Picture a pastel-colored 1950s family sedan, wagon or convertible. What else but the 1955-57 Chevy? American sports cars? Gotta be the Corvette. Sport coupes and convertibles? Odds are you’re thinking of either the Chevrolet Camaro or Ford Mustang.
Like low-riders? Take your pick: a 1960s Impala, ’80s Malibu or ’90s Caprice Classic. Prefer SUVs? The Chevy Suburban was on the road before Willys built its first Jeep, and it’s still going strong.
In chronological order, here are some of the best and most significant cars and trucks in Chevrolet’s 100-year history.
• 1914 Royal Mail: Chevy makes a persuasive argument for this little-known car. The brand was born in 1911, but 1914 was the first year it built significant numbers of cars. The two-seat Royal Mail and the four-seat 1914 Grand were the first cars engineered from the ground up to be Chevrolets. Well-equipped for their time, standard equipment included a horn and a speedometer.
• 1932 Roadster: The first Chevrolet to combine luxury-car looks with an affordable price, the 1932 Roadster began Chevrolet’s decades-long run as a leader in worldwide automotive design. Sometimes called the “baby Cadillac,” the ’32 was among the first Chevrolets shaped by design chief Harley Earl.
• 1935 Suburban: The Suburban is the longest-lived automotive nameplate in continual use. Chevy nailed the formula for a big vehicle to carry plenty of people and haul heavy trailers. You can see the roots of today’s luxurious and advanced 2011 Suburban in the ’35. It’s the granddaddy of modern SUVs.
• 1948 3100 pickup: This roomy truck was Chevrolet’s first really new model after WWII’s hiatus in civilian vehicle production. It redefined Chevy’s workhorse pickups with niceties like colorful interiors, locking doors and a radio. The 3100’s design influenced recent Chevrolets like the 2003 SSR convertible sport truck and the 2006 HHR compact wagon.
• 1955-57 Bel Air: This three model-year run was the pinnacle of 1950s automaking. The Bel Air had something for everyone. Its model line stretched from basic transportation to fast and stylish V8 convertibles and the two-door Nomad station wagon. The ’57 Chevy became the symbol of 1950s America.
• 1963 Corvette Sting Ray: The glorious little Sting Ray was a breakthrough in style and substance. Designed by Larry Shinoda and one of the triumphs of Bill Mitchell’s reign as GM styling boss, it was the first ’Vette with Chevy’s small-block V8 and an independent rear suspension.
• 1967 Camaro: Chevy’s answer to the Ford Mustang, the Camaro ignited a passionate competition that’s still burning. The first generation offered everything the Camaro family provides to this day, with a model range that included six-cylinder and V8 engines, coupe and convertible bodies. The looks of the original ’67 Camaro inspired today’s hit model.
• 1999 Chevrolet Silverado pickup: The Silverado introduced the GMT800, one of the most capable vehicle platforms in the auto industry’s history. The GMT800 spun off a dizzying variety of vehicles, from humble work trucks to Cadillac SUVs fit to carry a head of state. Annual sales of GMT800-based vehicles topped the gross domestic product of many countries.
• 2008 Malibu: A return to the style and value that made icons of earlier Chevys, the Malibu returned the brand to relevance in the family car. It was the first mainstream GM sedan in decades that matched or surpassed top Japanese models.
• 2011 Volt: The Volt solved the problems that short-circuited electric cars for a century: range and charging time. Its innovative drivetrain can cover around 40 miles on batteries and longer distances thanks to a small engine that produces more electricity.
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