Chevrolet (-
French origin), (colloquially
Chevy), is a
brand of
automobile, produced by
General Motors (GM). It is the top selling GM
marque and the best known brand of GM worldwide, with "Chevrolet" or "Chevy" being at times synonymous with GM.
Chevrolet is GM's largest brand, currently offering over 20 vehicles and many different enhanced versions in its home market. The brand's vehicles range from subcompact cars to medium duty
commercial trucks. Its number one sellers in the United States include the
Silverado pickup, which is the second best-selling vehicle in the United States (after the
Ford F-150) and the
Impala, which is the number one selling car with a domestic nameplate in the United States.
(External Link
)
History
US history
Chevrolet was co-founded by
Louis Chevrolet and
William C. Durant. Louis Chevrolet was a race-car driver, born on
December 25,
1878, in
La Chaux de Fonds,
Switzerland. William Durant, founder of General Motors, had been forced out of GM in
1910 and wanted to use Louis Chevrolet's designs to rebuild his own reputation as a force in the
automobile industry. As head of
Buick Motor Company, prior to founding GM, Durant had hired Chevrolet to drive Buicks in promotional races.
On
November 3,
1911, Chevrolet entered the automobile market to compete with the
Ford Model T. A year later, the "Classic Six" was introduced. The Classic Six was a five-passenger touring sedan equipped with a 299 in³ (4.9 L), six-cylinder engine capable of taking the car to a top speed of 65 miles per hour (104 km/h).
Chevrolet first used its "bowtie" logo in 1913. This logo is said to have been designed from wallpaper Durant once saw in a French hotel. Another theory of the design of the mark is from the Swiss cross, because Louis Chevrolet was from Switzerland.
In
1915, Durant made a trip to
Toronto, Ontario to determine the possibility of setting up production facilities in Canada. After meeting with
"Colonel Sam" McLaughlin, whose McLaughlin Motor Car Company manufactured the
McLaughlin-Buick, it was agreed that the Chevrolet Motor Car Company of Canada, operated by McLaughlin, would be created to build Chevrolet cars in Canada. Three years later, the two Canadian companies were purchased by GM to become
General Motors of Canada Ltd.
By
1916 Chevrolet was profitable enough to allow Durant to buy a majority of shares in GM. After the deal was completed in 1917, Durant was
president of
General Motors, and Chevrolet was merged into GM, becoming a separate division.
In the
1918 model year Chevrolet introduced the Model D V-8 series 4-passenger roadster and 5 passenger touring. These cars had 288ci, 35 hp engines with Zenith carburetors and 3 speed transmissions.
In the
1955 model year Chevrolet introduced the most famous and versatile
V8 engine ever produced. It came out with 265 cubic inches and was offered in three versions. The basic 265 had a two-barrel
carburetor and was rated at 165
H.P. Horsepower was increased to 185 with the addition of a four-barrel carburetor, and an underrated 195 hp version, called the "power pack" had a high lift solid lifter cam, high compression heads, and dual exhaust. This engine became a hit with hot rodders and almost overnight became the engine of choice, replacing the flathead Ford engine as the hot rodder's preferred motor.
In 1955 the 265-cubic-inch engine was one of the smallest V8 engines offered by the big three U.S. automakers (see
264 Buick Nailhead,
241 Plymouth non-Hemi and
241 Dodge Hemi), however it gave similar-sized cars with far larger engines--like the 88-series Oldsmobile with its 324 cubic-inch "Rocket" engine
324 Oldsmobile--a run for their money. For example, a Chevy equipped with the power-pack engine and a three-speed manual shift transmission can achieve 60 miles per hour from a standstill in 8.4 seconds, an astonishing feat for the time. Because his engine was placed in production only 15 weeks after authorization was given by management, the engineers didn't have the necessary time to do the proper dynamometer testing and rate its horsepower prior to release. The untested engine rated at 185 H.P. when released in 1955 but was rated at 205 H.P. in 1956 after dynamometer testing. Because of its exceptional breathing ability, a 225 H.P. option was available by adding two four-barrel carbs. The power-pack engine for 1956 also had two four-barrel carburetors and was rated at 245 H.P. In 1957 the engine was increased to 283 cubic inches. This engine also had heads with larger valves and ports, and the four-barrel carburetor engine was rated at 220 H.P.
Two four-barrel's gave 245 H.P. A high-performance version, with a high-lift solid cam and fitted with heads that had even larger intake valves, called fuel-injection heads by enthusiasts, was rated at 270 H.P. Fuel injection was also offered that year. Rated at 283 H.P., this was the first engine offered by U.S. auto manufactures to produce 1 H.P. per cubic inch. This rating, however, was again incorrect due to delayed production schedules for the Rochester fuel injection unit. After proper dynamometer testing, it was rated at 290 H.P. in
1958. Enthusiasts affectionately called this engine the "fuelie."
Famous Chevy models include the large and luxurious Impala (1958) and the innovative air-cooled rear-engined
Corvair (1960 - 1969). Chevrolet had a great influence on the American automobile market during the 1950s and 1960s. In
1963, one out of every ten cars sold in the United States was a Chevrolet.
Chevrolet outside North America
Latin America
Historically, many
Latin American-market vehicles from GM were modified derivatives of older models from GM's North American and European operations. The current
S10 and
Blazer exemplify this strategy. However, more modern vehicles are now being marketed as market conditions change and competition increases. Besides those older models made in Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia and Mercosur, Korean sourced cars from
former Daewoo factories some markets also get German Opel and US made Chevrolet on top of their local line-ups.
In
Argentina (whose factory was opened in
Rosario in 1995), the models are the same Opels made in Brazil, along with the S-10, Blazer, and
Avalanche. Chevrolet had a presence in Argentina since the 1960s where it locally produced the
Chevy II (sold in Argentina as the Chevrolet 400 or Chevy), but it stopped its operations in 1978, due to high inflation.
In
Brazil, the
Chevrolet Opala was based on the
German Opel Rekord from the late 1960s, continuing in production until the early 1990s, when it was replaced by a version of the
Opel Omega. Other smaller Chevrolets in Brazil, such as the Kadett and Monza, were based on the
Opel Kadett and
Ascona respectively. Chevrolet's product line-up in Brazil now comprises some exclusive designs like the Corsa "B" based
Celta sold in Argentina under the Suzuki brand, the
Astra, and a brand new, Brazilian designed
Vectra based on the current Opel Astra, while the current
Corsa is built and the Omega name is now used on the
Holden Commodore. Utility and
four wheel drive vehicles line-up includes the S10, the Blazer, and the
Montana. The Montana is a compact pickup truck that's also sold in other Latin American markets. From the 1960s to the mid-1980s, there was also a large station wagon, derived from the
C10 truck (somewhat similar to the
Suburban), called the
Veraneio.
Chevrolet production in
Chile began in 1962, although at first through local partners (in this case, Avayu with the Nova II)
(External Link). GM still assembles the
Isuzu D-Max as
LUV D-Max in
Arica and Isuzu´
F and
N series in Huechuraba, Santiago.
Chevrolet has been operating in
Ecuador for 80 years. GM Ecuador sells US Chevrolets alongside
GM Daewoo and
Opel sourced models. It also sells the 1983 Suzuki Supercarry under the Chevrolet name.
In
Mexico, some of these Opel-sourced Chevrolet models are sold alongside US models. An example is regarding the
Vectra. While the Brazilian Vectra is derived from the current
Astra, the Mexican Vectra is actually the current Vectra as sold in Europe. Mexico also has some cars of its own, such as the
Chevy C2, which is a reworked last-generation Corsa, the Sonora (which is a re-badged Tahoe), and the Cheyenne (which is similar to the Silverado but is as different as the Sonora is to the Suburban).
In
Venezuela, Chevrolet has been operating since 1948, when truck production began in
Caracas. In 1979 production moved to a plant in
Valencia that was purchased from
Chrysler. Chevrolet assembled more than 1,500,000 vehicles in its first fifty years in Venezuela.
Europe
Chevrolet
Europe is a Swiss-based firm (in
Zürich) that sells the rebranded products of
GM Daewoo.
Until 2005, Chevrolet Europe sold a few models, mostly
United States domestic market (USDM) models modified to suit European regulations. Among them were the Chevrolet Alero (which was a rebadged
Oldsmobile Alero) and the Chevrolet Trans Sport (which was a
Chevrolet Venture with the front end of the
Pontiac Trans Sport). Among other models sold by Chevrolet Europe were the
Camaro, the
Corvette, the Blazer, and the
TrailBlazer.
It was in 2005 that all the mainstream models from
Daewoo were rebranded as Chevrolet in
Europe (The ownership of the SUV models in the former Daewoo range had reverted back to ownership of
Ssangyong by this time). However the Daewoo name was retained in
South Korea and
Vietnam. In the rest of the world, most Daewoo models have worn the Chevrolet badge since 2003. Exceptions include the use of the
Suzuki badge in the US and Canada, the
Pontiac badge in Canada, the Holden badge in
Australia and
New Zealand, and the
Buick badge in China for certain Daewoo models.
The
Corvette is marketed in Europe through a separate distribution channel operated by Netherlands-based
Kroymans Corporation Group. Because the Chevrolet brand now represents value-driven cars in Europe, the Corvette name was made into a separate marque for Europe and Japan.
Asia
The
Holden Commodore is badged as the Chevrolet Lumina in
Thailand and the
Middle East, as well as South Africa. The longer wheelbase
Holden Statesman is sold as the Chevrolet Caprice in the Middle East.
Pakistan
In
Pakistan, Chevrolet introduced its cars in collaboration with a local automobile manufacturer called
Nexus Automotive. The current models available are the
Chevrolet Optra and the
Chevrolet Joy. As of December 2005, the Chevrolet Joy is being assembled locally in Pakistan.
India
Chevrolet is among the newest brands in
India launched by GM's Indian operations. Until
June 6,
2003 (the official birthday of Chevrolet), GM India (which was originally a joint venture with
Hindustan Motors) sold the
Opel Corsa,
Opel Astra, and the
Opel Vectra. The Corsa and Astra were built at a plant in
Halol,
Gujarat.
Since then, Chevrolet currently sells the
Chevrolet Optra,
Chevrolet Aveo,
Chevrolet Tavera,
Chevrolet SRV,
Chevrolet Spark and
Chevrolet Aveo U-VA. The
Chevrolet Forester, a rebadged
Subaru, was imported directly from
Fuji Heavy Industries in Japan until 2005. The Optra and Tavera are built at the Halol plant.
Indian Motorsports
Chevrolet also is the sole Engine supplier for the
Formula Rolon single seater series in India.
Thailand
The American-built
Chevrolet Colorado pickup is also manufactured in Rayong, Thailand.
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 Colorado's 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
tariff on imported pickup trucks from non-FTA countries is currently 25%. The
United Auto Workers is the most vocal opponent to a change in the tariff structure.
Japan
In Japan,
Suzuki, a GM partner, distributes and markets the
Chevrolet TrailBlazer and the
Chevrolet Optra wagon in very limited numbers. Suzuki also assembled and marketed the
Chevrolet Cruze in the past.
Mitsui currently distributes and markets the
Chevrolet Express,
Chevrolet HHR, and
Starcraft versions of the
G-Van and
Chevrolet Trailblazer. General Motors Japan directly imports and distributes the
Corvette, which is marketed under its own marque. Thus there are two distinct distribution channels for Chevrolet-branded vehicles, and a separate network for Corvette-branded cars. If GM has a good month that'll sell 500 cars to the Japanese.
South Korea
Chevrolet-branded vehicles are not sold in
South Korea. However, many global-market Chevrolet vehicles are sourced from
GM Daewoo of South Korea.
South Africa
In
South Africa, Chevrolet was GM's main brand name until
1982, with a number of
Vauxhall Motors and
Holden derivatives being built under the Chevy name from 1964. In the 1960s, the advertising jingle "braaivleis, rugby, sunny skies and Chevrolet" (similar to Holden's 1970s "Football, Meat Pies, Kangaroos and Holden cars") came to epitomise the ideal lifestyle of white male South Africans. Originally, Chevrolets were
CKD kits of American Chevys assembled in their plant in
Port Elizabeth. However, since South Africa was 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 were eventually made entirely in South Africa, along with GM's "own car for South Africa": the
Ranger. By the 1970s, South African Chevrolets like the Kommando and Constantia were based on
Australian Holden models like the
Kingswood, while the Firenza was based on the
Vauxhall Viva. The
Chevrolet Nomad sold in South Africa was entirely different from the Nomad sold in America; whereas the American Nomad was originally conceived as a
station wagon 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.
However, these were replaced by
Opel models like the
Rekord,
Commodore, and
Senator, and in 1982 the Chevrolet brand name was dropped in favour of Opel. Because of the political climate at the time, GM decided to disinvest from South Africa 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 Lumina, a rebadged
Holden Commodore, and later on, on the Daewoo range of cars. Current Chevrolets include the
Spark (a rebadged
Daewoo Matiz),
Aveo,
Optra, the Lumina (including a pickup version), and the
Vivant, an MPV that's a
rebadged version of the Daewoo
Tacuma.
Russia
In
Russia, various Chevrolet models are available. Current Chevrolets include the
Spark,
Aveo,
Lanos,
Lacetti,
Rezzo,
Epica,
Captiva,
and
TrailBlazer. All of these models (with the exception of the TrailBlazer) are rebadged Daewoo models.
Current models in the United States
Current models in Italy
Future products
The Chevrolet brand is currently undergoing a product restructuring in North America along with all other GM brands in order to fit into the parent company's turnaround efforts. Entirely new versions of the Malibu sedan are expected to be introduced in
2008 as a result of these efforts. The upcoming designs are expected to have more intriguing features than current models. The brand will also reintroduce its
Camaro muscle car on its new Zeta platform designed, in alliance, with GM Holden Australia. Though there's no official date, GM announced in August 2006 that it would be on sale in 2009. Three subcompact concepts will debut on April 4, 2007 at the
New York International Auto Show. The
Trax, the
Beat, and the
Groove will be voted on to see which will be offered in the U.S.
(External Link)
Buses
External results
Click here for more details on Chevrolet
|
External Link Exchanges
Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:
<a href="http://chevrolet.totallyexplained.com">Chevrolet Totally Explained</a>
Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned. |
We see you're using Internet Explorer. Try Firefox, we think you'll like it better.
· Firefox blocks pop-up windows.
· It stops viruses and spyware.
· It keeps Microsoft from controlling the future of the internet.
Click the button on the right to download Firefox. It's free.
NEW: Download the Totally