Chevrolet History

Chevrolet launched a new version of the Corvette in 1983, with a higher price and an advertising campaign that compared it to imported sports cars, particularly the Porsche. The initial sales were strong, but decreased by 25% in1986.

In 1985, G.M was the dominant car manufacture in the U.S, producing 6 of the top ten selling cars in the U.S. However, imported cars still made up for 23.5% of the total U.S market automobile sales.

A reorganization of former autonomous car divisions at G.M was undergone, to curb the problem that many of G.M’s cars looked alike and to bring about distinctions between the different models. G.M, in a joint effort with Hughes Aircraft Company and Electronic Data Systems, began to design automobiles that would incorporate aerospace technology into automotive areas. Also, G.M purchased Group Lotus Cars, which meant the bought the competition as this company was known for its state of the art sports cars. G.M produced the Chevrolet Nova and Saturn in a joint venture with Toyota, which constituted their first new make since the 1930’s.

Chevrolet sold several different cars and trucks, and its Cavalier, Celebrity and Caprice where first, third and seventh selling cars in America, respectively.

G.M’s launch of the ultra-luxury convertible Allante in 1987 was aimed to provide a halo effect for the Cadillac and create competition in the their own line of cars. The Allante made its debut in the TV series Dallas, replacing a Mercedes Benz.

History of the Corvette Models:

1953-1955: The corvette dream car was introduced in 1952 at the Motorama Show and failed to impress the VIPs, as it had leaky pop-in plastic windows, anemic six cylinder engine, and was slower then a well tuned Cadillac or Oldsmobile. 1954’s production resulted in a surplus of 3,640 cars and began rumors that the car would be scrapped. However, with the Ford’s Thunderbird, G.M’s competitive spirit reached new highs. Also, with Zora Arkus Duntov as the head of Corvette’s engineering, Corvette’s performance improved a lot with the new V-8 engine.

1956-1962: The 1956-1957 Corvettes appealed to both the sports and personal luxury car markets. With continuous refinements the second generation Corvette was considered to be the type of car that true enthusiasts would appreciate.

1963-1967: The third generation Corvette was the most popular and stylish of all the Corvettes, and a major collector’s item. It was however the most short-lived of all the models, lasting a mere 5 years.

1968-1979: The fourth generation Corvette faced numerous problems, and production was decreased. With the oil shortages, government regulation, and economic downturns. Its performance declined, but it still managed to get sold-out and hence increase the production yet again.

1980-1983: The car went through a lot of weight-reduction so as to improve fuel consumption and not face an EPA tax. This meant it lost most of its performance. Nonetheless, it still remained one of the most popular and well-liked cars in the market.

The ‘new’ Corvette: There was no 1983 Corvette because production was shifted to a plant built for producing the new Corvette model. The fifth generation Corvette showcased G.M’s developments and improvements in the way of suspension, braking, engine control, etc. This was also met with an increase in the price. This made the press wonder if the Corvette was going against its tradition of being a youth oriented car, to appealing to the older professionals.

Corvette Advertising:

The 1984 advertising campaign of the Corvette had a budget higher then ever before in the car’s history. This was mostly a comparison campaign, with testing of acceleration, brakes, etc. And the Corvette emerged as the overall winner.

Promotion and Racing Activities:

The Chevrolet Division of G.M sent a free 30-page full color glossy magazine to all its Corvette purchasers, which included news, developments and information on the Corvette, its DIY repairs and news on the racetrack. There were over 700 organized Corvette clubs, all