The Chevrolet Motor Car Company was founded well over a century ago in 1911. In the 109 years that would follow, the Bow Tie brand ushered in a long list of innovations and breakthroughs, and now, Chevy’s history is profiled in the following brief video.
Clocking in at a little over three minutes in length, the video is far from covering the entirety of Chevy’s history, but does well to hit some of the big stuff. The video is part of the brand’s week-long online car enthusiast celebration series, which also included a look at the 1914 Chevrolet H4 Baby Grand.
This particular piece kicks off with the founding of the the Chevrolet Motor Car Company. As the video pointed out, the company’s history can be traced back to Louis Chevrolet, a Swiss-American engineer, mechanic, and racing driver. After honing his skills in Paris, Chevrolet emigrated to the United States, where he met General Motors co-founder W.C. Durant.
Together, Durant and Chevrolet founded Chevrolet Motor Company, with Durant providing his business expertise, and Chevrolet providing his engineering skills and racing passion.
The origins of the famous Chevy Bow Tie are also linked to Louis Chevrolet. As the story goes, the company co-founder and his wife were traveling in France, and came across a wallpaper pattern that had a familiar shape – the Chevy Bow Tie. Chevrolet brought the shape back the U.S., which has been used as the automaker’s brand logo ever since.
Naturally, any rundown of Chevy’s history would be remiss if it didn’t mention at least mention a few of the brand’s most noteworthy models. As such, this video lists standouts like the Chevy Cameo pickup truck, the Chevy Bel Air, and the Chevy Corvette Stingray. Then we have various equipment innovations, such as the venerable Small Block V8 engine, and Chevy’s deep connection to the world of motorsports and car culture in general.
The video ties things up with a look at the brand’s present and its future, including mention of the mid-engine Corvette and the upcoming Chevrolet Bolt EUV.
If you love all things Chevy, then this video is definitely a must-watch:
What’s your favorite moment from Chevy’s history? Let us know in the comments, and make sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more Chevrolet news and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
Good grief, the video isn’t entirely factual. Louis Chevrolet & Bill did Not form the Chevrolet Motor Division. Bill Durant was ousted from General Motors the company he founded essentially due to shareholder demand. The guy was rightfully upset and hooked up with Louis. Chevrolet was not a division. It was a company that Competed Against General Motors and flat out kicked GM’s butt in sales. So much so that it gave Bill enough money to buy enough shares of GM stock to regain control of the company. Chevrolet within a couple of years was then folded into GM with the other companies it held. Again, real authentic companies at that time, not even divisions yet and definitely not marketing ‘brands’. GM was simply a holding entity for stock market trade.The Bowtie was also Bill’s idea, not Lou’s. The story about the wallpaper came from a trip with Bill and his wife. Durant’s wife also said she thought it came from the Coalette’s logo he saw in a newspaper ad.
Glad you mentioned this. I was going to ask if I could purchase a copy of the video. Being life long Buick/Chevy man I would like to own a Chevrolet History video, but I guess this won’t be the right history to own.
I don’t think anyone at Chevrolet today has a clue about the Company’s history? Especially Mary Barra.
Little know fun fact, later in his life Louis Chevrolet owned and drove Dodges!!
Hi,
Regardless of the straights of Chevy history I’m a third generation Bowtie guy. When it comes to a car company there’s only two American Icons, Ford and Chevy. And for me a Chevy is the best in all aspects. Hot ridding in the 70’s is where my love affair with Chevy started. A young guy could take a few hundred dollars and some grease monkeying and build a respectable 13 second Nova or Camaro and as I got older an bought my first pickup and restored it with my oldest son so he agreed that the 1986 Silverado shortbed was cool enough for him to drive to High School. I knew I had made the right choice.
Thanks Chevy for all the great memories.
Always yours, Stanley T.
Chevrolet is and always has been the flagship of GM. Forty years of horrendous management has broken GM to also ran status. When I hear people like Mary Smith talk brands like she’s selling purses or perfume it tells me she has no idea what she’s doing. These were once proud divisions that competed so hard against each other they ran away from everyone else.
David Buick, R.E. Olds, Henry Leland and Louis Chevrolet all deserve better than the piss poor management that has strangled the life out GM!
Chevrolet has always been America’s car until Mary Barra and company has got ahold of it. Poor design’s has brought Chevrolet down over the year’s, they are letting the Camaro die,they cancelled the Cruze and let Toyota take over the small car segment ?? and this Total electric car dream will bring GM down. A few electric car’s are fine , total electrification is insane. They are forcing us to buy Electric cars,they are not Practical for most people.