On this day, November 3rd, we celebrate the “birthday” of an iconic American legend in the automotive world — Chevrolet. Founded in 1911 by none other than the racing pioneer Louis Chevrolet and ousted General Motors founder William C. Durant, the Chevrolet Motor Car Company was born out of a partnership that combined a passion for performance with industrial savvy.

Louis Chevrolet, a Swiss race car driver and engineer, brought his name and reputation for speed to the table, while Durant, with his business acumen, saw the brand as his ticket back into the automotive industry from which he had been pushed out just two years prior. The bowtie emblem of Chevrolet, which has become synonymous with American automotive culture, was first introduced in 1914, and there’s been much speculation about its origins — from wallpaper Durant once saw in a French hotel to a stylized version of the Swiss cross in honor of Chevrolet’s heritage.

The brand’s first offering, the Series C Classic Six, was a high-end, meticulously crafted machine that promised both style and substance. However, it was the introduction of the affordable Chevrolet Series 490 in 1915 that truly set the stage for Chevrolet’s mass-market appeal, directly competing with Henry Ford’s Model T.

Chevrolet’s philosophy of providing “a car for every purse and purpose” saw it merge with General Motors in 1918, a move that solidified its position in the automotive hierarchy and allowed it to benefit from GM’s vast distribution network. This partnership was a game-changer, and by the mid-1920s, Chevrolet had dethroned Ford as the top-selling car in the United States.

Throughout the years, Chevrolet has been at the forefront of innovation and design, with iconic models like the Suburban, introduced in 1935, which is considered the first SUV. The post-war era saw the birth of the beloved Corvette in 1953, a car that would become an American sports car icon. The ’60s brought us the Camaro, Chevrolet’s answer to the Ford Mustang and a muscle car legend in its own right.

Today, Chevrolet continues to push the boundaries, embracing the future with electric vehicles like the Chevrolet Bolt while still honoring its performance roots with the latest iterations of the Corvette and Camaro. As we look back on the storied past of this centenarian brand, we can’t help but rev our engines in excitement for what the future holds.

Happy Birthday, Chevrolet! Here’s to the roads you’ve traveled and the journeys yet to come.