Chevrolet was founded on November 3, 1911, by Swiss-born racing driver Louis Chevrolet and William C. Durant, the ousted founder of General Motors. Durant used Chevrolet’s success to regain control of GM, and by 1927 Chevrolet had overtaken Ford as America’s best-selling brand. Chevrolet went on to create American icons — the Corvette, the small-block V8, the Camaro — and the Suburban, the longest-running vehicle nameplate in the world.

Timeline

Year Event
1911 Chevrolet Motor Car Company founded
1913 Bowtie emblem first used
1918 Chevrolet becomes part of GM
1927 Outsells Ford
1935 Suburban Carryall
1953 Corvette
1955 Small-block V8

Louis Chevrolet

Louis Chevrolet was a daring racing driver and mechanic. He designed the first Chevrolet car but clashed with Durant, who wanted inexpensive cars to compete with Ford. Louis left in 1913, and later he and his brothers built successful racing cars under the Frontenac name.

The bowtie

The Chevrolet bowtie first appeared around 1913. Its origin is uncertain: Durant said he saw the design on wallpaper in a Paris hotel, while his family recalled other versions of the story. It remains one of the most recognized logos in America.

Beating Ford

Chevrolet competed directly with the Ford Model T by offering more features and style for a little more money. As buyers wanted more than basic transportation, Chevrolet overtook Ford in 1927. Read the Ford Model T.

American icons

  • 1935 Suburban Carryall — the start of the Suburban. See the Suburban history.
  • 1953 Corvette — America’s sports car.
  • 1955 small-block V8 — an engine family still in production in updated form.
  • 1966 Camaro — Chevrolet’s answer to the Mustang.
  • Tahoe — see the Tahoe history.

Chevrolet today

Chevrolet sells pickups, SUVs, the Corvette and electric vehicles. Its full-size SUVs are among the most common vehicles in chauffeured and government fleets. See our Chevrolet Suburban.