HISTORY OF College Chevrolet IN Albion, MI
Based right here in MI, Chevrolet has been going strong for more than 110 years. The brand has built and sold more than 200 million vehicles throughout its history, earning customers' trust with a consistent track record of quality, innovation, and value. Keep reading to learn more about the key milestones and iconic models that make up Chevrolet's impressive legacy.
KEY CHEVROLET MILESTONES
There are too many milestones to count in Chevrolet's long and storied history, but here are several of the biggest highlights.
THE FOUNDING
The Chevrolet Motor Car Company was officially incorporated in Detroit in November 1911. Its co-founders included Swiss race car driver Louis Chevrolet and automotive pioneer William C. Durant. Durant also founded General Motors in 1908 but was forced out of that company in 1910.
FIRST CAR
Chevy's first production automobile was the Series C Classic 6 car, which was manufactured in Flint. It was initially developed in 1911 and became widely available for sale in 1913.
THE BOWTIE
Chevrolet's iconic bowtie emblem debuted in 1914 on models like the Royal Mail Roadster and the Series H Baby Grand.
FIRST TRUCK
Chevrolet's first truck was the 1918 Model T. Built in half-ton and one-ton configurations, it was offered as a simple chassis and frame that buyers could augment with a custom cab and bed.
JOINING GM
Thanks to Chevrolet's early success, William Durant was able to buy back a controlling interest in General Motors. In 1918, he became GM president and merged Chevy into the company.
BEATING FORD
Chevrolet went head-to-head with Ford when it came to producing affordable vehicles, and in 1927 it beat its competitor in yearly sales for the first time.
FIRST SUV
In 1935, Chevrolet unveiled the Suburban Carryall. Built on a rugged truck frame but boasting a wagon-style body, it was one of the first SUVs ever built. In continuous use for more than eight decades, Suburban remains the auto industry's longest-lived nameplate today.
WORLD WAR II
Along with other U.S. automakers, Chevrolet suspended regular vehicle production in early 1942 so its facilities could be used to build military trucks and assist the war effort in other ways. The brand returned to building civilian vehicles in 1945.
MID-CENTURY DOMINANCE
The 1950s and 1960s were a golden era for Chevrolet. The brand debuted key innovations like fiberglass vehicle bodies, an affordable automatic transmission, and the famous small-block V8 engine. During these years, Chevy also introduced legendary models like the Corvette sports car, the Bel-Air and Impala sedans, the Camaro and Chevelle muscle cars, and the C/K truck series.
ADJUSTING TO CHANGING TIMES
In the 1970s, Chevrolet adjusted to sky-high gas prices by introducing smaller and more economical cars like the Vega and Chevette. In the 1980s, it rolled out compact sedans like the Citation, Cavalier, and Celebrity to compete more effectively against popular Japanese automakers. And in the 1990s and 2000s, it responded to the increasing demand for SUVs and pickups by rolling out the Silverado truck lineup and models like the Tahoe, Trailblazer, and Equinox.
GOING ELECTRIC
In late 2010, the Chevrolet went on sale as America's first widely available plug-in hybrid vehicle, just in time to celebrate the brand's 100th birthday in 2011. Chevy took the next step in 2016, introducing the fully battery-electric Bolt EV. And today, models like the Equinox EV, Blazer EV, and Silverado EV are poised to take Chevy even farther into a new era of electrification.
Interested in learning more about what Chevrolet has been up to lately? View and test-drive all of the brand's latest and best vehicles when you visit our showroom here at College Chevrolet in Albion, MI!
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College Chevrolet
333 Bemer St
Albion, MI 49224
- Sales: (517) 680-4279
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