History of Chevrolet
Chevrolet is a unit of American automaker General Motors. On November 3, 1911, the Chevrolet Motor Vehicle Corporation was founded by ex-General Motors founder William C. Durant (1861-1947), Swiss racing car racer Louis Chevrolet (1878-1941), and his brother Arthur Chevrolet. In a reverse merger that took place on May 2, 1918, Durant utilized the Chevy Motor Vehicle Corporation to gain control of General Motors and reclaim his position as GM president.
General Motors of Canada Limited had plants for Chevrolet in Flint, Michigan, as well as branch assembly facilities in Tarrytown, New York, Norwood, Ohio, St. Louis, California, Oakland, Texas, and Oshawa, Ontario, in 1919.
Starting in 1919, GMC light-duty trucks were built utilizing the same chassis as Chevy passenger vehicles, giving them a nearly similar look to GMC goods.
Once the Chrysler Company created Plymouth in 1928, Chevrolet, Ford, and Plymouth were known as the "Low-priced three." Chevrolet continued to compete with Ford throughout the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. They debuted the renowned "Stovebolt" overhead-valve inline six-cylinder engine in 1929, providing Chevy with a competitive advantage over Ford, which was still only producing a single flathead four-cylinder engine. The Standard Six, marketed in the U.S. as the least expensive six-cylinder vehicle for sale, was introduced by Chevrolet in 1933.
Chevy used multiple variations of the bowtie emblem simultaneously throughout time, often utilizing blue for passenger cars, gold for trucks, and an outline (typically in red) for vehicles with performance packages. In 2004, Chevy finally united all of its automobile models with the gold bowtie.
Under the slogan "Daewoo has grown up enough to become Chevrolet," Chevrolet was relaunched in Europe in 2005. This action was motivated by General Motors' desire to create a worldwide brand for Chevrolet. G.M. planned to elevate Opel of Germany and Vauxhall of the United Kingdom upscale while reintroducing Chevy to Europe as a popular bargain brand.
GM went back on the decision in late 2013, that the brand would be discontinued in Europe starting in 2016, with the exception of the Camaro and Corvette. Throughout the CIS nations, including Russia, Chevrolet automobiles were to continue to be sold. The last Daewoo automobiles were sold in their home country of South Korea under the Chevy name when General Motors completely bought GM Daewoo in 2011 to become GM Korea.
Most auto markets across the globe sell automobiles with the Chevrolet brand. Starting with the Silverado in 2021, General Motors Specialty Vehicles takes over the distribution and sales of Chevrolet cars throughout Oceania.
Vehicle range
Chevrolet makes a variety of vehicles, including family-friendly sedans, useful station wagons, sporty coupes, MPV/minivans, vans, pickup trucks, sports cars, hatchback, crossover SUV, body-on-frame SUV and convertibles. Chevy manufactures and markets a broad variety of automobiles in North America, ranging from subcompact cars to medium-duty commercial trucks. Owing to Chevrolet's worldwide brand awareness and popularity, the terms "Chevrolet," "Chevy," or "Chev" are sometimes used interchangeably with the names of General Motors or its goods.
Interesting facts about Chevy
The legendary "Stovebolt" overhead-valve inline six-cylinder engine was first debuted in 1929, providing Chevrolet with a marketing advantage over Ford, which was still only producing a single flathead four-cylinder engine. The Standard Six, which Chevy introduced in 1933, was promoted as the least expensive six-cylinder vehicle on the market in the U.S. The Chevy Master debuted a sleek design that reflected Art Deco inspirations during the Great Depression and the years before and during World War Two.
The Chevrolet Suburban Carryall, launched in 1933, was an SUV-styled car. It featured removable seats and additional cargo space, which was rare in commercial cars at that time. For extra strength, the car body was built from steel. The Suburban later became the longest-running nameplate in the automotive industry.
One of the best-selling car lines in American history throughout the 1960s and the beginning of the 1970s was the basic Chevy, notably the opulent Chevrolet Impala series. The time period saw the introduction of the Chevrolet Monte Carlo and the Chevrolet Camaro, respectively, as well as the mid-sized Chevrolet Chevelle and the reasonably priced Chevrolet Nova.
The plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt, marketed as the Opel/Vauxhall Ampera in Europe, was put into production by General Motors in the latter part of 2010. This vehicle won several accolades, including the 2012 North American Car of the Year, European Vehicle of the Year, and World Green Car of the Year. With 31, 400 units sold in 2012, the Volt/Ampera series was the best-selling plug-in electric vehicle worldwide.
Both awards - the 2017 Motor Trend Car of the Year and the 2017 AutoGuide.com went to the Chevrolet Bolt. The 2016 Reader's Choice Green Vehicle of the Year, the 2017 Green Car Journal Green Car of the Year, and Time magazine's list of the 25 Greatest Inventions of the Year were all given to this vehicle.
Shortest and longest models
The 2022 Spark is Chevrolet's smallest car that is fun, efficient, and easy to park. The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban is a hulking SUV that sits on a 134.1-inch wheelbase. This SUV measures 225.7 inches long, 81.1 inches wide, and 75.7 inches high, making it one of the largest vehicles in its segment. It has a curb weight of 5,808 pounds and a gross vehicle weight rating of 7,500 pounds, which gives it impressive hauling and towing capabilities.
Motorsport history
The Chevrolet brand has a rich history in motorsports. It has the most manufacturers' titles in all NASCAR series combined (and in each series separately), having recently recorded a 13-year winning streak in the NASCAR Cup Series between 2003 and 2015 - a period that saw Jimmie Johnson collect five Drivers' Championships in a row in a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (2005-2010). The brand has also featured for a number of decades in American open-wheel racing series, powering title-winning cars in the Indy Racing League (2002, for Panther Racing) and in the unified IndyCar Series (2012, 2014-2017, and 2019, for Andretti Autosport, Chip Ganassi Racing and Team Penske), along with eleven Indy 500 winners (1988-1993, 2002, 2013, 2015 and 2018-2019). Chevrolet also holds the most class championships in the Trans-Am series (36, most recent in 2020) and has provided engines for the winning cars in the Can-Am series throughout its existence. More internationally, Chevrolet has achieved significant success in the American Le Mans Series (Manufacturers' Championship in various G.T. classes in 2001-2008 and 2012-2013) and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (Manufacturers' Championship in the Prototype class in 2014-2016 and in the GT Le Mans class in 2016-2017 and 2020). Aside from multiple class wins, the brand was involved in three overall victories at the 24 Hours of Daytona - in 1969 (LOLA T70 with a Chevrolet engine), 2001 ( Chevrolet CORVETTE C5-R) and 2014 (Corvette Daytona Prototype).
Outside of North America, Chevrolet cars and engines have been involved in numerous racing series in different classes. Between 2010 and 2013, Chevrolet Cruze was the winning car in the World Touring Car Championship. Having participated (as a car and engine maker) in the World Sportscar Championship since the early 1960s, Chevrolet also joined the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), established as its successor in 2012. That same year, Larbre Compétition won a Teams' Championship in the LMGTE Am class with Chevrolet Corvette C6.R. The Chevrolet Corvette C7.R won the LMGTE Pro class at the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Biggest competitors
Chevrolet's competitors include Toyota, General Motors, Dodge, Ford Motor Company, Nissan and Honda.
Pros and cons of Chevrolet models
Most popular models
From the earliest models, like the Baby Grand and the Series H, to some of the most popular models of today, like the Tahoe and the Camaro, Chevrolet has distinguished itself with stylish, high-quality vehicles, and the market has responded with outstanding sales.
Here are some of the most popular models in the Chevy lineup that consistently achieve high marks from industry experts:
- Chevrolet Bolt EV - In October 2016, G.M. started producing the first mass market, a reasonably priced electric vehicle with a range of more than 200 miles.
- Chevrolet Camaro - dating back to 1967, Camaro has tried on a lot of looks in its nearly 50-year history, but the fifth generation has brought it back around to the first generation. The wide, beefy body looks like a true muscle car. It has a split grille with a large lower fascia, fog lights and an aerodynamic design. A lot of changes were made to lower the weight of the car to make it more fuel efficient and give it better handling.
- Chevy Caprice - dating back to a year before the first Camaro. Unlike this flashy muscle car, the Caprice wasn't designed for thrill rides. It was more your taking-a-stroll-on-a-Sunday-afternoon-after-church kind of car. This was one of the big boat cars that could fit the whole family and offer plenty of legroom for all. Caprice is a modest sedan that is a smart choice for young professionals and small families on a budget. It is a safe and reliable car that delivers the performance that most drivers need.
- Chevrolet Cavalier - had several iterations, including a station wagon, hatchback, coupe, sedan and convertible. Its versatility meant that it appealed to a wide audience, including families, retirees who wanted a reliable vehicle, and young people looking for a stylish ride. It received a total redesign in its third and final generation, getting softer edges and a more aerodynamic body. In 1997, it was the best-selling model in the entire G.M. line of vehicles.
- Chevrolet Equinox - introduced in 2004 for the 2005 model year, replacing the North American Chevrolet Tracker and Chevrolet S-10 Blazer.
- Chevrolet Impala - has the honor of being the best-selling car in America in a single year: It sold 1,046,514 units in 1965. The "U.S. News and World Report" ranked it, in 2014, as number one for Affordable Large Cars. For a short time in the 90s, it was reimagined as a sports sedan, but it has returned to its roots as a full-size mainstream sedan. Chevrolet has a strong sales history because it has a record of producing vehicles that are stylish, safe and structurally superior.
- Chevy Silverado - The Chevy Silverado has been a consistent performer since it debuted in 1999 and was designed as a heavy-duty pickup truck, but it has since evolved into a luxury truck that also has the power if you need it.
The worst models and their imperfections
Chevrolet manufactured many legendary cars, but not all cars were instant hits or became classics over time. Some had questionable designs, while some lacked features over their competitors and became one of the worst Chevrolets:
- 1980 Camaro Iron Duke - known as one of the worst chevy engines of all time. This four-cylinder engine made only 90 H.P. and had a 0-60 time of 20 seconds. Camaro was never supposed to be driven slow and the Iron Duke, with his slow engine, was exactly that.
- Chevrolet Lumina APV - hideous plastic body panels on the exterior. The performance was also sub-par. Its 3.4-litre V6 made 180 HP. It was not a sales success and thus got discontinued in 1997.
- 2003 Chevrolet SSR (Super Sport Roadster) - What was supposed to be a modern iteration of the El Camino turned out to be as bad as the Plymouth Prowler. Chevy tried to make a modern El Camino with the looks of its older-gen pickup trucks. Unfortunately, the bed cover of SSR meant that it was not possible to use it as a pickup, and neither was it a good car.
- Chevrolet HHR (Heritage High Roof) - the five-door FWD crossover. Its design took inspiration cues from the 1949 Chevrolet Suburban, a turbocharged variant of the same called the HHR SS turbocharged.
- 1970 Vega - introduced in 1970 and sold til 1977. The models had rust issues, safety issues and engine troubles, and whatnot. The performance was also lackluster. Just like the Ford Pinto, the Chevrolet Vega will always be remembered as the worst vehicle ever produced by its maker.
- 1980 Chevy Corvette 305 - From the first model to today, this particular version has been rated the worst Corvette in history. The V8 engine only produced 180 horsepower and was only offered with an automatic transmission.
- 1960 Chevy Corvair - called "unsafe at any speed" and was a terrible car that shouldn't have made it past the design phase. Corvair has become one of the most dangerous cars in the world due to oversteering and understeering, causing trouble on the road and making this car impossible to control.
Innovations made by Chevrolet
The basic Chevy small-block V8 design has been manufactured continuously since its introduction in 1955, a record for any mass-produced engine worldwide, albeit newer variants share few if any, interchangeable components with the original. Also, throughout the years, the engine design has been used for GM. models marketed and manufactured under the Buick, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Hummer, Opel (Germany), and Holden (Australia) nameplates.
Chevrolet has always been innovative, both in their technological developments and in their car engineering. Chevrolet's commitment to delivering top-notch quality and its heavy attention to detail are some of the qualities that all customers love.
To combat the biggest safety issue (people who use their phones while they are driving), Chevrolet created an app for Android users called Call Me Out, which allows a pre-recorded message from a family or loved one to play out every time the user handles their phone while driving. This is a simple yet effective reminder to those who are tempted to use their phone while driving that there is much more at stake. To give even more incentive, the app has built-in some friendly competition. Every time the user doesn't handle their phone while driving, it rewards you in the app with points.
Chevrolet is a company that is mindful of the future and the need for greener technology. This is the precise reason that they released the Chevrolet Bolt EV in 2010, which soon became the first affordable all-electric car to offer an approximated range of 238 miles off of a single charge! It is no surprise that Chevrolet is a leading contributor to greener vehicles as well.
Safety and reliability
Chevrolet knows a few things about safety while on the road, which is why their cars are packed with both active and passive safety features to ensure the safest ride possible. In reliability rankings by Consumer Reports, the Chevrolet brand ranked ahead of competitors like GMC and Ford. Additionally, Chevy excelled in the customer satisfaction category. Chevrolet is one of the top brands for safety on the market.
Each Chevy vehicle is designed with safety in mind. The suite of innovative Chevy safety features includes the following:
- Automatic Emergency Braking - This feature automatically brakes the vehicle for the driver, significantly reducing speeds when travelling on the highway. At lower speeds, automatic emergency braking can help prevent a collision.
- Forward Collision Alert - Forward Collision Alert identifies obstacles and detects vehicles ahead so you can apply the brakes, helping to prevent front-end collisions.
- Front Pedestrian Braking - Pedestrian detection uses the latest safety technologies to alert you of their presence so that you can avoid them.
- Following Distance Indicator - Using forward-facing cameras and sensors, the Following Distance Indicator monitors vehicles in front of you and lets you know when you are too close. The distance indicator is adjustable according to driving conditions, weather, and speed.
- Lane Stay Assist with Lane Departure Warning - This feature makes audible sounds to alert you if your vehicle is unintentionally drifting out of the marked lane. Lane Keep Assist gently guides your vehicle back into the lane.
- Intellibeam Headlights - Equipped with a small sensor positioned in the windshield, this feature detects the headlights of oncoming traffic or taillights of vehicles in front of you. It then adjusts your headlights between low-beam and high-beam illumination.
The Car Reliability Surveys that its members complete provide Consumer Reports with its dependability statistics. 329,009 automobiles were surveyed by the nonprofit, which included models from 2000 through 2020. The average expected dependability score for the brand's model lineup is the foundation for Consumer Reports' brand-level rankings.
On a scale of 0 to 100 points, the anticipated dependability score is determined, with the average rating lying between 41 and 60 points. There must be enough survey data for two or more models before a brand may be rated.
For 2021 models, Chevrolet ranked 17th out of the 26 brands ranked, with a score of 42, according to the trusted nonprofit Consumer Reports. That put Chevrolet ahead of its sister brand, GMC, which ranked 18 with a score of 41, and a major competitor, Ford, which ranked 22nd with a score of 38.
Electric models
Chevy EV ownership is simpler than could be expected, offering Charging Flexibility, Fast Charging Times and easy Care and Maintenance. Here are the Chevrolet models known for the moment:
- 2016 Chevrolet Bolt EV
- 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV
- 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV
- 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EUV
- 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV
- 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV
- 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV