The badge and the name is instantly recognisable, and Chevrolet is a brand that is much-loved too.
Even though this iconic car maker has achieved household recognition for its incredible history of producing great cars, and if you take a look at Chevrolet vehicles for sale in Kalamazoo MI, for instance, you are bound to find a model that you want to own, there’s some fun and educational things about the company that you may not know.
Let’s take a look at some interesting facts about Chevrolet.
What inspired the Chevy logo?
The iconic Chevy logo, which resembles a bow tie, was apparently inspired by the design of some hotel wallpaper. This is the story put forward by William C Durrant, the co-founder of Chevrolet. However, his wife insisted that he copied the design from a coal industry business that was already in existence. Whichever version is correct, the badge design is firmly aligned with Chevrolet these days.
An unusual way of shipping their vehicles in the early days
Chevrolet has always liked to think outside the box and lead the way in design concepts. Evidence of this trait comes when you learn that the company came up with the idea of shipping out its Vega model vertically, rather than horizontally, in order to save space.
Inspired by the space race
If you get a chance to see the Chevy Turbo Titan 11 concept car you will see how it was inspired by the space race of the 1960s.
It had seats that followed a design for astronauts, and a futuristic dial steering wheel. However, the car project was abandoned when the gas turbine engine failed clean air requirements.
A change of name was deemed necessary for this model
The Chevy Camaro actually started out being called Black Panther. In the interest of political correctness back in the 1960s it was decided that the Camaro moniker was a more suitable alternative.
The original Chevrolet wasn’t around for long
Despite the long history of Chevrolet, you might be surprised to learn that Louis Chevrolet, who gave his name to the brand, actually only stayed with the company for three years. Creative differences were cited as the reason for the short-term relationship.
If at first you don’t succeed
The first Chevrolet model was not a roaring success, in fact, it could be described as a bit of a flop. The Classic Six model was intended to rival the Ford Model T but it was a pricier alternative and not a hit with the public. The company learned from this lesson and didn’t look back after it.
A ground-breaking SUV model
SUVs might be considered a modern vehicle design concept, however, if you go back to 1933 and take a look at the Chevrolet Suburban Carryall, you will see it had all the elements that are characteristics of a modern SUV.
Contributing toward the war effort
WW11 obviously proved to be a seismic moment in history. It was a period where Chevrolet completely stopped production of civilian vehicles and focused its attention on producing armored vehicles and airplane engines instead.
A black and white version of the Corvette
We are not talking about an old TV image. The 1978 25th anniversary Corvette was produced in a black and white color, with a red stripe along the middle to create a distinction between the two.
The rarest Silverado around
The Chevy Silverado is firmly established as a firm favorite. However, there is a 2006 version that is really rare. The Intimidator SS was produced as a tribute to race car driver Dale Earnhardt, who died during the 2001 Daytona 500 race. There’s only 1,300 of these models around, so you will do well to see this version of the Silverado in the flesh.
After digesting these interesting and fun facts you will know a bit more about the history of this iconic car maker. It might even inspire you when you next visit a Chevy showroom.
