Legends Never Die: 100 Years of Legendary Chevrolets

2011 Chevy Volt

In its 100-year history, the Chevrolet brand has been responsible for some pretty memorable images. Who can forget John Cusack drag racing his ’67 Camaro in Better off Dead? What about those burned-out Chevrolets mentioned in Bruce Springsteen’s classic “Thunder Road?”

At Cox Chevrolet we have the best selection of used cars in the South Bradenton area, and we fondly remember the most souped-up classic Chevrolets of the past. With that said, sometimes we still see a car driving around the streets of South Bradenton that makes our hearts beat just a little bit faster.

Without further ado, here’s a list of some legendary Chevy models that we’d love to pull up next to at any stoplight:

1936 Suburban: Sound familiar? It should! In use since its 1936 debut, Suburban is the longest continually produced name in the US automotive industry. Though the earliest Suburban bore little resemblance to its modern-day descendant, its hardy truck-based body and eight-seat cabin were designed with the same principles in mind as today’s version.

1955 Bel Air Sport Coupe: This flashy coupe burst onto the scene at the same time as Elvis and James Dean. Now, the mere sight of it conjures images of soda jerks and poodle skirts with its long body, stylish two-tone paint job, and V-8 engine. Hail, hail rock-n-roll.

1971 C/10 Cheyenne Pickup: When Chevy made a premium trim package available on their already stylish take on the pickup truck, America went wild. Over a quarter-million of these trucks were sold, and they can still be seen on the streets today.

1989 Corvette ZR-1: An English-developed 32-valve V-8 engine pushed the speedy Corvette to new levels of greatness in 1989. From its powerful performance to its sexy silhouette, the ZR-1 name remains so synonymous with sporty luxury that Chevy revived the designation for its turbocharged 2009 Corvette ZR1.

2011 Volt: Though this plug-in electric hybrid is a relatively new offering from Chevrolet, we think it’ll stand the test of time. The year of its initial release, the Volt was named “Car of the Year” by Green Car Journal, Motor Trend, and Automobile Magazine. How’s that for iconic?

We know that everyone’s list will be different, and that’s part of the fun. With so many legendary makes and models to choose from, Chevrolet occupies a place in American culture that no other automaker can claim. The last 100 years of Chevy have been revolutionary—now here’s to 100 more. Happy Birthday, Chevrolet!