The History of Chevrolet (Chevy)

In 1910 the founder of General Motors, William C. Durant, and race car driver, Louis Chevrolet, collaborated on a new car company—Chevrolet. Within six years, Chevrolet was profitable enough for Durant to buy a large stake in GM. The following year Durant was installed as president of GM and Chevrolet (or Chevy as it is now commonly called) became a separate division of the car manufacturing company.

Chevy’s well known bowtie logo was first used in 1913. There are several stories as to what inspired the logo. Some have said it was designed from wallpaper in a French hotel Durant stayed in. Another story credits the logo as a representation of the shape of Switzerland, Louis Chevrolet’s birthplace.

One of Chevy’s claims to fame has been its small-block V-8 engine design. Produced since 1955 it is the longest continually mass-produced engine design in the world auto industry. Over the past 50 years the engine has evolved however, leaving few parts interchangeable between the new versions and the originals.

Currently, Chevy offers more than 20 vehicles domestically. The company’s Silverado pick-up is the second best selling vehicle in the U.S. Introduced in 1958, Chevy’s Impala is the best selling domestic car. During Chevy’s heyday in the 1950s and 60s, the car manufacturer was known for the Corvair with its groundbreaking air-cooled, rear engine and the Chevelle line, which entered Chevy into the muscle car race and eventually evolved into the Malibu. It’s parent company, GM is still number one in terms of sales volume in the U.S., but it has experienced some financial difficulties in recent years.

History of Chevelle

History of the Muscle Car

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