PDF Print E-mail

Chevrolet (colloquially, Chevy) is the flagship volume brand of General Motors Corporation, the world’s largest car company.

 

Quick Facts

  • Chevrolet was founded in 1911, making it one of the oldest car brands in the world.
  • For the past few years, Chevrolet has sold well over 4 million cars per year, making it the 3 rd largest automobile brand in the world by sales volume.
  • Chevrolet is sold in 133 countries, and built in 27 countries, including Pakistan. Chevrolet is sold in the very advanced car markets such as the United States and Germany, to emerging markets such as China, India, Brazil and Pakistan.
  • Chevrolet is the best selling brand in the United States, Latin America, and Russia. It is also among the fastest growing brands in Europe, the Middle East, India, and China.
  • Chevrolet sells 94 different vehicle models and nameplates around the world.
  • The Chevrolet Silverado pickup is the second highest selling vehicle in the United States, and the Impala passenger car is the top selling car with a domestic nameplate in the United States.
  • A Chevrolet is sold somewhere in the world every 7.2 seconds.

 

From its very first model that was introduced on 3 November 1911 to an appreciative public, Chevrolet has come to represent a trusted automotive brand that successfully fulfills the transportation needs and aspirations of millions of people around the world. By 1927, Chevrolet was selling over one million units in the United States alone making it by far, the market leader.
 

Innovations led by Chevrolet

Much of this success came about from the value and first class engineering embodied in the products offered. Chevrolets were among the first to adopt such innovations as electric lights and self-starting (as opposed to the laborious and potentially dangerous manual crank starting), both of these features being true advances in the low price field.

Among the many other innovations and developments that Chevrolet was first to market or an early adopter for are:

  • Availability of a car radio as an option in 1924.
  • Colour Duco paint finishes when black was still the sole factory finish offered by rivals in the late 1920s.
  • Articulated brake shoes for better stopping in 1930.
  • Independent front suspension for a smoother ride in 1934.
  • A station wagon/estate car body with the first Suburban in 1935.
  • The first offering of automatic transmission among low priced cars in 1950.
  • The first series production car with fiberglass body with America ’s first sports car, the 1953 Corvette (the first in a long and legendary line).
  • Power assisted brakes, power windows and electrically adjustable seats in 1954.
  • Modern, high output OHV V8 engine in 1955.
  • Fuel injection in 1957.
  • All round independent suspension in 1959.
  • Ability of American market models to run on unleaded petrol in 1971.
  • First generation driver’s airbag as an option in 1972.
  • Catalytic converters for reduced exhaust emissions in 1975.
  • Seven seat compact family wagons with flexible interior configurations with the Zafira in 2000.
  • Pickup trucks with flexible cargo area configuration as offered in the Avalanche in 2001.
  • Vehicles that combine the best attributes of several body types as evidenced in the coming 2004 SSR, which marries the open air freedom of a convertible and the dashing style of a closed coupe with its retractable top to the load carrying ability of a pickup

Chevrolet has never strayed from the maxim of offering leading value and innovations that benefits owners, resulting in the bowtie logo being one of the most internationally recognized icons around and commanding an increasingly loyal following.

 

Today, Chevrolet is sold in practically every corner of the world, with even more markets coming into the fold soon. The Chevrolet product range is diverse and adapts to specific market requirements and customer needs. Current Chevrolet passenger car offerings encompass frugal, lively urban city cars such as the Joy to stylish yet practical family offerings like the Aveo and Optra, larger family fare in the Epica and Caprice, to the exciting Corvette sports car.

 

Tradesmen, businesses and those who want or need dependable commercial vehicles and trucks are equally well served. Chevrolet’s commercial and truck portfolio includes the Carry small vans, Corsa small pickup, recently launched Colorado medium sized pickup truck, tough, versatile sports utility vehicles like the TrailBlazer, Tahoe and Suburban and medium duty trucks like the N series and Kodiak.

 

As befits its being named after a leading racecar driver, Chevrolet has also proven and distinguished itself in the competitive arena of motorsports, with its presence felt from grassroot dragstrips to prestigious world-class events like Le Mans, where Chevrolet has competed and won convincingly. Chevrolet’s winning exploits in the fields of NASCAR (National Association of Stock Car Racing), Indy car racing and NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) competition are sufficient to fill volumes. The new Chevrolet V8 racing engine has come to be highly regarded by professional drivers the world over and provides the motive force for many touring and saloon racers internationally.

 

If there is a transportation need or desire, Chevrolet will be able to fulfill it. Obviously, consumers the world over recognise and value the attributes offered by the Chevrolet line up, which has the right products for a wide range of customers. They offer good design, are fun to drive, present high value and above all, are dependable.
 

Chevrolet Around the World

 
North America

Chevrolet in North America remains one of the leading automobile brands. In the United States home market, Chevrolet has been the market leader for over 50 of the past 70 years. With an extensive model range of 20 products across the United States, Canada, and Mexico , Chevrolet is not just another car company, but an integral part of the American cultural fabric.

 

Latin America

Historically, many Latin American -market vehicles from GM were modified derivatives of models from GM's North American and European operations. Today, Latin American markets source Chevrolet products from the global network which includes North America, Europe, and Asia .

In Argentina , Chevrolet has a cutting edge factory at Rosario , opened in 1995. Chevrolet has had a presence in Argentina since the 1960s where it locally produced the Chevy II (sold in Argentina as the Chevrolet 400 or Chevy).

 

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-sourced full-sized sedan. Utility and four wheel drive vehicles line-up includes the S10, the Blazer, and the Montana . The Montana is a compact pickup truck that is 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, at first with a local partner called Avayu. 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 GMDAT and Opel sourced models. It also sells the Suzuki Supercarry under the Chevrolet name.

 

In Mexico , some of these Opel-sourced Chevrolet models are sold alongside US models. An example is the Chevrolet Vectra . While the Brazilian Vectra is derived from the current Opel 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 Corsa, the Sonora (which is based on the Tahoe), and the Cheyenne (which is similar to the Silverado).

 

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 products sourced from GMDAT in Korea .

Until 2005, Chevrolet Europe sold a few models, mostly United States domestic market models modified to suit European regulations. Among them were the Chevrolet Alero and the Chevrolet Trans Sport as well as the Camaro , the Corvette , Blazer, and the TrailBlazer .

 

It was in 2005 that all the mainstream models from GMDAT were rebranded as Chevrolet, including newly developed products such as the Captiva, Epica, and Aveo. The Corvette is marketed in Europe through a separate distribution channel.

 

Asia
Chevrolet is one of the fastest-growing auto brands in Asia . The Australian 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 .

 

In Pakistan , Chevrolet introduced its cars in collaboration with a local automobile company called Nexus Automotive . The current models available are the Chevrolet Optra , Chevrolet Aveo, Chevrolet Colorado (coming soon) and the Chevrolet Joy . The Chevrolet Joy is being assembled locally in Pakistan .

 

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 sold the Opel Corsa , Opel Astra , and the Opel Vectra . The Corsa and Astra were built at a plant in Halol , Gujarat .Since 2003, Chevrolet has been selling the Chevrolet Optra , Chevrolet Aveo , Chevrolet Tavera , Chevrolet SRV , Chevrolet Spark and Chevrolet Aveo U-VA . The Chevrolet Forester , sourced from Subaru , was imported directly from Fuji Heavy Industries in Japan until 2005. The Indian Optra and Tavera models are built at the Halol plant. Chevrolet also is the sole engine supplier for the Formula Rolon single seater racing series in India .

In addition to robust business in South Asia , Chevrolet sells a variety of models in other key markets such as China , Japan and Russia , where it is the No. 1 brand. In South Korea , Chevrolet vehicles are marketed under the Daewoo brand, given that brand’s historic leadership position in the Korean market.
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Designed and Developed by ApaceSolutions