Another GM property, Chevrolet has made its name by making every type of vehicle — from compact cars to SUVs — and selling them at relatively affordable prices. Founded by William Durant in 1911, after he had been ousted as top dog at General Motors, Chevrolet was named after Louis Chevrolet, a Swedish-born race driver and the automaker’s first engineer. The Classic Six was the first vehicle to roll off the Chevy assembly line in 1911, followed by a truck in 1918 — the same year the automaker was purchased by General Motors. In 1927 Chevy became America's best-selling nameplate, selling more than 1 million cars. More recently, Chevy fell on tough times and reorganized as a result of the GM bankruptcy. However, now that GM is under new management and refocusing its efforts, the company is once again on the road to solvency.
