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The Heartbeat of America and some 139 other nations.


Today exactly 100 years ago, 3 November 1911, Swiss born Louis Chevrolet and  Billy Durant founded the Chevrolet Motor Car Company. Very soon they became very succesful and started exporting to India, to China, to Japan and 137 other countries around the globe who all got used to the values attached to the name of Chevrolet. To a non US citizen - like your editor - it is impossible to know what kind of emotions are tied to this name in the United States itself. However what we do know, is what Chevrolet was in Europe. Much-much-much more than Ford - Chevrolet over the decades has been the iconical all American car. For most people way out of reach and only available for the guys who had made it. Still it was car that you hoped to drive one day. And the car in which millions people got married. Chevrolet used to stand for succes and was the standard for American luxury & comfort. Sorry that we have to use the past tense... Too bad that more recent marketing demands have brought teeny-weeny rebadged Korean Daewoos to this part of the world. Yet one thing is sure, when you live to be a hundred, you are among the toughest of survivors. We're looking forward to a brilliant future for the golden bowtie. (photo courtesy GM/Chevrolet 100)

Publiziert:
Mittwoch November 2nd, 2011

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03 November 2011, 05:59
Chevrolet was indeed one of the most popular marques in India, starting from early 1920's right upto the 1960's with their Impala's. Chevrolet also dominated the transport segment, lorries and busses. In fact GM had an assembly plant in Bombay. We have in India a number of surviving Chevys from 1928 onwards, through to the 30's, early 40's and again picking up after 1946 right upto the mid 1950's. There are also a handful of pre 1928 cars around, but rare. There are many Fleetmasters surviving. Later import of cars into India was banned, followed by a ban on assembly as well, yet we have many Chevys of the late 1950's, 1960's, specially the Impala's, many Bollywood stars had them, and that too in red. I myself have many Chevys, though not all are working. When petrol became expensive, the Chevys were dieselised, after that they were destroyed in Bollywood movies. Yet there are survivors. Today a well restored Chevy is admired, they are so easy to maintain, and oh so drivable.
I have lots of old B+W pictures and many have Chevys in them. I can share if you like. Chevrolet did no favour to the marque when they went Daewoo!

Cheers Harit
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