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Chevrolet

Chevrolet is an American car make organized as the Chevrolet Motor Car Company of Michigan on 3 November 1911 by racing driver Louis Chevrolet and businessman William C. Durant. It became part of General Motors in 1918 and introduced the Corvette in 1953.1,2

Chevrolet 1953 Corvette
Chevrolet 1953 Corvette
Photo: TTTNIS · CC0 1.0
193Cars documented
10Individual chassissee each car
1911Founded

Model lines

Rare versions grouped by model line. Open a line to see every version and rare factory colour by generation and model year.

Corvette 68 rare versions · 48 colour variants · 1953–2025

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Camaro 33 rare versions · 1967–2023

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Chevelle 13 rare versions · 1965–2011

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Impala 11 rare versions · 1961–2004

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Corvair 9 rare versions · 1962–1969

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Monte 9 rare versions · 1971–2003

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Nova / Chevy II 9 rare versions · 1963–2007

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El Camino 3 rare versions · 1968–1978

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Suburban 3 rare versions · 2010

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Other cars

Open a car to see its production figures, specifications and individual chassis.

Factories around the world

Cars built by Chevrolet’s own regional factories and subsidiaries.

South Africa Chevrolet South Africa

Read the history and more details about Chevrolet South Africa →

Specialists building on Chevrolet

Independent manufacturers and tuners whose rare cars are based on Chevrolets. Each keeps its own page with its history.

United States Baldwin-Motion

Read the history and more details about Baldwin-Motion →

United States Berger Chevrolet

Read the history and more details about Berger Chevrolet →

United States Callaway

Read the history and more details about Callaway →

United States Dana Chevrolet

Read the history and more details about Dana Chevrolet →

United States Dick Harrell

Read the history and more details about Dick Harrell →

United States Nickey

Read the history and more details about Nickey →

United States Yenko

Read the history and more details about Yenko →

Key facts

Founded
3 November 1911 (Chevrolet Motor Car Company of Michigan organized)1 Independently researched
Founder
Louis Chevrolet and William C. Durant1 Independently researched
Headquarters
Origins in the Detroit area, Michigan (first car built in a Detroit-area workshop); current headquarters not confirmed in fetched sources1 Independently researched
Parent company
General Motors (part of GM since 2 May 1918)1 Independently researched

History

Chevrolet's early history was primarily the work of Swiss-born racing driver Louis Chevrolet and William C. Durant, who ran the company and named the car after Chevrolet. The Chevrolet Motor Car Company of Michigan was organized on 3 November 1911, and its first car, the Classic Six, was developed in a Detroit-area workshop and built in late 1911. Louis Chevrolet and Durant parted ways in 1914. On 2 May 1918 Chevrolet became part of General Motors. GM unveiled the Corvette concept at its Motorama show at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York in January 1953, and the first finished Corvette left a Chevrolet plant in Flint, Michigan, on 30 June 1953, one of 300 built that year.

1,2

Milestones

  1. 1911
    The Chevrolet Motor Car Company of Michigan was organized on 3 November 1911.1
  2. 1911
    The first Chevrolet, the Classic Six, was manufactured in late 1911.1
  3. 1914
    Louis Chevrolet and William C. Durant parted ways.1
  4. 1918
    Chevrolet became part of General Motors on 2 May 1918.1
  5. 1953
    The Corvette was shown at GM's Motorama in January, and the first finished car left the Flint, Michigan, plant on 30 June; 300 were made that year.2

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

  1. 1
    Louis Chevrolet / Chevrolet history (MotorCities National Heritage Area) Level B MotorCities National Heritage Area
    • organized on Nov. 3, 1911
    • in the late 1911, the first Chevrolet Classic Six was manufactured
    • timeline: 1914, Chevrolet and Durant parted ways
    • On May 2, 1918, Chevrolet become a part of General Motors.
    • The Chevrolet Motor Car Company of Michigan was organized on Nov. 3, 1911.
    • primarily the work of two men: Louis Joseph Chevrolet... and William Crapo Durant
    • being developed and built in a Detroit-area workshop
    • Louis Joseph Chevrolet... and William Crapo Durant
    • 1914: Chevrolet and Durant parted ways (timeline locator)
    Accessed 2026-11-11
  2. 2
    Workers assemble first Corvette in Flint, Michigan (This Day in History, June 30) Level C HISTORY.com (A&E Television Networks)
    • one of just 300 Corvettes made that year
    • Motorama auto show at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City (locator)
    Accessed 2026-11-11

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