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| Chevrolet |
Chevrolet is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company (GM). Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, Chevrolet was acquired by General Motors in 1917. Chevrolet was positioned by Alfred Sloan to sell a lineup of mainstream vehicles to directly compete against Henry Ford's Model T in the 1920s, with "Chevrolet" or "Chevy" being at times synonymous with GM. In North America, Chevrolet offers a full range of automobiles, from subcompact cars to medium-duty commercial trucks.
On November 3, 1911 a racecar driver and automotive engineer Louis Chevrolet cofounded the Chevrolet Motor Car Company with William C. Durant (ousted founder of General Motors) and investment partners William Little (maker of the Little automobile) and Dr. Edwin R. Campbell (son-in-law of Durant).
Durant from the management of GM in 1910. Durant took over the Flint Wagon Works, incorporating both 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 wanted to use Chevrolet's name as a racer to rebuild his own reputation.
Actual design work for the first Chevy, the costly Series C Classic Six was drawn up by Etienne Planche, following the instructions of his old friend Louis. The first C prototype was ready months before Chevrolet was actually incorporated.
Chevrolet first used its "Bowtie emblem" logo in 1913. It is said to have been designed from wallpaper Durant once saw in a French hotel. More recent research by historian Ken Kaufmann presents a compelling 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 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 1917 Chevrolet factories were located at New York City; Tarrytown, N.Y.; Flint, Michigan; Toledo, Ohio; St. Louis, Missouri; Oakland, California; Fort Worth, Texas, and Oshawa, Ontario. In the 1918 model year, Chevrolet introduced the Model D, a V8-powered model in four-passenger roadster and five-passenger tourer 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 288in3 55 hp (41 kW) engines with Zenith carburetors and three-speed transmissions.
Chevrolet continued into the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s competing with the Ford brand, and after the fairly new Chrysler Corporation formed Plymouth in 1928, Plymouth, Ford, and Chevrolet were known as the "Low-priced three"
Chevrolet had a great influence on the American automobile market during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1953 they produced the Corvette, a two-seater sports car with a fibreglass body. In 1957, Chevy introduced their first fuel-injected engine, the Rochester Ramjet option on Corvette and passenger cars at $484. In 1960 they introduced the Corvair 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-8 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, to name but a few. Descendants of the small-block V-8 in the form of the LT V-8s, and had influence in the design of the LS V-8s, both of which are still installed in Chevrolet vehicles. 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 horsepower (83.066 kW) to 994 horsepower (741 kW) 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, Opel (Germany), and Holden (Australia) nameplates.
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.
Mexico has a mix of Chevrolet models from different GM brands and platforms but branded as Chevrolet. The variety of models comes 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 C2, 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 but with minor differences), the Aveo, the HHR, the Traverse, the Malibu 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.
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).
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 Motors) sold the Opel Corsa, Opel Astra, and the Opel Vectra. The Corsa and Astra were built at a plant in Halol, Gujarat.
In the mid 2000s, Suzuki imported and marketed the TrailBlazer and the Chevrolet Optra wagon in Japan. General Motors Asia Pacific (Japan) currently distributes and markets the Chevrolet TrailBlazer, Camaro, and Corvette in limited numbers. Suzuki, a GM partner, also assembles and markets the Chevrolet MW kei car. The MW was originally a rebadged Suzuki Wagon R. As of 2008, it is a rebadged Suzuki Solio. Suzuki had also marketed the Chevrolet Cruze subcompact in the past. As of 2010, Mitsui distributes and markets the Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Express, Chevrolet HHR, Silverado, and Traverse. Previously, it had also marketed the Starcraft versions of the G-Van and Chevrolet Trailblazer. Thus there are three distinct distribution channels for Chevrolet-branded vehicles in Japan.
In 2003, a joint-venture between GM and DRB-Hicom, called Hicomobil, began marketing the Chevrolet Aveo, Chevrolet Optra, Chevrolet Nabira and Chevrolet Lumina. The joint venture has since been dissolved in 2009, only to be succeeded with Naza in 2010.
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 (300 kW) CR8 sedan from Holden Special Vehicles. The Holden Commodore 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 Caprice in the Middle East.
In Pakistan, Chevrolet introduced its cars in collaboration with a local automobile manufacturer called Nexus Automotive. The current lineup available from Chevrolet Pakistan includes Chevrolet Optra, Chevrolet Spark, Chevrolet Joy, Chevrolet Aveo, and Chevrolet Colorado. The company plans to add Chevrolet Captiva, Chevrolet Epica and Chevrolet Cruze to its lineup in the future.
Many global-market Chevrolet vehicles are designed and manufactured by GM Daewoo of South Korea, 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 Camaro, Chevrolet Orlando and Chevrolet Aveo.
The American-built Chevrolet Colorado pickup is also manufactured in Rayong, Thailand. The Holden Commodore is badged as the Chevrolet Lumina in Thailand.
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 Builders. The merger of General Motors (Australia) Pty Ltd with the troubled Holden Motor Body Builders in 1931 saw the creation of General Motors – Holden’s and the ongoing production of various GM products including Chevrolet. GMH departed from traditional US body styles with the release of the Chevrolet Coupe Utility 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.
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 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. Holden 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 were eventually made entirely in South Africa, along with GM's "own car for South Africa": the Ranger.
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 Corsica/Beretta, the Corvette, the Blazer, and the TrailBlazer. 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.
In Russia, various Chevrolet models are available. Current Chevrolets include the Spark, Aveo, Lacetti, Cruze, Rezzo, Epica, Captiva, TrailBlazer, and Tahoe. 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.
General Motors Uzbekistan, or GM Uzbekistan, became the new name of Uz-Daewoo Auto in March 2008 as part of a new joint venture owned by Uzavtosanoat JSC (75%) and General Motors Corporation (25%) with a factory in Asaka producing a variety of Chevrolet models.
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 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.
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 Brazil, the Chevrolet Opala was based on the German Opel Rekord and American Chevrolet Nova 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 Opel Astra 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 Commodore. The latest home-grown product is the Chevrolet Agile hatchback, released in late 2009.
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 namel, and the Isuzu Rodeo was sold as the Chevrolet Rodeo throughout the 1990s.
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.
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 with 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 wagaon, 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.
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 Honda. 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 of 2011 on the company's Facebook page as well as in New York.