Chevrolet also known as
Chevy (ˈ), is a brand of vehicle produced by
General Motors CompanyGeneral Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
(GM). Founded by
Louis ChevroletLouis-Joseph Chevrolet was a Swiss-born American race car driver of French descent, co-founder of the Chevrolet Motor Car Company in 1911 and later, the Frontenac Motor Corporation in 1916 which made racing parts for Ford's Model T.-Early life:Born in 1878 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a center of...
and ousted GM founder
William C. DurantWilliam Crapo "Billy" Durant was a leading pioneer of the United States automobile industry, the founder of General Motors and Chevrolet who created the system of multi-brand holding companies with different lines of cars....
on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918. Chevrolet was positioned by Alfred Sloan to sell a lineup of mainstream vehicles to directly compete against
Henry Ford'sHenry Ford was an American industrialist, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production. His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry...
Model TThe Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company from September 1908 to May 1927...
in the 1920s, with "Chevrolet" or "Chevy" being at times synonymous with GM. In North America, Chevrolet sells and produces a wide variety of automobiles, from subcompact cars to medium-duty commercial trucks, whereas in Europe, the brand name is used on automobiles produced in Korea by General Motors.
History
On November 3, 1911, race car driver and automotive engineer
Louis ChevroletLouis-Joseph Chevrolet was a Swiss-born American race car driver of French descent, co-founder of the Chevrolet Motor Car Company in 1911 and later, the Frontenac Motor Corporation in 1916 which made racing parts for Ford's Model T.-Early life:Born in 1878 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a center of...
co-founded the Chevrolet Motor Car Company with
William C. DurantWilliam Crapo "Billy" Durant was a leading pioneer of the United States automobile industry, the founder of General Motors and Chevrolet who created the system of multi-brand holding companies with different lines of cars....
(ousted founder of General Motors for 5 years) and investment partners William Little (maker of the
Little automobileThe Little was an automobile built in Flint, Michigan by the Little Motor Car Company from 1912-15. The Little first was available as a two-seater with a four-cylinder 20 hp engine, and had a wheelbase of . In 1914 a 3.6 L six-cylinder L-head engine was available in a later model that had a...
) and Dr. Edwin R. Campbell (son-in-law of Durant)and in 1912
R. S. McLaughlinColonel Robert Samuel McLaughlin, CC, ED, CD was an influential Canadian businessman and philanthropist. He started the McLaughlin Motor Car Co...
of Canada.
Durant was ousted from the management of General Motors in 1910 for 5 years. He took over the Flint Wagon Works, incorporating the Mason and Little companies. As head of Buick Motor Company prior to founding GM, Durant had hired Louis Chevrolet to drive Buicks in promotional races. Durant planned to use Chevrolet's reputation as a racer as the foundation for his new automobile company.
Actual design work for the first Chevy, the costly
Series C Classic SixThe 1911 to 1913 Chevrolet Series C Classic Six is a Brass Era American automobile, and is the first ever Chevrolet. It is one of the few Chevrolets made while record-setting Buick race car driver Louis Chevrolet was with the company. This early Chevy was much larger, more powerful, more stylized...
, was drawn up by Etienne Planche, following instructions from Louis. The first C prototype was ready months before Chevrolet was actually incorporated.
Chevrolet first used the "bowtie emblem" logo in 1913. It may have been designed from wallpaper Durant once saw in a French hotel. More recent research by historian Ken Kaufmann presents a case that the logo is based upon a logo for "Coalettes". Others claim that the design was a stylized Swiss cross, in honor of the homeland of Chevrolet's parents.
Louis Chevrolet had differences with Durant over design and in 1915 sold Durant his share in the company. By 1916, Chevrolet was profitable enough to allow Durant to repurchase a controlling interest in General Motors. After the deal was completed in 1917, Durant became president of General Motors, and Chevrolet was merged into GM as a separate division. In 1917, Chevrolet's factories were located at New York City; Tarrytown, N.Y.; Flint, Michigan;
ToledoToledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
, Ohio; St. Louis, Missouri; Oakland, California; Fort Worth, Texas, and
OshawaOshawa is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario approximately 60 kilometres east of downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of both the Greater Toronto Area and the Golden Horseshoe. It is now commonly referred to as the most...
, Ontario. In the 1918 model year, Chevrolet introduced the
Model D, a
V8A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
-powered model in four-passenger
roadsterA roadster is a two-seat open car with emphasis on sporty handling and without a fixed roof or side weather protection. Strictly speaking a roadster with wind-up windows is a convertible but as true roadsters are no longer made the distinction is now irrelevant...
and five-passenger
tourerA touring car, or tourer, is an open car seating five or more. Touring cars may have two or four doors. Often, the belt line is lowered in the front doors to give the car a more sportive character. They were often fitted with a folding roof and side curtains. Engines on early models were either in...
models. It also started production of an overhead valve in-line six. Most cars of the era had only low compression flat head engines. These cars had 288in
3 55 hp engines with
ZenithThe zenith is an imaginary point directly "above" a particular location, on the imaginary celestial sphere. "Above" means in the vertical direction opposite to the apparent gravitational force at that location. The opposite direction, i.e...
carburetors and three-speed transmissions.
Chevrolet continued into the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s competing with Ford, and after the Chrysler Corporation formed
PlymouthPlymouth was a marque of automobile based in the United States, produced by the Chrysler Corporation and its successor DaimlerChrysler.-Origins:...
in 1928, Plymouth, Ford, and Chevrolet were known as the "Low-priced three". In 1933 Chevrolet launched the
Standard SixThe Chevrolet Standard Six was launched in 1933 as a lower priced alternative to the 1932 Chevrolet that was renamed the Master Six from 1933. It was advertised as the cheapest six-cylinder enclosed car on the market....
, which was advertised in the United States as the cheapest six-cylinder car on sale.
Chevrolet had a great influence on the American automobile market during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1953 it produced the
CorvetteThe Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
, a two-seater sports car with a fibreglass body. In 1957 Chevy introduced its first fuel-injected engine, the
RochesterRochester Products Division was a division of General Motors that manufactured carburetors, and related components including emissions control devices and cruise control systems in Rochester, New York...
Ramjet option on Corvette and passenger cars, priced at $484. In 1960 it introduced the
Corvair-First generation :The 1960 Corvair 500 and 700 series four-door sedans were conceived as economy cars offering few amenities in order to keep the price competitive, with the 500 selling for under $2,000...
, with a rear-mounted air-cooled engine. In 1963 one out of every ten cars sold in the United States was a Chevrolet.
The basic
Chevrolet small-block V-8The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block...
design has remained in continuous production since its debut in 1955, longer than any other mass-produced engine in the world, although current versions share few if any parts interchangeable with the original. Descendants of the basic small-block OHV V-8 design platform in production today have been much modified with advances such as aluminium block and heads, electronic engine management, and sequential port fuel injection. Depending on the vehicle type, Chevrolet V-8s are built in displacements from 4.3 to 9.4 litres with outputs ranging from 111.394 hp to 994 hp as installed at the factory. The engine design has also been used over the years in GM products built and sold under the Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, Hummer,
OpelAdam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
(Germany), and Holden (Australia) nameplates.
Chevrolet launched the
Chevrolet VoltThe Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle manufactured by General Motors. The Volt has been on sale in the U.S. market since mid-December 2010, and is the most fuel-efficient compact car sold in the United States, as rated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency...
(and related Opel/Vauxhall Ampera) to add to a wide range of vehicles that by 2010 included a varied mix of American, Australian, European and Korean based designs to suit each local market.
Mexico
Mexico has a mix of Chevrolet models from different GM brands and platforms branded as Chevrolet. The models come from Chevrolet USA, Opel Europe, and other origins.
Examples of Opel-sourced vehicles are Vectra, Astra, Corsa, Meriva and Captiva. Mexico also has some cars of its own, such as the
Chevy C2The front-wheel drive Opel Corsa was first launched in September 1982 to replace the Opel Kadett C City, and to fill the gap vacated as the Kadett grew in size and price. Built in Zaragoza, Spain, the first Corsas were three-door hatchback and two-door saloon models, with four-door and five-door...
, which is a reworked previous-generation Corsa. Vehicles based on US platforms are the Avalanche, the Suburban, the Equinox, the Tahoe, the Cheyenne (which is similar to the Silverado), the Aveo, the HHR, the Traverse, the Malibu,the Camaro and the Corvette. The Chevrolet Optra, assembled in South Korea by GM Daewoo, is also sold in Mexico. The European Epica is sold as a business-only vehicle.
China
In 2009 China became Chevrolet's third largest market, with sales of 332,774 vehicles, behind only the United States and Brazil (1,344,629 and 595,500 vehicles respectively).
India
Chevrolet is among the newest brands in India launched by GM's India operations. Until June 6, 2003 (the official birthday of Chevrolet), GM India (which was originally a joint venture with
Hindustan MotorsHindustan Motors is an automobile manufacturer from India. It is part of the Birla Technical Services industrial group. The company was the largest car manufacturer in India before the rise of Maruti Udyog....
) sold the Opel Corsa, Opel Astra, and the Opel Vectra. The Corsa and Astra were built at a plant in
HalolHalol is a city and a municipality in Panchmahal district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Located in Western india, it has an average elevation of 499 metres .- Industry :...
, Gujarat.
Since then, Chevrolet currently sells the Chevrolet Cruzer, Chevrolet Sparkplug, Chevrolet Optra, Chevrolet Avon, Chevrolet Tavern,
Chevrolet Captiva- 2006–2011 :Designated C100 by Daewoo and CG in Holden's terminology, the Captiva was launched in 2006. Styling of the Captiva was inspired by the 2004 Chevrolet S3X concept car. The S3X concept was developed by GM Daewoo's design center in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon and is based on the GM Theta...
,
Chevrolet SRVThe Daewoo Lacetti is a compact car made by the South Korean automaker GM Daewoo since 2002. The first-generation Lacetti was available as a four-door sedan, a five-door hatchback or a five-door station wagon. The sedan and wagon were designed by Pininfarina, and the hatchback by Giorgetto Giugiaro...
, Chevrolet Beat, Chevrolet Beat Diesel and
Chevrolet Aveo U-VAThe Chevrolet Aveo is the first generation of the Chevrolet Aveo, a subcompact automobile manufactured since 2002 by GM Daewoo, the South Korean subsidiary of General Motors — originally marketed as the Daewoo Kalos and prominently marketed as the Aveo...
. The
Chevrolet ForesterThe Subaru Forester is an all-wheel drive crossover wagon manufactured since 1997 by Fuji Heavy Industries and sold under the Subaru brand...
, a rebadged
Subaru; is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries .Subaru is internationally known for their use of the boxer engine layout popularized in cars by the Volkswagen Beetle and Porsche 911, in most of their vehicles above 1500 cc as well as...
, was imported directly from
Fuji Heavy Industries, or FHI, is a Japanese transportation conglomerate most known for being the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles. It traces its roots to the Nakajima Aircraft Company, a leading supplier of airplanes to the Japanese government during World War II...
in Japan until 2005. The Optra and Tavera are built at the Halol plant.
The Chevrolet launched in India the
Chevrolet Captiva- 2006–2011 :Designated C100 by Daewoo and CG in Holden's terminology, the Captiva was launched in 2006. Styling of the Captiva was inspired by the 2004 Chevrolet S3X concept car. The S3X concept was developed by GM Daewoo's design center in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon and is based on the GM Theta...
SUV. The latest models launched by Chevrolet is the Chevrolet Beat & the
Chevrolet CruzeThe Chevrolet Cruze is a General Motors automobile, spanning two unrelated models. The original iteration, a subcompact crossover SUV, was manufactured by Suzuki in Japan between 2001 and 2008 under joint venture with GM...
.
Chevrolet also is the sole Engine supplier for the
Formula RolonFormula RolonFormula Rolon, also known as Formula Rolon Chevrolet is an open wheel single seater Formula Racing car made and raced in India. They run in the single make championships held in the tracks of Coimbatore and Chennai. The car is similar to Formula Asia and is powered by Chevrolet engine...
single seater series in India.
Japan
In the mid 2000s, Suzuki imported and marketed the
Chevrolet TrailBlazerThe Chevrolet TrailBlazer is a mid-size sport utility vehicle produced by the Chevrolet division of American automaker General Motors.On November 10th, 2011, General Motors officially revealed a second generation of the vehicle to be sold worldwide...
and the Chevrolet Optra wagon in Japan. Suzuki, a GM partner, also assembled and marketed the Chevrolet MW microvan. The MW was originally a rebadged Suzuki Wagon R+ and later a rebadged Suzuki Solio. Suzuki had also marketed the Chevrolet Cruze subcompact in the past. General Motors Japan Limited currently distributes and markets the Captiva, Camaro, and
CorvetteThe Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
in limited numbers. In the 2000s, General Motors Asia Pacific (Japan) had distributed and marketed the TrailBlazer also. ,
Mitsuiis one of the largest corporate conglomerates in Japan and one of the largest publicly traded companies in the world.-History:Founded by Mitsui Takatoshi , who was the fourth son of a shopkeeper in Matsusaka, in what is now today's Mie prefecture...
Bussan Automotive distributes and markets the
Chevrolet TahoeThe Chevrolet Tahoe are full-size SUVs from General Motors. Chevrolet and GMC sold two different-sized SUVs under their Blazer/Jimmy model names through the early 1990s. This situation changed when GMC rebadged the full-size Jimmy as the Yukon in 1992...
,
Chevrolet ExpressThe Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana are full-size vans from General Motors. They replaced the Chevrolet Van and GMC Vandura in 1996. The Express and Savana currently hold 44.8% of the full-size van market in the United States, just behind rival Ford's E-Series...
,
Chevrolet HHRThe Chevrolet HHR was a retro-styled station wagon launched by the Chevrolet division of American automaker General Motors at the 2005 Los Angeles Auto Show as a 2006 model — and designed by Bryan Nesbitt. Smaller than the Equinox, the HHR shared the GM Delta platform with the Chevrolet...
,
SilveradoThe Chevrolet Silverado , is the latest line of full-size pickup trucks from General Motors.-History:...
, and
TraverseThe Chevrolet Traverse is a seven/eight seat full-size crossover SUV built on the GM Lambda platform that underpins the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook. It is a successor to both the Uplander minivan and Trailblazer SUV...
. Previously, it had also marketed the Starcraft versions of the
G-VanThe Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana are full-size vans from General Motors. They replaced the Chevrolet Van and GMC Vandura in 1996. The Express and Savana currently hold 44.8% of the full-size van market in the United States, just behind rival Ford's E-Series...
and
Chevrolet TrailblazerThe Chevrolet TrailBlazer is a mid-size sport utility vehicle produced by the Chevrolet division of American automaker General Motors.On November 10th, 2011, General Motors officially revealed a second generation of the vehicle to be sold worldwide...
. Mitsui Bussan Automotive had been importing and distributing certain GM models since 1992, but will cease their GM import business in November 2011, as GM Japan wants to consolidate the distribution channels. The Chevrolet models that have been imported by Mitsui will no longer be sold once existing inventories are depleted. Thus there were three distinct distribution channels for Chevrolet-branded vehicles at one time in Japan.
Malaysia
In 2003, a joint-venture between GM and
DRB-HicomDRB-HICOM Berhad is one of Malaysia's leading corporations, playing an integral role in the Automotive Manufacturing, Assembly and Distribution industry through its involvement in the passenger car and four wheel drive vehicle market segment, the national truck project and the national motorcycle...
, called Hicomobil, began marketing the
Chevrolet AveoThe Chevrolet Aveo is the first generation of the Chevrolet Aveo, a subcompact automobile manufactured since 2002 by GM Daewoo, the South Korean subsidiary of General Motors — originally marketed as the Daewoo Kalos and prominently marketed as the Aveo...
,
Chevrolet OptraThe Daewoo Lacetti is a compact car made by the South Korean automaker GM Daewoo since 2002. The first-generation Lacetti was available as a four-door sedan, a five-door hatchback or a five-door station wagon. The sedan and wagon were designed by Pininfarina, and the hatchback by Giorgetto Giugiaro...
, Chevrolet Nabira and
Chevrolet LuminaThe North American Chevrolet Lumina sedan , coupe and minivan were first introduced in 1989 for the 1990 model year as a new range of vehicles from the Chevrolet brand of General Motors to replace the Chevrolet Camaro, Chevrolet Celebrity sedan, and the Monte Carlo coupe. The Lumina was an answer...
. The joint venture has since been dissolved in 2009, only to be succeeded with
NazaNaza Group of Companies is a Malaysian business conglomerate associated with motor trading, automotive franchises and property development, which began operations in 1974...
in 2010.
Middle East
In the Middle East, Chevrolet-badged cars, trucks, SUV's, and crossovers are sourced from GM Daewoo (in South Korea), GM in North America, and GM Holden (in Australia). The Middle East market has a separate division called Chevrolet Special Vehicles (CSV), which (as of December 2007) sources the high-performance 400 bhp CR8 sedan from
Holden Special VehiclesHolden Special Vehicles is the officially designated performance vehicle partner of Australian automobile manufacturer Holden. Established in 1987 and based in Clayton, Victoria, the company modifies Holden models such as the Commodore, Caprice and Ute and markets them under the HSV brandname.-...
. The
Holden CommodoreThe Holden Commodore is an automobile manufactured since 1978 by the Holden subsidiary of General Motors in Australia, and, formerly, in New Zealand. In the mid-1970s, Holden established proposals to replace the long-serving Kingswood nameplate with a smaller, Opel-based model...
is badged as the Chevrolet Lumina in the Middle East, as well as South Africa. The longer wheelbase Holden Caprice is sold as the
Chevrolet CapriceThe Chevrolet Caprice is a full-sized automobile produced by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors in North America for the 1965 through 1996 model years. Full-size Chevrolet sales peaked in 1965 with over a million sold. It was the most popular American car in the sixties and early seventies....
in the Middle East.
Pakistan
In Pakistan, Chevrolet introduced its cars in collaboration with a local automobile manufacturer called
Nexus AutomotiveNexus Automotive Ltd is the exclusive importer and progressive manufacturer of General Motors products in Pakistan. The company was founded by M.A. Razaq, an expatriate Pakistani who retired as Corporate Vice President of General Motors Corporation, 1999...
. The current lineup available from Chevrolet Pakistan includes Chevrolet Optra, Chevrolet Spark,
Chevrolet Joy-M100 :The production of Daewoo Matiz started in 1998 and it was sold in South Korea and many European markets with the code name M100. The exterior design is based on the Lucciola, a Fiat Cinquecento concept by Italdesign Giugiaro which had been rejected by Fiat. The 0.8-litre gasoline engine and...
,
Chevrolet AveoThe Chevrolet Aveo is a subcompact automobile manufactured since 2002, originally by the South Korean General Motors subsidiary, GM Daewoo—and later by other GM-affiliated entities...
, and
Chevrolet ColoradoThe Chevrolet Colorado and its counterpart, the GMC Canyon, are mid-size pickup trucks by American carmaker General Motors. It was introduced in 2004 to replace the Chevrolet S-10 and GMC Sonoma compact pickups.-First generation :...
. The company plans to add
Chevrolet Captiva- 2006–2011 :Designated C100 by Daewoo and CG in Holden's terminology, the Captiva was launched in 2006. Styling of the Captiva was inspired by the 2004 Chevrolet S3X concept car. The S3X concept was developed by GM Daewoo's design center in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon and is based on the GM Theta...
, Chevrolet Epica and
Chevrolet CruzeThe Chevrolet Cruze is a General Motors automobile, spanning two unrelated models. The original iteration, a subcompact crossover SUV, was manufactured by Suzuki in Japan between 2001 and 2008 under joint venture with GM...
to its lineup in the future.
South Korea
Many global-market Chevrolet vehicles are designed and manufactured by
GM DaewooGM Korea Company is South Korea's second largest automobile manufacturer and is a division of the General Motors Company. GM Korea's roots go back to the former Daewoo which was split from its parent company, Daewoo Group, in 2001...
of
South KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, but they had been sold under Daewoo brand in South Korea until February 2011. Daewoo brand was fully replaced by Chevrolet in March 2011. All Daewoo products relaunched under Chevrolet brand, with the release of
Chevrolet CamaroThe Chevrolet Camaro is an automobile manufactured by General Motors under the Chevrolet brand, classified as a pony car and some versions also as a muscle car. It went on sale on September 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year and was designed as a competing model to the Ford Mustang...
,
Chevrolet OrlandoThe Chevrolet Orlando is a five-door, seven-seat compact MPV manufactured by GM Korea under the Chevrolet division for world-wide markets-First generation :It was introduced as a concept vehicle at the 2008 Paris Motor Show...
and
Chevrolet AveoThe Chevrolet Aveo is a subcompact automobile manufactured since 2002, originally by the South Korean General Motors subsidiary, GM Daewoo—and later by other GM-affiliated entities...
.
Thailand
The American-built
Chevrolet ColoradoThe Chevrolet Colorado and its counterpart, the GMC Canyon, are mid-size pickup trucks by American carmaker General Motors. It was introduced in 2004 to replace the Chevrolet S-10 and GMC Sonoma compact pickups.-First generation :...
pickup is also manufactured in Rayong, Thailand. The
Holden CommodoreThe Holden Commodore is an automobile manufactured since 1978 by the Holden subsidiary of General Motors in Australia, and, formerly, in New Zealand. In the mid-1970s, Holden established proposals to replace the long-serving Kingswood nameplate with a smaller, Opel-based model...
is badged as the Chevrolet Lumina in
ThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
.
General Motors is currently exploring cost cutting options as part of its restructuring plan. One of these options involve expanding the Rayong, Thailand plant to add additional capacity to export Colorados to the U.S. This would allow the Shreveport, Louisiana plant to be closed (where the Colorado is also produced). This scenario is plausible only if a free-trade agreement is signed between the U.S. and Thailand, as the American
tariffA tariff may be either tax on imports or exports , or a list or schedule of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage ....
on imported pickup trucks from non-FTA countries is currently 25%. The
United Auto WorkersThe International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, better known as the United Auto Workers , is a labor union which represents workers in the United States and Puerto Rico, and formerly in Canada. Founded as part of the Congress of Industrial...
is the most vocal opponent to a change in the tariff structure.
Australia
Even though the Australian market of today mainly consists of Australia's own automotive companies alongside Asian and European automobile brands, Australia once had its fair share of American cars as well.
Bodies for the local assembly of Chevrolets were built in Australia as early as 1918 and by 1926 the newly created General Motors (Australia) Pty Ltd had established assembly plants in five Australian states to produce Chevrolet and other GM vehicles using bodies supplied by
Holden Motor Body BuildersGM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
.
The merger of General Motors (Australia) Pty Ltd with the troubled Holden Motor Body Builders in 1931 saw the creation of
General Motors – Holden'sGM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
and the ongoing production of various GM products including Chevrolet. GMH departed from traditional US body styles with the release of the Chevrolet
Coupe UtilityThe coupé utility automobile body style, also known colloquially as the ute in Australia and New Zealand, combines a two-door "coupé" cabin with an integral cargo bed behind the cabin—using a light-duty passenger vehicle-derived platform....
in 1934 and the Chevrolet "Sloper" Coupe in 1935. Post-war production recommenced in 1946. From 1949 Australian Chevrolets were to be locally assembled from components imported from Chevrolet in Canada although local production of the Coupe Utility body continued until 1952. 1968 was the last full year of Chevrolet assembly in Australia.
ClassicA classic car is an older car; the exact meaning is variable. The Classic Car Club of America maintains that a car must be between 20 and 40 years old to be a classic, while cars over 45 years fall into the Antique Class.- Classic Car Club of America :...
Chevrolet models such as
Bel AirThe Chevrolet Bel Air is a full-size automobile that was produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for the 1950–1975 model years. Hardtops in the Chevrolet Deluxe Styleline model range were designated with the Bel Air name from 1950–1952, but it was not a distinct series of its own until...
, Biscayne,
ImpalaThe Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United...
etc., are still found in many states around Australia. From the early 1970s to the early 1980s the Chevrolet name was also used on various light commercials in Australia. These ranged from the LUV (a rebadged Isuzu KB) to the third generation C-series trucks. From 1998 to 2001 the
Chevrolet SuburbanChevrolet offered a station wagon body, built on the 1/2 ton truck frame. This model was specifically built for National Guard units and Civilian Conservation Corps units. Much of the body was constructed from wood, and could seat up to eight occupants....
was sold in Australia as the
Holden SuburbanThe Holden Suburban is a full-size SUV built by General Motors in Silao, Mexico between February 1998 and January 2001. Sold under GM Holden brand in Australia and New Zealand, the Suburban was a right-hand drive, badge engineered version of the 1992 to 1999 Chevrolet Suburban, available in North...
.
With General Motors introducing Opel to Australia, GM will continue to sell Holdens in lieu of Chevrolets for the Oceania market.
South Africa
In South Africa, Chevrolet was GM's main brand name until 1982, with a number of
Vauxhall MotorsVauxhall Motors is a British automotive company owned by General Motors and headquartered in Luton. It was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine manufacturer, began manufacturing cars in 1903 and was acquired by GM in 1925. It has been the second-largest selling car brand in the UK for...
and
HoldenGM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
derivatives being built under the Chevy name from 1964. In the 1970s, the advertising jingle "braaivleis, rugby, sunny skies and Chevrolet" (adapted from the US "Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pies and Chevrolet") came to epitomise the ideal lifestyle of white male South Africans.
HoldenGM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
in Australia used the jingle "Football, Meat Pies, Kangaroos and Holden cars". Originally, Chevrolets were CKD kits of US models assembled in their plant in Port Elizabeth. However, since South Africa was right-hand drive and the US was left-hand drive, along with encouragement by the South African government to use local content, Chevrolets such as the
Biscayne-Biscayne Fleetmaster:In 1960, a lower-priced, sparsely trimmed version of the Biscayne called the Fleetmaster was produced. Aimed primarily at the fleet market, the Fleetmaster included a lower grade of upholstery than the standard Biscayne and deleted routine convenience items such as a cigarette...
were eventually made entirely in South Africa, along with GM's "own car for South Africa": the
RangerThe Ranger was a General Motors car brand that lasted from 1968 to 1976. The brand was used in conjunction with two markets, an automobile marketed as "South Africa's Own Car", built in Port Elizabeth from 1968 to 1973, and another model range that was produced from 1970 to 1976 in Antwerp,...
.
By the 1970s, larger South African Chevrolets were based on Australian General Motors-Holden's models, the Kommando being based on the
Holden KingswoodThe Holden Kingswood is a full-size car that was manufactured by General Motors-Holden's, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors , from the beginning of the HK series in 1968 through to the conclusion of the WB series in 1984...
and the
ConstantiaThe Chevrolet Constantia is an automobile which was marketed by General Motors in South Africa from 1969 to 1978.-First series:The first series Chevrolet Constantia was introduced in 1969. It was based on the Australian Holden Brougham four door sedan, but featured a unique frontal treatment and a...
on the
StatesmanStatesman was an automotive marque created in 1971 by General Motors Holden , the Australian subsidiary of General Motors. Statesman vehicles were sold through Holden dealerships, and were initially based on the mainstream Holden HQ station wagon platform, thereby providing more interior room and...
, while the smaller Firenza was based on the
Vauxhall VivaThe Viva was a small family car produced by Vauxhall Motors in a succession of three versions between 1963 and 1979. These were known as the HA, the HB and the HC series....
. The
Chevrolet NomadThe Chevrolet Nomad was a station wagon model made off and on from 1955 to 1972, and a Chevy Van trim package in the late 1970s and early 1980s, produced by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors...
sold in South Africa was entirely different from the Nomad sold in America; whereas the American Nomad was originally conceived as a
station wagonA station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
version of the Corvette and eventually became the station wagon version of the Bel Air, the South African Nomad was an SUV of truck proportions before SUVs were popular. Due to local content laws the cars usually received different engines than in their home markets.
However, these were replaced by
OpelAdam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
models like the
RekordThe Opel Rekord was a large family car/executive car which was built in several generations by the German car manufacturer Opel.-Naming:The Rekord name evolved into the main name of the model; at first the name was used in close relationship with the Opel Olympia name, which pre-dated the Rekord...
,
CommodoreThe Holden Commodore is an automobile manufactured since 1978 by the Holden subsidiary of General Motors in Australia, and, formerly, in New Zealand. In the mid-1970s, Holden established proposals to replace the long-serving Kingswood nameplate with a smaller, Opel-based model...
, and
SenatorThe Opel Senator was a large automobile, two generations of which were sold in Europe by Opel, from 1978 until 1993. A saloon, its first incarnation was also available with a fastback coupé body as the Opel Monza and Vauxhall Royale Coupe....
, and in 1982 the Chevrolet brand name was dropped in favour of Opel. Because of the political climate at the time, GM decided to divest from South Africa in 1986, and a local group eventually bought out GM's South African operations (including the Port Elizabeth plant) and renamed the company as the Delta Motor Corporation, which concentrated on Opels, Isuzus, and Suzukis, built under licence.
However, thanks to an improved political climate in the 1990s, GM decided to reenter South Africa, eventually buying out the whole of Delta. In 2001, the Chevrolet name made a comeback, used on the
LuminaThe North American Chevrolet Lumina sedan , coupe and minivan were first introduced in 1989 for the 1990 model year as a new range of vehicles from the Chevrolet brand of General Motors to replace the Chevrolet Camaro, Chevrolet Celebrity sedan, and the Monte Carlo coupe. The Lumina was an answer...
, a rebadged
Holden CommodoreThe Holden Commodore is an automobile manufactured since 1978 by the Holden subsidiary of General Motors in Australia, and, formerly, in New Zealand. In the mid-1970s, Holden established proposals to replace the long-serving Kingswood nameplate with a smaller, Opel-based model...
, and later on, on the Daewoo range of cars. Current Chevrolets include the
Spark-M100 :The production of Daewoo Matiz started in 1998 and it was sold in South Korea and many European markets with the code name M100. The exterior design is based on the Lucciola, a Fiat Cinquecento concept by Italdesign Giugiaro which had been rejected by Fiat. The 0.8-litre gasoline engine and...
(a rebadged
DaewooGM Korea Company is South Korea's second largest automobile manufacturer and is a division of the General Motors Company. GM Korea's roots go back to the former Daewoo which was split from its parent company, Daewoo Group, in 2001...
Matiz-M100 :The production of Daewoo Matiz started in 1998 and it was sold in South Korea and many European markets with the code name M100. The exterior design is based on the Lucciola, a Fiat Cinquecento concept by Italdesign Giugiaro which had been rejected by Fiat. The 0.8-litre gasoline engine and...
),
AveoThe Chevrolet Aveo is the first generation of the Chevrolet Aveo, a subcompact automobile manufactured since 2002 by GM Daewoo, the South Korean subsidiary of General Motors — originally marketed as the Daewoo Kalos and prominently marketed as the Aveo...
,
OptraThe Daewoo Lacetti is a compact car made by the South Korean automaker GM Daewoo since 2002. The first-generation Lacetti was available as a four-door sedan, a five-door hatchback or a five-door station wagon. The sedan and wagon were designed by Pininfarina, and the hatchback by Giorgetto Giugiaro...
, Cruze, the Lumina (including the
UteThe Holden Ute is a coupe utility built by Holden, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors, since 2000. Before then, Holden had marketed their Commodore-based utility models under the Holden Utility and Holden Commodore utility names, although the term “Holden Ute” was also used in their...
model), the
VivantThe Daewoo Tacuma or Rezzo is a Compact MPV produced by South Korean GM Daewoo since 2000. Developed under the U100 code name, it was designed by Pininfarina and is based on the original Daewoo Nubira J100, a compact car....
, an MPV that is a
rebadgedBadge engineering is an ironic term that describes the rebadging of one product as another...
version of the
Daewoo TacumaThe Daewoo Tacuma or Rezzo is a Compact MPV produced by South Korean GM Daewoo since 2000. Developed under the U100 code name, it was designed by Pininfarina and is based on the original Daewoo Nubira J100, a compact car....
, and a pick-up version of the
Opel CorsaThe front-wheel drive Opel Corsa was first launched in September 1982 to replace the Opel Kadett C City, and to fill the gap vacated as the Kadett grew in size and price. Built in Zaragoza, Spain, the first Corsas were three-door hatchback and two-door saloon models, with four-door and five-door...
known as the Corsa Ute.
Europe
Chevrolet Europe- History :Chevrolet was established in 1911 by Louis Chevrolet and Billy Durant, the founder of General Motors. Louis Chevrolet had already built up a reputation as a mechanic and race driver, first in his native Europe and then over in the USA. He gained experience working with the largest car...
GmbH is a Swiss-based firm (in
ZürichZurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
) that mainly sells cars produced by GM Korea.
Until 2005,
Chevrolet Europe- History :Chevrolet was established in 1911 by Louis Chevrolet and Billy Durant, the founder of General Motors. Louis Chevrolet had already built up a reputation as a mechanic and race driver, first in his native Europe and then over in the USA. He gained experience working with the largest car...
sold a few models, mostly
United States domestic marketThe term United States domestic market is a term used chiefly by automotive enthusiasts to describe the United States' economic market for American-brand automobiles and parts. A similar automotive enthusiast term, Japan Domestic Market is used to designate Japanese-market, Japanese-brand...
(USDM) models modified to suit European regulations. Among them were the Chevrolet Alero (which was a rebadged
Oldsmobile AleroThe Oldsmobile Alero was a compact car produced by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors from 1999 to 2004.The Alero was introduced in spring 1998 as a 1999 model to replace the Achieva and Cutlass. The Alero went into production on April 6, 1998. All Aleros were built in Lansing, Michigan...
) and the Chevrolet Trans Sport (which was a
Chevrolet VentureThe Chevrolet Venture is a minivan produced by General Motors from the 1997 to 2005 model years. It replaced the Chevrolet Lumina APV. Identical minivans were also sold in Europe as the Opel Sintra, and in the UK, they were badged as a Vauxhall. Opel assisted in the development of the minivan as well...
with the front end of the
Pontiac Trans SportThe Pontiac Trans Sport and its siblings, the Chevrolet Lumina APV and Oldsmobile Silhouette were a set of minivans that débuted with radical styling in fall 1989 as 1990 models. There was also a Chevrolet Trans Sport sold in Europe until 2005 that was a version of the Chevrolet Venture that had...
). Among other models sold by
Chevrolet Europe- History :Chevrolet was established in 1911 by Louis Chevrolet and Billy Durant, the founder of General Motors. Louis Chevrolet had already built up a reputation as a mechanic and race driver, first in his native Europe and then over in the USA. He gained experience working with the largest car...
were the
CamaroThe Chevrolet Camaro is an automobile manufactured by General Motors under the Chevrolet brand, classified as a pony car and some versions also as a muscle car. It went on sale on September 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year and was designed as a competing model to the Ford Mustang...
, the
CorsicaThe Chevrolet Corsica is a front-wheel drive compact car that was produced by General Motors from 1987 to 1996. The Corsica was built upon the L-body platform which was developed , as the successor to the X body...
/
BerettaThe Chevrolet Beretta is a front wheel drive coupé produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for the 1987–1996 model years. The Beretta was designed in the same design studio as the Camaro and the Corvette, Chevrolet Exterior Studio 3, and was built at the Wilmington, Delaware and...
, the
CorvetteThe Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
, the Blazer, and the
TrailBlazerThe Chevrolet TrailBlazer is a mid-size sport utility vehicle produced by the Chevrolet division of American automaker General Motors.On November 10th, 2011, General Motors officially revealed a second generation of the vehicle to be sold worldwide...
. The current generation of North American–built Chevrolet Impala V-8 sedans has also been available in Europe in recent years, marketed as both large family sedans and more economically priced alternatives to Jaguars and BMWs as high performance executive cars.
It was in 2005 that all the mainstream models from
GM DaewooGM Korea Company is South Korea's second largest automobile manufacturer and is a division of the General Motors Company. GM Korea's roots go back to the former Daewoo which was split from its parent company, Daewoo Group, in 2001...
were rebranded as Chevrolet in Europe. (The ownership of the SUV models in the former Daewoo range had reverted to ownership of
SsangYong Motor CompanySsangYong Motor Company is the fourth largest South Korean automobile manufacturer. The name SsangYong means double dragons.SsangYong was acquired by India's Mahindra & Mahindra Limited in February 2011, after being named the preferred bidder in 2010 to acquire the bankruptcy-protected company...
by this time.) However the Daewoo name was retained in
South KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
and
VietnamVietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. In the rest of the world, most Daewoo models have worn the Chevrolet badge since 2003. Exceptions include the use of the
Suzukiis a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...
badge in the United States and Canada, the
PontiacPontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
badge in Canada, the
HoldenGM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
badge in Australia and New Zealand, and the
BuickBuick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make...
badge in China for certain
GM DaewooGM Korea Company is South Korea's second largest automobile manufacturer and is a division of the General Motors Company. GM Korea's roots go back to the former Daewoo which was split from its parent company, Daewoo Group, in 2001...
models.
During the mid 2000s, the
CorvetteThe Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
and
CadillacCadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
range were marketed in Europe through a separate distribution channel operated by Netherlands-based Kroymans Corporation Group but following their bankruptcy in 2010, General Motors established a new Swiss based subsidiary to relaunch Chevrolet in Europe and add the Corvette, Camero and Malibu models to the European range.
Russia
In Russia, various Chevrolet models are available. Current Chevrolets include the
Spark-M100 :The production of Daewoo Matiz started in 1998 and it was sold in South Korea and many European markets with the code name M100. The exterior design is based on the Lucciola, a Fiat Cinquecento concept by Italdesign Giugiaro which had been rejected by Fiat. The 0.8-litre gasoline engine and...
,
AveoThe Chevrolet Aveo is the first generation of the Chevrolet Aveo, a subcompact automobile manufactured since 2002 by GM Daewoo, the South Korean subsidiary of General Motors — originally marketed as the Daewoo Kalos and prominently marketed as the Aveo...
,
LacettiThe Daewoo Lacetti is a compact car made by the South Korean automaker GM Daewoo since 2002. The first-generation Lacetti was available as a four-door sedan, a five-door hatchback or a five-door station wagon. The sedan and wagon were designed by Pininfarina, and the hatchback by Giorgetto Giugiaro...
,
Cruze,
RezzoThe Daewoo Tacuma or Rezzo is a Compact MPV produced by South Korean GM Daewoo since 2000. Developed under the U100 code name, it was designed by Pininfarina and is based on the original Daewoo Nubira J100, a compact car....
,
EpicaThe Daewoo Tosca is a mid-size car built by GM Daewoo in South Korea and marketed worldwide by General Motors as the Chevrolet Epica, Chevrolet Tosca and Holden Epica. Codenamed V250, it replaces the Daewoo Magnus and its derivatives. The Chevrolet Epica was officially launched in Europe at the...
,
Captiva- 2006–2011 :Designated C100 by Daewoo and CG in Holden's terminology, the Captiva was launched in 2006. Styling of the Captiva was inspired by the 2004 Chevrolet S3X concept car. The S3X concept was developed by GM Daewoo's design center in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon and is based on the GM Theta...
,
TrailBlazerThe Chevrolet TrailBlazer is a mid-size sport utility vehicle produced by the Chevrolet division of American automaker General Motors.On November 10th, 2011, General Motors officially revealed a second generation of the vehicle to be sold worldwide...
,
and
TahoeThe Chevrolet Tahoe are full-size SUVs from General Motors. Chevrolet and GMC sold two different-sized SUVs under their Blazer/Jimmy model names through the early 1990s. This situation changed when GMC rebadged the full-size Jimmy as the Yukon in 1992...
. Also, a joint venture between GM and Russian AvtoVAZ from 2002 makes the Chevrolet Niva, an SUV especially for Russian market and conditions. In 2009 this model received restyling by Bertone.
Uzbekistan
General Motors Uzbekistan, or
GM UzbekistanGM Uzbekistan is a joint venture between the Uzbek OJSC UzAvtosanoat and the US American General Motors Company for the manufacturing of automobiles. Following the partial association with Daewoo Motor, Chevrolet got information about this Uzbek car manufacturer...
, became the new name of
Uz-Daewoo AutoUz-DaewooAvto is a 1992 founded joint venture between the Uzbek state owned UzAvtosanoat and the South Korean GM Daewoo. The company produces vehicles under the brand name Uz-Daewoo and is increasingly important in the markets of the CIS area. The company's assembly plant is located in Asaka. The...
in March 2008 as part of a new joint venture owned by Uzavtosanoat JSC (75%) and General Motors Corporation (25%) with a factory in
AsakaAsaka is a city in Andijan Province, Uzbekistan, to the east of Andijan in the Ferghana Valley. It was formerly known as Leninsk during the communist era. The first automobile assembly plant in Central Asia was opened there by an Uzbekistani-South Korean joint venture, UzDaewoo.-See also:* List of...
producing a variety of Chevrolet models. Currently, in Uzbekistan producing models, such as, Damas (N150), Matiz (M150), Nexia (N150), Spark (M300), Epica and Captiva (SUV).
South 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
BlazerThe Chevrolet Blazer and the similar GMC S-15 Jimmy are mid-size SUVs from General Motors. Production began alongside the larger K5 Blazer and Jimmy in 1983 and lasted through 2005. In the United States retail sales after 2004 were limited to two-door Blazer models, all other models being sold...
exemplify this strategy. However, more modern vehicles are now being marketed as market conditions change and competition increases. Besides those older models made in Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia and
MercosurMercosur or Mercosul is an economic and political agreement among Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Founded in 1991 by the Treaty of Asunción, which was later amended and updated by the 1994 Treaty of Ouro Preto. Its purpose is to promote free trade and the fluid movement of goods, people,...
countries, Korean sourced cars from former Daewoo factories some markets also get German Opel and US made Chevrolet on top of their local line-ups.
Argentina
In 1924 General Motors started importing Chevrolet Double Phaeton models and were welcomed with great demand. In 1925, in order to reduce costs in the Argentine market, General Motors decided to manufacture in Argentina and started producing a sedan, a roadster, a truck chassis and the Chevrolet Double Phaeton, now called "Especial Argentino", a model exclusively designed for the Argentinean market. Sales increased and soon the Oldsmobile, Oakland and Pontiac units were incorporated to the assembly line.
When the Second World War broke out the operations were complicated. In 1941 the Chevrolet 250.000 was made, but the shortage of products made car production impossible.
The last Chevrolet went out of the plant in August, 1942. In order to avoid the total stoppage, the company made electrical and portable refrigerators and car accessories amongst other items. After the war, GM started producing the Oldsmobile and Pontiac lines and later Chevrolet is added.
In 1959, manufacturing plants are enlarged and set up to produce cars, pick ups and trucks. On January 25, 1960 the first Argentinean Chevrolet pick-up was introduced. The following year the national government approves the investment plan for 45 million dollars which included a plant of 12,000 m
2.
On March 12, 1962 the first Chevrolet 400 was made based on the North American
Chevy IIThe Chevrolet Chevy II/Nova is a compact automobile manufactured by the Chevrolet division of General Motors produced in four generations for the 1962 through 1979 model years. Nova was the top model in the Chevy II lineup through 1968. The Chevy II nameplate was dropped, Nova becoming the...
. The original plan considered a national integration of 50% during the first year of production; this amount had to be 90% in 1964 with a production of 15,000 units. By 1969, the Chevy line, derived from the American Chevy Nova, was presented.
In the middle of the seventies, General Motors
market shareMarket share is the percentage of a market accounted for by a specific entity. In a survey of nearly 200 senior marketing managers, 67 percent responded that they found the "dollar market share" metric very useful, while 61% found "unit market share" very useful.Marketers need to be able to...
was reduced sharply from 9% in 1976 to 2% in 1978. Losses exceeded $30 million and the head company in the USA decided to halt production activities in Argentina.
The Chevrolet trademark reappeared in 1985 for the production of the pick-up in its versions C-20 and D-20. In 1995, a plan for the manufacturing destined for export specially to Brazil and other countries of
MercosurMercosur or Mercosul is an economic and political agreement among Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Founded in 1991 by the Treaty of Asunción, which was later amended and updated by the 1994 Treaty of Ouro Preto. Its purpose is to promote free trade and the fluid movement of goods, people,...
materialized with the building of a new facility near Rosario, Santa Fe, for the production of the Opel-based
Chevrolet CorsaThe front-wheel drive Opel Corsa was first launched in September 1982 to replace the Opel Kadett C City, and to fill the gap vacated as the Kadett grew in size and price. Built in Zaragoza, Spain, the first Corsas were three-door hatchback and two-door saloon models, with four-door and five-door...
and the Suzuki-based
Chevrolet Grand VitaraThe Suzuki Escudo is an off-road vehicle that has been in production since 1988...
4x4.
By 2010 the range was based on a variety of
GM DaewooGM Korea Company is South Korea's second largest automobile manufacturer and is a division of the General Motors Company. GM Korea's roots go back to the former Daewoo which was split from its parent company, Daewoo Group, in 2001...
based cars, together with the Brazilian Chevrolet Prisma.
Brazil
In Brazil, the
Chevrolet OpalaThe Chevrolet Opala was a mid-size car sold by General Motors do Brasil from 1969 to 1992. It was derived from the German Opel Rekord and Commodore, but used GM USA sourced engines, two four-cylinder engines: the Chevrolet 153 4-cylinder from Chevy II/Nova which later got a new crankshaft and...
was based on the German
Opel RekordThe Opel Rekord was a large family car/executive car which was built in several generations by the German car manufacturer Opel.-Naming:The Rekord name evolved into the main name of the model; at first the name was used in close relationship with the Opel Olympia name, which pre-dated the Rekord...
and American
Chevrolet NovaThe Chevrolet Chevy II/Nova is a compact automobile manufactured by the Chevrolet division of General Motors produced in four generations for the 1962 through 1979 model years. Nova was the top model in the Chevy II lineup through 1968. The Chevy II nameplate was dropped, Nova becoming the...
from the late 1960s, continuing in production until the early 1990s, when it was replaced by a version of the
Opel OmegaThe Opel Omega was an executive car marketed by the German automaker Opel between 1986 and 2003 in two generations, both manufactured at Opel's Rüsselsheim, Germany plant. The first generation, the Omega A , superseded the Opel Rekord, was voted European Car of the Year for 1987, and was available...
. Other smaller Chevrolets in Brazil, such as the Kadett and Monza, were based on the
Opel KadettThe Opel Kadett is a small family car produced by the German automobile manufacturer Opel between 1937 and 1940, and then again from 1962 until 1991 , when it was replaced by the Opel Astra.-Original model :...
and
AsconaThe Opel Ascona was a mid-sized car produced by Opel. It had three generations produced from 1970 to 1988. In motorsport, the Ascona 400 rally car driven by Walter Röhrl won the World Rally Championship drivers' title in the 1982 season....
respectively.
Chevrolet's product line-up in Brazil now comprises some exclusive designs like the Corsa "B" based
CeltaThe Chevrolet Celta is a low cost supermini produced by General Motors do Brasil for the Latin American market since 2000. 600,000 Celtas have been built in Gravataí, more than one hundred thousand per year. It is the second cheapest car sold in Brazil, losing only to the Fiat Mille...
sold in Argentina under the Suzuki brand, the Astra, and a brand new, Brazilian designed
VectraThe Opel Vectra is a large family car that was engineered and produced by Opel. In the United Kingdom, the car was sold under the Vauxhall marque as the Vauxhall Cavalier and later as the Vauxhall Vectra, from 1995 onwards...
based on the
Opel AstraThe Opel Astra is a small family car engineered and manufactured by the German automaker Opel since 1991.It is branded as Vauxhall Astra in the United Kingdom, the Buick Excelle XT in China and the Chevrolet Astra/Vectra in Latin America...
H. The passenger car range also includes the Classic, the Prisma, the Corsa hatchback and sedan, and the Omega sedan which is actually a captive import of the Australian
Holden CommodoreThe Holden Commodore is an automobile manufactured since 1978 by the Holden subsidiary of General Motors in Australia, and, formerly, in New Zealand. In the mid-1970s, Holden established proposals to replace the long-serving Kingswood nameplate with a smaller, Opel-based model...
. The latest home-grown product is the Chevrolet Agile hatchback, released in late 2009.
Utility and
four wheel driveThe Four Wheel Drive Auto Company, more often known as Four Wheel Drive or just FWD, was founded in 1909 in Clintonville, Wisconsin, as the Badger Four-Wheel Drive Auto Company by Otto Zachow and William Besserdich.-History:...
vehicles line-up includes the S10, the Blazer, and the
MontanaThe Chevrolet Montana is a coupe utility sold by Chevrolet in Latin America and emerging markets. The design is a variation of the Opel Corsa, essentially a pickup version of the Opel Combo. In Mexico the vehicle is known as Chevrolet Tornado because of Pontiac using the Montana name for its...
. The Montana is a compact pickup truck, based on the Agile, 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
C10The C/K is the name for Chevrolet and GMC's full-size pickup truck line from 1960 until 1999 in the United States, from 1965 to 1999 Canada, from 1964 through 2001 in Brazil, and from 1975 to 1982 in Chile. The first Chevrolet pickup truck appeared in 1924, though in-house designs did not appear...
truck (somewhat similar to the
SuburbanChevrolet offered a station wagon body, built on the 1/2 ton truck frame. This model was specifically built for National Guard units and Civilian Conservation Corps units. Much of the body was constructed from wood, and could seat up to eight occupants....
), called the Veraneio.
Chile
Chevrolet production in
ChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
began in 1962, although at first through local partners (in this case, Avayu with the Nova II). GM still assembles the Isuzu´
FThe Isuzu Forward & Isuzu F-Series is a line of medium-duty commercial vehicles built by Isuzu. All F-series trucks are cab over designs and the cabin comes fully built from the factory. Most models come with a diesel engine; but, some markets get CNG derivatives as well...
and
NThe is a light duty truck produced by Isuzu. Outside Japan it is known as N-series.The range was primarily available in Japan, Hong Kong and some other Asian countries, and since the late 1980s, also in the United States, Chile, Colombia , and Peru The is a light duty truck produced by Isuzu....
series in Huechuraba, Santiago.
Chevrolet has been operating in
EcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
for 80 years. GM Ecuador sells US Chevrolets alongside
GM DaewooGM Korea Company is South Korea's second largest automobile manufacturer and is a division of the General Motors Company. GM Korea's roots go back to the former Daewoo which was split from its parent company, Daewoo Group, in 2001...
and
OpelAdam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
sourced models. It also sells the 1983 Suzuki Supercarry under the Chevrolet namel, and the Isuzu Rodeo was sold as the Chevrolet Rodeo throughout the 1990s.
In
VenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, Chevrolet has been operating since 1948, when truck production began in
CaracasCaracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
. In 1979 production moved to a plant in Valencia that was purchased from
Chrysler Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
. Chevrolet assembled more than 1,500,000 vehicles in its first 50 years in Venezuela.
Colombia
The Colombian Automotive Factory SA (Colmotores) was founded in 1956 and initially produced vehicles in Austin; in the '60s, Simca and Dodge automobiles (its first car manufactured was a Coronet 440); and then, in 1980, began producing Chevrolet cars. Currently Colmotores has more than 75% of the domestic market, with models from GM Daewoo, Suzuki and Opel. Particularly worthy of mention is the Aveo, Optra and the Spark.
Trinidad and Tobago
Since the early 1920s, Chevrolet cars and trucks were marketed in this country. The Master Deluxe Sedan of the late 1930s was considered to be a pinnacle of luxury. All cars sold through the local dealer, Neal and Massey (also franchisee for Vauxhall and Buick), were right-hand-drive, and imported from Canada and Australia. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, GM maintained a market presence with the Bel Air, Impala and Fleetline. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Australian Holden DeVilles badged as Chevrolet Caprices were sold, though a few "Islander" limited edition American Chevrolet Caprices were imported. Neal and Massey gave up the GM franchise in 1974 and the brand left the market.
During the period 1998–2001, Southern Sales Ltd. imported the Chevy Monza and Joy. Based on the Opel/Vauxhall Corsa platform and assembled in Mexico, these were the cheapest new cars available. Poor build quality, unprofessional dealer service, and a limited spare parts supply saw these cars exit the market with only a few units being sold. In 2003, the local Renault dealer marketed the Aveo sedan and hatchback, as well as the Optra sedan (a rebadged Suzuki Forenza), with limited success.
A more intensive marketing campaign by the latest Chevrolet dealer, Lifestyle Motors, has met more success. The models available are the Chevrolet Colorado (Isuzu D-Max twin), Spark (micro-car based on the Daewoo Matiz), Aveo sedan and hatchback, Optra sedan, hatchback and wagon, the Captiva SUV, and the Epica large saloon. In March 2011, the Cruze was added to the lineup and features a 1.8 litre gasoline engine. It bridges the gap between Optra and Epica models. Once the Optra is phased out, a 1.6 litre Cruze will be made available.
Future cars, trucks and development
The Chevrolet division is currently recovering from the economic downturn of 2007–2010. After sales of GM vehicles plummeted and when the U.S Government bailed out the company, GM began developing more fuel efficient cars and trucks in order compete with foreign automakers such as Toyota and
Hondais a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
. Since, the sales of the Chevrolet brand have been healthy. Sales were up due to new cars such as the Cruze, Volt, and a redesigned Equinox and Malibu. In late 2010 General Motors began a small production of the plug-in electric Volt, which later was announced as the 2012 North American Car of the Year and World Green Car of the Year, and production numbers are expected around 60,000 in the 2012 fiscal year. At Auto China in 2010 General Motors showed the Volt MPV5 concept, an MPV based on the electric Volt sedan but, the MPV hasn't been official on or if production will exist. Chevrolet has also shown the new version of the Aveo, renamed Sonic at the 2011 North American Auto Show in Detroit. The Sonic will feature a four-door sedan, hatchback, as well as a sport version. The Chevrolet Malibu, which the model of the 8th gen. were considered to have been one of General Motors' turnaround cars through the tough economic crisis of 2008–10 was announced that a 9th generation would succeed over the previous model in the first quarter of 2012 was revealed in the April 2011 on the company's Facebook page as well as in New York.
New for 2011–2013 model years:
- Spark
- Sonic
- Cruze (In production)
The Chevrolet Cruze is a General Motors automobile, spanning two unrelated models. The original iteration, a subcompact crossover SUV, was manufactured by Suzuki in Japan between 2001 and 2008 under joint venture with GM...
- 8th Gen. Malibu
Malibus and all other Chevelles were completely restyled for 1968 with semi-fastback rooflines on two-door hardtops and wheelbases split to on two-door models and 118 for four-door sedans and station wagons. Engine offerings included a new V8 rated at that replaced the V8 that had served as the...
United States and Canada
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Sonic |
Aveo The Chevrolet Aveo is a subcompact automobile manufactured since 2002, originally by the South Korean General Motors subsidiary, GM Daewoo—and later by other GM-affiliated entities...
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CruzeThe Chevrolet Cruze is a General Motors automobile, spanning two unrelated models. The original iteration, a subcompact crossover SUV, was manufactured by Suzuki in Japan between 2001 and 2008 under joint venture with GM...
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MalibuMalibus and all other Chevelles were completely restyled for 1968 with semi-fastback rooflines on two-door hardtops and wheelbases split to on two-door models and 118 for four-door sedans and station wagons. Engine offerings included a new V8 rated at that replaced the V8 that had served as the...
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ImpalaThe Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United...
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CamaroThe Chevrolet Camaro is an automobile manufactured by General Motors under the Chevrolet brand, classified as a pony car and some versions also as a muscle car. It went on sale on September 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year and was designed as a competing model to the Ford Mustang...
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CorvetteThe Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
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VoltThe Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle manufactured by General Motors. The Volt has been on sale in the U.S. market since mid-December 2010, and is the most fuel-efficient compact car sold in the United States, as rated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency...
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| Crossovers |
EquinoxThe second generation Equinox was announced by GM on December 21, 2008, and debuted at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The 2010 Equinox went on sale in June 2009. It is built on a stiffened version of the same "Theta" platform used in the previous model. The new Equinox...
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Traverse The Chevrolet Traverse is a seven/eight seat full-size crossover SUV built on the GM Lambda platform that underpins the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook. It is a successor to both the Uplander minivan and Trailblazer SUV...
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OrlandoThe Chevrolet Orlando is a five-door, seven-seat compact MPV manufactured by GM Korea under the Chevrolet division for world-wide markets-First generation :It was introduced as a concept vehicle at the 2008 Paris Motor Show...
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TahoeThe Chevrolet Tahoe are full-size SUVs from General Motors. Chevrolet and GMC sold two different-sized SUVs under their Blazer/Jimmy model names through the early 1990s. This situation changed when GMC rebadged the full-size Jimmy as the Yukon in 1992...
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SuburbanChevrolet offered a station wagon body, built on the 1/2 ton truck frame. This model was specifically built for National Guard units and Civilian Conservation Corps units. Much of the body was constructed from wood, and could seat up to eight occupants....
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| Trucks |
ColoradoThe Chevrolet Colorado and its counterpart, the GMC Canyon, are mid-size pickup trucks by American carmaker General Motors. It was introduced in 2004 to replace the Chevrolet S-10 and GMC Sonoma compact pickups.-First generation :...
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SilveradoThe Chevrolet Silverado , is the latest line of full-size pickup trucks from General Motors.-History:...
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AvalancheThe Chevrolet Avalanche is a four-door, five or six passenger sport utility truck sharing GM's long-wheelbase chassis used on the Chevrolet Suburban and Cadillac Escalade EXT. Unlike the typical pickup truck, the open bed of the Avalanche opens to the back seat area through a folding panel and a...
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Express The Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana are full-size vans from General Motors. They replaced the Chevrolet Van and GMC Vandura in 1996. The Express and Savana currently hold 44.8% of the full-size van market in the United States, just behind rival Ford's E-Series...
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Latin America
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Spark |
Celta/Prisma The Chevrolet Celta is a low cost supermini produced by General Motors do Brasil for the Latin American market since 2000. 600,000 Celtas have been built in Gravataí, more than one hundred thousand per year. It is the second cheapest car sold in Brazil, losing only to the Fiat Mille...
Corsa B/Chevy C2
Corsa C |
Aveo The Chevrolet Aveo is a subcompact automobile manufactured since 2002, originally by the South Korean General Motors subsidiary, GM Daewoo—and later by other GM-affiliated entities...
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CruzeThe Chevrolet Cruze is a General Motors automobile, spanning two unrelated models. The original iteration, a subcompact crossover SUV, was manufactured by Suzuki in Japan between 2001 and 2008 under joint venture with GM...
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Optra |
Astra B
Astra C/Vectra |
Vectra C |
EpicaThe Daewoo Tosca is a mid-size car built by GM Daewoo in South Korea and marketed worldwide by General Motors as the Chevrolet Epica, Chevrolet Tosca and Holden Epica. Codenamed V250, it replaces the Daewoo Magnus and its derivatives. The Chevrolet Epica was officially launched in Europe at the...
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| Trucks |
Montana/TornadoThe Chevrolet Montana is a coupe utility sold by Chevrolet in Latin America and emerging markets. The design is a variation of the Opel Corsa, essentially a pickup version of the Opel Combo. In Mexico the vehicle is known as Chevrolet Tornado because of Pontiac using the Montana name for its...
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S-10The first compact pickup from General Motors was the rebadged Isuzu KB sold since 1972 as the Chevrolet LUV. The 1973 Arab oil embargo forced GM to consider designing a domestically-produced compact pickup truck. As usual, parts from other GM chassis lines were incorporated. The first S-series...
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SilveradoThe Chevrolet Silverado , is the latest line of full-size pickup trucks from General Motors.-History:...
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AvalancheThe Chevrolet Avalanche is a four-door, five or six passenger sport utility truck sharing GM's long-wheelbase chassis used on the Chevrolet Suburban and Cadillac Escalade EXT. Unlike the typical pickup truck, the open bed of the Avalanche opens to the back seat area through a folding panel and a...
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HHRThe Chevrolet HHR was a retro-styled station wagon launched by the Chevrolet division of American automaker General Motors at the 2005 Los Angeles Auto Show as a 2006 model — and designed by Bryan Nesbitt. Smaller than the Equinox, the HHR shared the GM Delta platform with the Chevrolet...
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Captiva- 2006–2011 :Designated C100 by Daewoo and CG in Holden's terminology, the Captiva was launched in 2006. Styling of the Captiva was inspired by the 2004 Chevrolet S3X concept car. The S3X concept was developed by GM Daewoo's design center in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon and is based on the GM Theta...
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Captiva SportThe Opel Antara is a compact crossover SUV, which was a co-development between Opel, the German subsidiary of General Motors , and GM Daewoo, the South Korean equivalent. The Antara, based on the GM Theta platform, shares its underpinnings and powertrains with the Chevrolet Captiva. However, it has...
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Traverse The Chevrolet Traverse is a seven/eight seat full-size crossover SUV built on the GM Lambda platform that underpins the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook. It is a successor to both the Uplander minivan and Trailblazer SUV...
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Meriva |
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Zafira |
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Trans SportThe Pontiac Trans Sport and its siblings, the Chevrolet Lumina APV and Oldsmobile Silhouette were a set of minivans that débuted with radical styling in fall 1989 as 1990 models. There was also a Chevrolet Trans Sport sold in Europe until 2005 that was a version of the Chevrolet Venture that had...
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Europe
The availability of Chevrolet vehicles depends on market, with eastern European markets offering a wider range of ex-Daewoo models under the Chevrolet marque.
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Matiz-M100 :The production of Daewoo Matiz started in 1998 and it was sold in South Korea and many European markets with the code name M100. The exterior design is based on the Lucciola, a Fiat Cinquecento concept by Italdesign Giugiaro which had been rejected by Fiat. The 0.8-litre gasoline engine and...
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Spark |
Aveo The Chevrolet Aveo is a subcompact automobile manufactured since 2002, originally by the South Korean General Motors subsidiary, GM Daewoo—and later by other GM-affiliated entities...
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LacettiThe Daewoo Lacetti is a compact car made by the South Korean automaker GM Daewoo since 2002. The first-generation Lacetti was available as a four-door sedan, a five-door hatchback or a five-door station wagon. The sedan and wagon were designed by Pininfarina, and the hatchback by Giorgetto Giugiaro...
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NexiaThe Daewoo LeMans/Racer is a subcompact car, first manufactured by Daewoo Motors in South Korea between 1986 and 1994. It was replaced by the facelifted Daewoo Cielo—a car mechanically identical to the LeMans, differentiated only by its modified styling cues...
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CruzeThe Chevrolet Cruze is a General Motors automobile, spanning two unrelated models. The original iteration, a subcompact crossover SUV, was manufactured by Suzuki in Japan between 2001 and 2008 under joint venture with GM...
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EpicaThe Daewoo Tosca is a mid-size car built by GM Daewoo in South Korea and marketed worldwide by General Motors as the Chevrolet Epica, Chevrolet Tosca and Holden Epica. Codenamed V250, it replaces the Daewoo Magnus and its derivatives. The Chevrolet Epica was officially launched in Europe at the...
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CorvetteThe Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
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Captiva- 2006–2011 :Designated C100 by Daewoo and CG in Holden's terminology, the Captiva was launched in 2006. Styling of the Captiva was inspired by the 2004 Chevrolet S3X concept car. The S3X concept was developed by GM Daewoo's design center in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon and is based on the GM Theta...
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OrlandoThe Chevrolet Orlando is a five-door, seven-seat compact MPV manufactured by GM Korea under the Chevrolet division for world-wide markets-First generation :It was introduced as a concept vehicle at the 2008 Paris Motor Show...
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Damas The Suzuki Carry is a kei truck produced by the Japanese automaker Suzuki. The microvan version was originally called the Carry van until 1982 when the van was renamed as the '...
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Middle East
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Spark |
Aveo The Chevrolet Aveo is a subcompact automobile manufactured since 2002, originally by the South Korean General Motors subsidiary, GM Daewoo—and later by other GM-affiliated entities...
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Optra |
Epica |
LuminaThe North American Chevrolet Lumina sedan , coupe and minivan were first introduced in 1989 for the 1990 model year as a new range of vehicles from the Chevrolet brand of General Motors to replace the Chevrolet Camaro, Chevrolet Celebrity sedan, and the Monte Carlo coupe. The Lumina was an answer...
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CapriceThe Chevrolet Caprice is a full-sized automobile produced by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors in North America for the 1965 through 1996 model years. Full-size Chevrolet sales peaked in 1965 with over a million sold. It was the most popular American car in the sixties and early seventies....
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MalibuMalibus and all other Chevelles were completely restyled for 1968 with semi-fastback rooflines on two-door hardtops and wheelbases split to on two-door models and 118 for four-door sedans and station wagons. Engine offerings included a new V8 rated at that replaced the V8 that had served as the...
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CorvetteThe Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
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Beat |
CamaroThe Chevrolet Camaro is an automobile manufactured by General Motors under the Chevrolet brand, classified as a pony car and some versions also as a muscle car. It went on sale on September 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year and was designed as a competing model to the Ford Mustang...
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CavalierThe Chevrolet Cavalier was a compact automobile produced from 1982 to 2005 by General Motors. Built on the company's J platform, the Cavalier was one of the best-selling cars in the United States throughout its life.- Predecessors :...
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| Trucks |
ColoradoThe Chevrolet Colorado and its counterpart, the GMC Canyon, are mid-size pickup trucks by American carmaker General Motors. It was introduced in 2004 to replace the Chevrolet S-10 and GMC Sonoma compact pickups.-First generation :...
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AvalancheThe Chevrolet Avalanche is a four-door, five or six passenger sport utility truck sharing GM's long-wheelbase chassis used on the Chevrolet Suburban and Cadillac Escalade EXT. Unlike the typical pickup truck, the open bed of the Avalanche opens to the back seat area through a folding panel and a...
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SilveradoThe Chevrolet Silverado , is the latest line of full-size pickup trucks from General Motors.-History:...
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ScottsdaleThe C/K is the name for Chevrolet and GMC's full-size pickup truck line from 1960 until 1999 in the United States, from 1965 to 1999 Canada, from 1964 through 2001 in Brazil, and from 1975 to 1982 in Chile. The first Chevrolet pickup truck appeared in 1924, though in-house designs did not appear...
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Custom DeluxeThe C/K is the name for Chevrolet and GMC's full-size pickup truck line from 1960 until 1999 in the United States, from 1965 to 1999 Canada, from 1964 through 2001 in Brazil, and from 1975 to 1982 in Chile. The first Chevrolet pickup truck appeared in 1924, though in-house designs did not appear...
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CheyenneThe C/K is the name for Chevrolet and GMC's full-size pickup truck line from 1960 until 1999 in the United States, from 1965 to 1999 Canada, from 1964 through 2001 in Brazil, and from 1975 to 1982 in Chile. The first Chevrolet pickup truck appeared in 1924, though in-house designs did not appear...
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Traverse The Chevrolet Traverse is a seven/eight seat full-size crossover SUV built on the GM Lambda platform that underpins the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook. It is a successor to both the Uplander minivan and Trailblazer SUV...
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Captiva- 2006–2011 :Designated C100 by Daewoo and CG in Holden's terminology, the Captiva was launched in 2006. Styling of the Captiva was inspired by the 2004 Chevrolet S3X concept car. The S3X concept was developed by GM Daewoo's design center in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon and is based on the GM Theta...
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| SUVs |
TrailblazerThe Chevrolet TrailBlazer is a mid-size sport utility vehicle produced by the Chevrolet division of American automaker General Motors.On November 10th, 2011, General Motors officially revealed a second generation of the vehicle to be sold worldwide...
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TahoeThe Chevrolet Tahoe are full-size SUVs from General Motors. Chevrolet and GMC sold two different-sized SUVs under their Blazer/Jimmy model names through the early 1990s. This situation changed when GMC rebadged the full-size Jimmy as the Yukon in 1992...
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SuburbanChevrolet offered a station wagon body, built on the 1/2 ton truck frame. This model was specifically built for National Guard units and Civilian Conservation Corps units. Much of the body was constructed from wood, and could seat up to eight occupants....
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BlazerThe Chevrolet Blazer and the similar GMC S-15 Jimmy are mid-size SUVs from General Motors. Production began alongside the larger K5 Blazer and Jimmy in 1983 and lasted through 2005. In the United States retail sales after 2004 were limited to two-door Blazer models, all other models being sold...
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BlazerSee also Chevrolet Blazer The K5 Blazer was the smallest full size SUV version of the General Motors C/K Trucks family. Introduced to the Chevrolet line in 1969, the full-size Blazer was replaced in 1995 by the Chevrolet Tahoe. In 1970, GMC introduced its own model of the truck, called the Jimmy,...
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UplanderThe Chevrolet Uplander is a minivan produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors. It replaced the Venture and Astro. Although introduced for the 2005 model year, it overlapped with the final model years of the Venture and Astro. It was built on the same platform as the Saturn Relay, Buick...
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Express The Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana are full-size vans from General Motors. They replaced the Chevrolet Van and GMC Vandura in 1996. The Express and Savana currently hold 44.8% of the full-size van market in the United States, just behind rival Ford's E-Series...
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VentureThe Chevrolet Venture is a minivan produced by General Motors from the 1997 to 2005 model years. It replaced the Chevrolet Lumina APV. Identical minivans were also sold in Europe as the Opel Sintra, and in the UK, they were badged as a Vauxhall. Opel assisted in the development of the minivan as well...
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Lumina APVThe Chevrolet Lumina APV was a minivan produced by General Motors for the 1990 to 1996 model years. In 1994 the APV was dropped from the name to make the name more consistent with the cars, and it was simply known as Lumina or Lumina Minivan. It is similar to the Pontiac Trans Sport and Oldsmobile...
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AstroThe Chevrolet Astro was a rear-wheel drive mid-sized van introduced by Chevrolet in 1985 to rival domestic competitors the Dodge Caravan/Plymouth Voyager twins and the Japanese Toyota Van. Also sharing the Astro's platform was its sibling, the GMC Safari...
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VanThe Chevrolet and GMC G-Series vans were made by General Motors for North America. They are in the same vehicle class as the Ford Econoline van and the Dodge Ram Van.The term "Chevrolet van" also refers to the entire series of vans sold by Chevrolet...
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Sport
Chevrolet enter a variety of cars in sporting events around the world and is particularly well known in
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
and FIA
World Touring Car ChampionshipFor the video game, known as World Touring Car Championship in Japan, see TOCA World Touring CarsThe FIA World Touring Car Championship is an international Touring Car championship sanctioned by the FIA.-History:...
.
NASCAR
Major teams include
Hendrick MotorsportsHendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
,
Richard Childress RacingRCR Enterprises, LLC, doing business as Richard Childress Racing, is a NASCAR team based in Welcome, North Carolina, and is owned and operated by former driver Richard Childress...
,
Earnhardt Ganassi RacingEarnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is a NASCAR team based in Concord, North Carolina, United States, owned by Dale Earnhardt's widow Teresa Earnhardt, Chip Ganassi, and Felix Sabates. This team was formed when Dale Earnhardt, Inc...
and Stewart Haas Racing who all drive Impala-themed cars. Hendrick has 10 championships, RCR has 6 championships. Chevrolet is the most successful manufacturer to be involved in NASCAR with 35 manufacturer's titles and the most recorded wins by manufacturer. Previously the Chevy Monte Carlo was used.
American Le Mans Series
The
CorvetteThe Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
runs in the
American Le Mans SeriesThe American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC...
GT class. Corvette Racing started in 1999 at the Daytona 24-hour race and has since won eight consecutive ALMS GT1 manufacturers and team championships and seven ALMS GT1 drivers' titles. The Corvette also takes part in the French
24 Hours of Le MansThe 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
race.
FIA World Touring Car Championship
In 2005, when the Chevrolet brand was re-launched in Europe, Chevrolet took part in the
WTCCFor the video game, known as World Touring Car Championship in Japan, see TOCA World Touring CarsThe FIA World Touring Car Championship is an international Touring Car championship sanctioned by the FIA.-History:...
with a version of the Lacetti, developed by the UK-based Ray Mallock Ltd (RML). In 2009 the
CruzeThe Chevrolet Cruze is a General Motors automobile, spanning two unrelated models. The original iteration, a subcompact crossover SUV, was manufactured by Suzuki in Japan between 2001 and 2008 under joint venture with GM...
replaced the Lacetti and in 2010 and won the Drivers' and Manufacturers' championship.
British Touring Car Championship
Chevrolet participates in the BTCC with the
CruzeThe Chevrolet Cruze is a General Motors automobile, spanning two unrelated models. The original iteration, a subcompact crossover SUV, was manufactured by Suzuki in Japan between 2001 and 2008 under joint venture with GM...
.
Marketing
In 2010, General Motors replaced the advertising agency Campbell-Ewald, which served Chevrolet for 91 years, with Publicis Worldwide. Campbell-Ewald of Interpublic Group of Companies had served Chevrolet since 1919. In May 2010 Chevy's advertising account was awarded to Goodby, Silverstein and Partners. Recently, Chevrolet uses a customized
KlavikaKlavika is a family of sans-serif fonts designed by Eric Olson and released by Process Type Foundry in 2004. It contains four weights: light, regular, medium, and bold and variations of numerals....
for the vast majority of its marketing type. Popular television and film comedian Tim Allen is spokesman for most of the brand's current television commercials in North America.
Chevrolet globally has had their marketing campaigns, songs, taglines, and slogans, including the following.
Songs
- See the USA in Your Chevrolet
The song "See The U.S.A. In Your Chevrolet" is a commercial jingle from circa 1949, with lyrics and music by Leo Corday and Leon Carr , written for the Chevrolet Division of General Motors Corp. The song was the Chevrolet jingle sung on the show Inside U.S.A...
- Peter Lind Hayes and Mary Healy (from 1949) and by Dinah ShoreDinah Shore was an American singer, actress, and television personality...
for The Dinah Shore Chevy Show (from 1952).
- 409
"409" is a song written by Brian Wilson, Mike Love and Gary Usher for the American rock and roll band, The Beach Boys. The song features Mike Love singing lead vocals. It was originally released as the b-side of the "Surfin' Safari" single...
- The Beach BoysThe Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
(1962)
- Shut Down - The Beach Boys (1963)
- SS 396 - Paul Revere and The Raiders (1965)
- Corvair Baby - Paul Revere and The Raiders (1965)
- Camaro – The Cyrkle
The Cyrkle was a short-lived American rock and roll band active in the mid-1960s. The group charted two Top 40 hits, "Red Rubber Ball," and "Turn Down Day"...
- American Pie – Don McLean
Donald "Don" McLean is an American singer-songwriter. He is most famous for the 1971 album American Pie, containing the renowned songs "American Pie" and "Vincent".-Musical roots:...
(1971)
- Crocodile Rock
"Crocodile Rock" is a song written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, and recorded in June 1972 at the Strawberry Studios, Château d'Hérouville in France. It was released on 27 October 1972 in the UK and 20 November 1972 in the US, as a pre-release single from his forthcoming 1973 album Don't Shoot...
- Elton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
(1972)
- Chevy Van – Sammy Johns
Sammy Johns is an American country singer-songwriter, best known for his million selling 1975 hit single, "Chevy Van".-Career:...
(1973)
- Racing in the Street
"Racing in the Street" is a song by Bruce Springsteen from his 1978 album Darkness on the Edge of Town. In the original vinyl format, it was the last song of side one of the album...
– Bruce SpringsteenBruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
(1978)
- Little Red Corvette
"Little Red Corvette" is a song by the American musician Prince. Released as a single from the album 1999 in 1983, the song was his biggest hit at the time, and his first to reach top-10 status in the U.S., peaking at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart...
- PrincePrince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
from the album 19991999 is the fifth studio album by Prince, released on October 27, 1982. It was his first top ten album on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States and became the fifth best-selling album of 1983. 1999 was Prince's breakthrough album, but his next album Purple Rain would become his most...
(1982)
- Listen to the Heartbeat of America (1986–1992)
- Like a Rock
"Like a Rock" is the title of a song written by American singer-songwriter Bob Seger. It was recorded with The Silver Bullet Band and released in May 1986 as the second single from their album Like a Rock. The single peaked at #1 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks...
- Bob SegerRobert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s...
(1991–2004)
- Where Have All the Cowboys Gone? – Paula Cole
Paula Cole is an American singer/songwriter. Her single "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone" reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1997, and the following year she won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.-Early life:...
(1997)
- Our Country
Freedom's Road is an album by American singer-songwriter and musician John Mellencamp, released in 2007. It debuted on the Billboard 200 at number five in late January 2007, becoming the highest debuting album of Mellencamp's career...
- John MellencampJohn Mellencamp, previously known by the stage names Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American rock singer-songwriter, musician, painter and occasional actor known for his catchy, populist brand of heartland rock that eschews synthesizers and other artificial sounds...
(2007)
- Stingwray - Static-X
Static-X is an American industrial metal band from Los Angeles, California. They were formed in 1994. They are signed to Warner Bros. Records and have released six albums, their most recent being Cult of Static, which was released on March 17, 2009....
- Z28 – Static-X
- Dre – Chevy Ridin' High Featuring Rick Ross
- Ice Cream Paint Job
"Ice Cream Paint Job" is the second official single off Dorrough's debut album, Dorrough Music. The single peaked at #27 on the Billboard Hot 100...
- DorroughDorwin Demarcus Dorrough , better known by his stage name Dorrough, is an American rapper.- Early life :Dorrough was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. He attended Lancaster High School in Lancaster, where he was captain of the basketball team. He also attended Prairie View A&M University...
(2009)
- Chevy Volt and Me (2009)
- My Camaro – Young Jeezy (2010)
- Everybody – V V Brown (2011 – Chevrolet Volt Now Commercial)
- Chevrolet – ZZ Top
ZZ Top is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based boogie rock, has come to incorporate elements of arena, southern, and boogie rock. The band, from Houston Texas, formed in 1969...
Taglines
- The cars more Americans can depend on (1991)
- The trucks that last (1991)
- The trucks you can depend on, the trucks that last (1992)
- The most dependable, longest lasting trucks on the road (1993, 1995–present)
- This is our Country (1994)
- Like a Rock
- The Heartbeat of America
- May the Best Car Win (2009–2010)
- Chevy Runs Deep (2010 – present)
- Excellence for Everyone (2010–present)
Slogans
- See the U.S.A. in Your Chevrolet (1950s–1960s)
- Putting you first keeps us first (1960s)
- It's Exciting! (mid 1960s)
- Building a better way to see the USA (early 1970s)
- Baseball, Hotdogs, Apple Pie & Chevrolet (mid 1970s)
- Good things are happening at Chevrolet (early 1980s)
- USA-1 Taking Charge (1983)
- Today's Chevrolet (mid 1980s)
- The Heartbeat of America (1987–1994)
- Rock, Flag and Eagle (1985–1987)
- Genuine Chevrolet (1994–2001 United States; 1994–1996 Canada)
- Tried, Tested, and True (1996–2004 Canada)
- We'll Be There (2001–2004 United States)
- Like a Rock (1991–2004; Chevrolet Trucks) Featuring the Bob Seger
Robert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s...
song of the same name"Like a Rock" is the title of a song written by American singer-songwriter Bob Seger. It was recorded with The Silver Bullet Band and released in May 1986 as the second single from their album Like a Rock. The single peaked at #1 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks...
- An American Revolution (2003–2009)
- For All Life's Roads (2004–2006; Canada)
- Our Country, My Truck (2006–2007; Chevrolet Trucks)
- America's Best Trucks (2007–present; Chevrolet Trucks)
- Let's Go (2007–2009; Canada)
- May the Best Car Win (2009–2010; United States & Canada)
- Excellence for Everyone (2010–present)
- Chevrolet Runs Deep (2010–present)
- Chevrolet, is the Car (2011–present; South Korea)
Watches
In 2007, General Motors allowed AJS-Production SA to register the Louis Chevrolet trademark for a line of premium quality Swiss watches watch marketed under the Louis Chevrolet brand name. Although the watches bear the name of Louis Chevrolet, they are not marketed or produced in association with General Motors.
The watch brand pays tribute to
Louis ChevroletLouis-Joseph Chevrolet was a Swiss-born American race car driver of French descent, co-founder of the Chevrolet Motor Car Company in 1911 and later, the Frontenac Motor Corporation in 1916 which made racing parts for Ford's Model T.-Early life:Born in 1878 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a center of...
, co-founder of the Chevrolet automobile company (later acquired by General Motors). Chevrolet was born in a family of a watchmaker and in his childhood helped his father at the workbench. The collection was called
FrontenacFrontenac Motor Corporation was the joint venture of Louis and Gaston Chevrolet. Louis returned to the Indy 500 racing circuit after leaving Chevrolet in 1915...
, the name inherited from the race car company founded by Louis Chevrolet. The Chevrolet watch collection comprises automatic, manually wound and quartz models, equipped with ETA and
RondaRonda is a city in Spanish province of Málaga. It is located about West from the city of Málaga, within the autonomous community of Andalusia. Its population is approximately 35,000 inhabitants.-History:...
movements.
The Louis Chevrolet Frontenac watches, manufactured in
PorrentruyPorrentruy is a Swiss municipality and seat of the district of the same name located in the canton of Jura.-Geography:The municipality lies on both sides of the Allaine River, in Ajoie at the foot of the Jura Mountains on the north...
, the Swiss Jura region, feature the styling cues suggested by the Chevrolet cars. The collection was developed while applying the same materials as used in the car industry. Pearled appliques on the Chevrolet watches' dials remind the metal forms of the old dashboards. The number "8", Chevrolet's racing number, is sported on the case back.
See also
- General Motors Canada
General Motors of Canada Limited is General Motors' Canadian division. Its national headquarters office, Canadian Regional Engineering Centre, and main manufacturing plants are located in Oshawa, Ontario. GM Canada is 100% owned by GM.As of Apr...
- Super Sport
Super Sport, or SS, is the signature performance option package offered by Chevrolet, a United States Auto Maker, on a limited number of its vehicles. All SS models come with distinctive "SS" markings on their exterior. The package was first made available for the 1961 Impala...
- Chevrolet Hall
- Mason Truck
Mason Truck, founded by A.C. Mason in cooperation with William C. Durant, was a U.S. truck manufacturer based in Flint, Michigan. As a subsidiary of Durant Motors, Mason Truck built Road King Speed Trucks in the early 1920s....
- Mark IV Big Block Engine
- An American Revolution
An American Revolution is a former advertising campaign used by American car manufacturer Chevrolet. First introduced on New Year's Eve 2003 in the USA to promote its "ten new cars and trucks in twenty months", released since January 2004, but the lineup of advertised cars was later expanded...
– Large advertising campaign launched in 2003 to promote "ten new cars and trucks in twenty months"
- Geo – A brand of small cars and SUVs sold through Chevrolet dealerships throughout North America from 1989–1997
- U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year
The U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year is given by the United States Soccer Federation to the American soccer players judged best in the calendar year. It is the longest running major American soccer award...
– Sponsored by Chevrolet.
External links