Chevrolet

Chevrolet, or Chevy, is a brand of automobile, now part of the General Motors group. One co-founder, Louis Chevrolet, was a racing driver, born on December 25, 1878 in La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland. The other co-founder, William C. Durant, had been forced out of GM in 1910 and wanted to use Louis Chevrolet's designs to rebuild his own reputation as a force in the automobile industry.

Chevrolet outside North America

In markets outside North America, the Chevrolet brand name has been used on other GM models.

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Latin America

In Brazil, the Chevrolet Opala was based on the German Opel Commodore from the late 1960s, continuing in production until the early 1990s, when it was replaced by a version of the Opel Omega. Other smaller Chevrolets in Brazil, such as the Kadett and Monza, were based on the Opel Kadett and Ascona respectively. Chevrolet's product line-up in Brazil now comprises older Opel designs like the Celta, the Astra, and Vectra, while the current Corsa is built and the Omega name is now used on the Holden Commodore. Utility and four wheel drive vehicles from Isuzu and Suzuki in Japan are also badged as Chevrolets.

Related Topics:
Brazil - German - Opel Commodore - 1960s - 1990s - Opel Omega - Opel Kadett - Ascona - Opel - Celta - Astra - Vectra - Corsa - Holden Commodore - Four wheel drive - Isuzu - Suzuki - Japan

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In Argentina (whose factory was opened in Rosario in 1995), the models are the same Opels made in Brazil, specially the Corsa. Chevrolet had had presence in Argentina since the 1960's where it locally produced the Chevy II (sold in Argentina as the Chevrolet 400 or Chevy), but it stopped its operations in 1981, due to high inflation.

Related Topics:
Argentina - Rosario - 1995 - 1960's - Chevy II - 1981

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In Mexico, these Opel-sourced Chevrolet models are sold alongside US models.

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South Africa

In South Africa, Chevrolet was GM's main brand name until 1982. In the 1960s, the advertising jingle braaivleis, rugby, sunny skies and Chevrolet came to epitomise the ideal lifestyle of white male South Africans. Originally, Chevrolets were CKD kits of American Chevys assembled in their plant in Port Elizabeth. However, since South Africa was RHD and the US was LHD, plus encouragement by the South African government to use local content, Chevrolets such as the Biscayne were eventually made entirely in South Africa. By the 1970s, South African Chevrolets like the Kommando and Constantia were based on Australian Holden models like the Kingswood, while the Firenza was based on the Vauxhall Viva. The Chevrolet Nomad sold in South Africa was entirely different from the Nomad sold in America - whereas the American Nomad was originally conceived as a wagon version of the Corvette and eventually became the wagon version of the Bel Air, the South African Nomad was an SUV of truck proportions before SUVs were popular.

Related Topics:
South Africa - 1982 - 1960s - Port Elizabeth - Biscayne - 1970s - Australia - Holden - Kingswood - Vauxhall Viva - Chevrolet Nomad

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However, these were replaced by Opel models like the Rekord, Commodore, and Senator, and in 1982, the Chevrolet brand name was dropped in favour of Opel. Because of the political climate at the time, GM decided to disinvest from South Africa, and a local group eventually bought out GM's South African operations (including the Port Elizabeth plant) and renamed the company as the Delta Motors Corporation. They concentrated heavily on Opels, Isuzus, and Suzukis. However, thanks to an improved political climate in the 1990s, GM decided to reenter South Africa, eventually buying out the whole of Delta Motors Corporation. Even more news arrived for Chevrolet. In 2001, the Chevrolet name made a comeback, used on the Lumina, a rebadged Holden Commodore, and later on, on the Daewoo range of cars. Current Chevrolets include the Spark (a rebadged Daewoo Matiz), Aveo, Optra, the Lumina (including a pickup version), and the Vivant, an MPV that is really a renamed version of the Daewoo Tacuma.

Related Topics:
Opel - Rekord - Commodore - Senator - 1982 - 2001 - Holden Commodore - Spark - Daewoo - Matiz - Aveo - Optra - Vivant

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Europe and Asia

In 2005 models from Daewoo were rebranded as Chevrolet in Europe, although the Daewoo name will be retained in South Korea, Vietnam and some other world markets. In the rest of the world, most Daewoo models wore Chevrolet badge since 2003, except the US

Related Topics:
2005 - Daewoo - Europe - South Korea - Vietnam - 2003

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where the Suzuki badge was used.

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The Holden Commodore is badged as the Chevrolet Lumina in Thailand and the Middle East, as well as South Africa. One of the songs by The Fine Young Cannibals is used in all UK Chevrolet TV Commercials.

Related Topics:
Holden Commodore - Thailand - Middle East - South Africa - The Fine Young Cannibals

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