One of the historic nameplates in North American automotive history has been in existence for 100 years.

General Motors and Chevrolet kicked off a one-year centennial celebration of the iconic car brand at the Detroit auto show last week. Chevrolet was founded in November 1911 by racer Louis Chevrolet and General Motors founder William C. "Billy" Durant. The fledging company quickly earned the reputation for performance, durability and value.

Chevrolet is alive and well 100 years later with such innovations as the Chevrolet Volt and a full range of vehicles from the all-new Chevrolet Sonic to the big Chevrolet Suburban.

Don't miss a brief history of Chevrolet together with pictures and old magazine and newspaper advertisements in MotorwayAmerica's History section.