Automotive History

Buick turns 110: 11 highlights of 11 decades

(April 20, 2013) DETROIT — Buick vehicles today are built in state-of-the-art facilities around the world. The Enclave luxury crossover’s Lansing Delta Township plant was the industry’s first LEED Gold-certified manufacturing facility. The brand has evolved in many ways since 1903, when the first Buick was hand-built in a small barn behind David Dunbar Buick’s Detroit home.

Chevrolet trucks mark 95 years of service

(September 30, 2012) DETROIT — It started with a simple idea — a few car chassis fitted with hand-built beds to help carry materials around a booming car factory. Before long, millions of Chevrolet pickups were woven into the fabric of a fast-growing country. Chevy trucks tackled the toughest jobs on farms and in the fields, hauled tools and lumber to the burgeoning suburbs and carried families and friends into the wilds for well-earned vacations.

Nissan Altima enters fifth generation

(May 15, 2012) Nissan in May 2012 introduced the fifth generation of the popular mid-sized Nissan Altima. The Altima is an extemely important car for Nissan. It was the second best-selling car in America in 2011 and Nissan has high hopes ftat the new vehicle can overtake the long-standing front-runner Toyota Camry.

Chevrolet's global sales have reached 140 countries

(November 3, 2011) DETROIT — One hundred years ago, the first Chevrolet took to the roads in Detroit, beginning a journey ultimately leading to every corner of the planet. More than 209 million cars and trucks later, Chevrolet is one of the world’s largest car brands, selling vehicles in more than 140 countries.

“In 2010, Chevrolet sold a record 4.26 million cars and trucks globally, making it the fourth largest automotive brand in terms of worldwide sales,” said Chris Perry, vice president, global marketing and strategy for Chevrolet.

The mystery surrounding the Chevrolet bowtie

(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.

Iconic Chevrolets illustrate brand's 100-year history

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.

Hyundai celebrates its 25th anniversary in the U.S.

(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.

Saab celebrates 25 years in the convertible business

(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.

Jeep was born as military vehicle in 1940

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:

American as baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet

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.