A Chevrolet Centennial

Courtesy of Chevrolet Motor Company

American Origins
While piloting a race car for Buick, Chevrolet met owner William C. Durant, the famous founder of General Motors, who had purchased Buick in 1904. When a series of decisions led stockholders to oust him as head of General Motors, Chevrolet and Durant partnered to form a new company, named for the Frenchman. In this picture, Chevrolet (second from left) stands with the company's first automobile, the "Classic Six," in front of the Flint, Michigan factory, in 1911.

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