As General Motors continues to make its comeback from a 2008-era slump, its Chevrolet brand is celebrating a centennial. With 100 years of Chevrolet providing a rich historical archive, auto industry reporters are going back through and sifting the company’s hundred year history for its most prominent points. One of these efforts is an announcement from Kelley Blue Book, a leading auto valuation guide, that presents KBB’s picks for the “top ten Chevrolets of all time.”
So what’s on the list? Kelley collected a series of Chevrolet vehicles representing a kind of timeline for the company’s evolution, starting with the 1912 Chevrolet series C “classic six” vehicle. This first pick was not a budget car for its time, but according to Kelley, it was somewhat of a trend-setter for future Chevrolet design. Next is the 1916 Chevrolet 490, which provided competition for the Ford model T by providing value for cost. Then there’s the 1929 Chevrolet “Stovebolt 6,” an archaic version of the six cylinder engines that would later evolve into the power machines for generations of cars.
Next on the list is the 1936 Chevrolet Suburban Carryall, a familiar nameplate which some have hailed as Chevrolet’s “invention of the SUV.” At spot number five is the 1948 Chevrolet series 3100 pickup, a truck that debuted features like adjustable seating and AM radio. Kelley also cites the 1955 Chevrolet Turbo-fire V8, a car that introduced the small block V8 engine. Next on the list is the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray, a unique muscle car with a strange looking aerodynamic tapered back ridge behind the cabin. The Chevrolet Corvair, a car that competed with the Ford Falcon and Plymouth Valiant from 1960 to 1969, is also on Kelley’s list, along with the Chevrolet Camaro for 1967 to 1969. Rather than include today’s new Camaro, Kelley chose to end the list with the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, an electric car that Kelly calls “a genuine revolution in automotive transportation” and “one of the crowning achievements” for the company.
A look back through the storied history of this brand can give customers more insight into how Chevrolet has pioneered advances in auto design for a solid century. Today, buyers can choose from the electric Volt, hybrid designs of new Chevy small cars, or the Chevrolet Cruze, a brand new design that’s filling lots with modern style. That’s in addition to a fresh line of 2012 trucks, SUVs and crossovers that still show the company setting standards for the road ahead. Look for all of what’s available locally to get your next vehicle with unique Chevrolet design.
