(September 2, 2011) DETROIT — Globally recognized today, the Chevrolet bowtie logo was introduced by company co-founder William C. Durant in late 1913. But how it came to be synonymous with the brand is open to wide interpretation.

Durant’s version of how the logo came into existence is well known. The long-accepted story, confirmed by Durant himself, was that it was inspired by the wallpaper design in a Parisian hotel.

DETROIT — Throughout its 100-year history, Chevrolet has created hundreds of different cars and trucks.  Many have their passionate fans and collectors.  Some stand out as iconic –personifying the spirit, style, and dependability that have defined Chevrolet.

So with apologies in advance to fans whose favorites missed the cut, here is a selection of iconic cars and trucks from Chevy’s first century in the United States. The GM Heritage Center collection includes representative examples of most of these vehicles.

(May 2011) FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. — With gas prices at $1.20 per gallon, financing topping 10 percent APR and airbags emerging as the latest safety technology, the auto industry looked much different 25 years ago when Hyundai brought its car to the United States.

(May 2011) It all began in 1986, when the first car in a production run of just 400 Saab 900 Convertibles for the US market was delivered. Now, three generations later, almost 300,000 Saab Convertibles have been sold around the world and the drop-top from Scandinavia is established as a global icon for the brand.

In July 1940 the U.S. military informed automakers that it was looking for a “light reconnaissance vehicle” to replace the Army's motorcycle and modified Ford Model-T vehicles.

The Army invited 135 manufacturers to bid on production and developed a lengthy specification list for the vehicle, including the following:

DETROIT — Chevrolet marks its centennial in 2011 kicking off a year of anniversary activities at the North American International Auto Show.

Chevrolet has become the iconic all-American brand with a long list of memorable products. The phrase as American as baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet accurately depicts how ingrained the automotive brand has become in the fabric of our society.

IRVINE, Calif.  — A logo's evolution reflects the unfolding of a brand's story through time and captures its spirit and aspirations for the future. Over its 90 years of existence, the Mazda brand has experienced a rich and fascinating evolution, and its logo has grown into one of the more recognized and respected symbols in the automotive industry.

DEARBORN, Mich. — Ford E-Series, America’s best-selling full-size van for 31 straight years, marks 50 years of meeting customer needs with production of the 2011 model, enhanced with state-of-the-art technologies at Ford’s Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake.

In an age when most of its competitors have been absorbed into larger manufacturers, Porsche remains a staunchly — and profitably — independent maker of high-performance sportscars.

The Porsche name has become synonymous with sports cars and racecars because that is what company founders Ferdinand Porsche and his son Ferdinand ("Ferry") set out to build when they first set up shop with 200 workers in 1948.