kits of American Chevys assembled in their plant in Port Elizabeth. However, since South Africa was RHD and the US was LHD, plus encouragement by the South African government to use local content, Chevrolets such as the Biscayne were eventually made entirely in South Africa. By the 1970s, South African Chevrolets like the Kommando and Constantia were based on Australian Holden models like the Kingswood, while the Firenza was based on the Vauxhall Viva. The Chevrolet Nomad sold in South Africa was entirely different from the Nomad sold in America - whereas the American Nomad was originally conceived as a wagon version of the Corvette and eventually became the wagon version of the Bel Air, the South African Nomad was an SUV of truck proportions before SUVs were popular.

However, these were replaced by Opel models like the Rekord, Commodore, and Senator, and in 1982, the Chevrolet brand name was dropped in favour of Opel. Because of the political climate at the time, GM decided to disinvest from South Africa, and a local group eventually bought out GM's South African operations (including the Port Elizabeth plant) and renamed the company as the Delta Motors Corporation. They concentrated heavily on Opels, Isuzus, and Suzukis. However, thanks to an improved political climate in the 1990s, GM decided to reenter South Africa, eventually buying out the whole of Delta Motors Corporation. Even more news arrived for Chevrolet. In 2001, the Chevrolet name made a comeback, used on the Lumina, a rebadged Holden Commodore, and later on, on the Daewoo range of cars. Current Chevrolets include the Spark (a rebadged Daewoo Matiz), Aveo, Optra, the Lumina (including a pickup version), and the Vivant, an MPV that is really a renamed version of the Daewoo Tacuma.

Europe and Asia

In 2005 models from GM Daewoo were rebranded as Chevrolet in Europe, although the Daewoo name will be retained in South Korea and Vietnam. In the rest of the world, most Daewoo models wore the Chevrolet badge since 2003. Exceptions include the use of the Suzuki badge in the US and Canada, the Pontiac badge in Canada, the Holden badge in Australia and New Zealand, and the Buick badge in China for certain Daewoo models. The 2007 Chevrolet Captiva crossover SUV will be the first Europe-only model for the marque.

One of the songs by The Fine Young Cannibals is used in all UK Chevrolet television commercials.

The Tahoe and TrailBlazer are also officially imported and marketed in very limited numbers in Western Europe.

Since 2005, Corvette is its own premium brand in Western Europe, sold alongside Cadillacs.

The Holden Commodore is badged as the Chevrolet Lumina in Thailand and the Middle East, as well as South Africa.

Chevrolet is among the newest brands in India launched by GM's Indian operations. Until June 6, 2003 (the official birthday of Chevrolet), GM India (which was originally a joint venture with Hindustan Motors) sold the Opel Corsa, Opel Astra, and the Opel Vectra. The Corsa and Astra were built at a plant in Halol, Gujarat. Since then, Chevrolet currently sells the Chevrolet Optra, Chevrolet Tavera, and the Chevrolet Forester. The Forester is imported directly from Fuji Heavy Industries in Japan, where it is sold as a Subaru. The Optra and Tavera are built at the Halol plant.

Chevrolet models

1951 Chevrolet Pickup

See also

Notes

Note 1: . ISBN 0-87341-096-3. {{cite book}}: Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |Author= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Title= ignored (|title= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Year= ignored (|year= suggested) (help) pp. 134-183.

Alex Muir

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