The History of General Motors: From Buick, Cadillac and Pontiac to Chevrolet

this American corporation was the

this American corporation was the world’s largest automaker for over 75

world’s largest automaker for over 75

world’s largest automaker for over 75 years welcome to watchmojo.com and today

years welcome to watchmojo.com and today

years welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re taking a look at the history of

we’re taking a look at the history of

we’re taking a look at the history of General Motors it can change the way you

General Motors it can change the way you

General Motors it can change the way you think about American automobiles the

think about American automobiles the

think about American automobiles the General Motors company was founded on

General Motors company was founded on

General Motors company was founded on September 16 1908 in Flint Michigan it

September 16 1908 in Flint Michigan it

September 16 1908 in Flint Michigan it began as a holding company for the

began as a holding company for the

began as a holding company for the American automotive brand Buick which

American automotive brand Buick which

American automotive brand Buick which was under the control of William C

was under the control of William C

was under the control of William C Durant along with GM co-founder Charles

Durant along with GM co-founder Charles

Durant along with GM co-founder Charles Stewart mod Durant acquired Oldsmobile

Stewart mod Durant acquired Oldsmobile

Stewart mod Durant acquired Oldsmobile the pair also consolidated several other

the pair also consolidated several other

the pair also consolidated several other motor car companies including Cadillac

motor car companies including Cadillac

motor car companies including Cadillac Elmore and Oakland in 1909 GM purchased

Elmore and Oakland in 1909 GM purchased

Elmore and Oakland in 1909 GM purchased the precursors of GMC truck the reliance

the precursors of GMC truck the reliance

the precursors of GMC truck the reliance motor truck company and the rapid motor

motor truck company and the rapid motor

motor truck company and the rapid motor vehicle company the next decade was

vehicle company the next decade was

vehicle company the next decade was filled with ups and downs after briefly

filled with ups and downs after briefly

filled with ups and downs after briefly losing control of GM Durant started the

losing control of GM Durant started the

losing control of GM Durant started the Chevrolet motor car company make sense

Chevrolet motor car company make sense

Chevrolet motor car company make sense to me in the meantime

to me in the meantime

to me in the meantime General Motors launched the electric

General Motors launched the electric

General Motors launched the electric self-starter with a 1912 Cadillac upon

self-starter with a 1912 Cadillac upon

self-starter with a 1912 Cadillac upon Durant’s return he reorganized the

Durant’s return he reorganized the

Durant’s return he reorganized the company into the General Motors

company into the General Motors

company into the General Motors Corporation and released the first GM

Corporation and released the first GM

Corporation and released the first GM vehicle under the Chevy brand name the

vehicle under the Chevy brand name the

vehicle under the Chevy brand name the 1918 Chevrolet 490 shortly after

1918 Chevrolet 490 shortly after

1918 Chevrolet 490 shortly after Durant’s removal for management GM

Durant’s removal for management GM

Durant’s removal for management GM relocated its headquarters to Detroit

relocated its headquarters to Detroit

relocated its headquarters to Detroit and Alfred P Sloan jr. took his place

and Alfred P Sloan jr. took his place

and Alfred P Sloan jr. took his place GM also created the Pontiac division and

GM also created the Pontiac division and

GM also created the Pontiac division and this led to the demise of the Oakland

this led to the demise of the Oakland

this led to the demise of the Oakland brand thanks to Sloan’s leadership GM

brand thanks to Sloan’s leadership GM

brand thanks to Sloan’s leadership GM became the most dominant figure in

became the most dominant figure in

became the most dominant figure in American car manufacturing the addition

American car manufacturing the addition

American car manufacturing the addition of overseas operations quickly turn GM

of overseas operations quickly turn GM

of overseas operations quickly turn GM into one of the world’s largest

into one of the world’s largest

into one of the world’s largest industrial organizations Sloan also

industrial organizations Sloan also

industrial organizations Sloan also reorganized the company by D

reorganized the company by D

reorganized the company by D centralizing the management of the

centralizing the management of the

centralizing the management of the divisions he created several of his

divisions he created several of his

divisions he created several of his other changes helped GM overtake current

other changes helped GM overtake current

other changes helped GM overtake current competitor Ford these included modifying

competitor Ford these included modifying

competitor Ford these included modifying sales strategies offering consumers the

sales strategies offering consumers the

sales strategies offering consumers the option of monthly payment

option of monthly payment

option of monthly payment and presenting more stylish powerful and

and presenting more stylish powerful and

and presenting more stylish powerful and prestigious car models during the next

prestigious car models during the next

prestigious car models during the next few years

few years

few years GM left its mark on public

GM left its mark on public

GM left its mark on public transportation by helping to establish

transportation by helping to establish

transportation by helping to establish the Greyhound bus lines the corporation

the Greyhound bus lines the corporation

the Greyhound bus lines the corporation also made a brief venture in the

also made a brief venture in the

also made a brief venture in the aircraft manufacturing industry and

aircraft manufacturing industry and

aircraft manufacturing industry and began looking into rail cars this led to

began looking into rail cars this led to

began looking into rail cars this led to the creation of the General Motors

the creation of the General Motors

the creation of the General Motors electro-motive division and this

electro-motive division and this

electro-motive division and this subsequently built many of the

subsequently built many of the

subsequently built many of the diesel-powered locomotives use on

diesel-powered locomotives use on

diesel-powered locomotives use on American railroads during the next two

American railroads during the next two

American railroads during the next two decades by the early 1940s GM was

decades by the early 1940s GM was

decades by the early 1940s GM was responsible for almost half of all the

responsible for almost half of all the

responsible for almost half of all the cars being made in the US look at those

cars being made in the US look at those

cars being made in the US look at those lines there’s true streamlining for you

lines there’s true streamlining for you

lines there’s true streamlining for you beautiful and impressive from every

beautiful and impressive from every

beautiful and impressive from every angle of vision the company was even

angle of vision the company was even

angle of vision the company was even involved in some industrial production

involved in some industrial production

involved in some industrial production during World War two during the next

during World War two during the next

during World War two during the next decade GM introduced its most expensive

decade GM introduced its most expensive

decade GM introduced its most expensive model of passenger vehicle the Chevrolet

model of passenger vehicle the Chevrolet

model of passenger vehicle the Chevrolet Impala and the luxury convertible known

Impala and the luxury convertible known

Impala and the luxury convertible known as the pontiac bonneville in the 1960s

as the pontiac bonneville in the 1960s

as the pontiac bonneville in the 1960s General Motors created the compact class

General Motors created the compact class

General Motors created the compact class and offered cars such as the Chevrolet

and offered cars such as the Chevrolet

and offered cars such as the Chevrolet Camaro and the Pontiac Firebird

Camaro and the Pontiac Firebird

Camaro and the Pontiac Firebird we believe seconds the intermediate

we believe seconds the intermediate

we believe seconds the intermediate class was then introduced by the ultima

class was then introduced by the ultima

class was then introduced by the ultima beal Cutlass finally the subcompact

beal Cutlass finally the subcompact

beal Cutlass finally the subcompact class arrived in the 1970s and this was

class arrived in the 1970s and this was

class arrived in the 1970s and this was launched with the Chevrolet Vega despite

launched with the Chevrolet Vega despite

launched with the Chevrolet Vega despite its success GM began to downsize its

its success GM began to downsize its

its success GM began to downsize its cars problems also started to arise with

cars problems also started to arise with

cars problems also started to arise with certain models like the Chevrolet

certain models like the Chevrolet

certain models like the Chevrolet Corvair Vega and citation and after the

Corvair Vega and citation and after the

Corvair Vega and citation and after the reputations of these cars suffered the

reputations of these cars suffered the

reputations of these cars suffered the company was forced to discontinue them

company was forced to discontinue them

company was forced to discontinue them however in the mid-1970s

however in the mid-1970s

however in the mid-1970s GM did find much popularity with the

GM did find much popularity with the

GM did find much popularity with the Oldsmobile Cutlass in order to compete

Oldsmobile Cutlass in order to compete

Oldsmobile Cutlass in order to compete with Japanese automakers GM formed the

with Japanese automakers GM formed the

with Japanese automakers GM formed the Saturn automotive division to create

Saturn automotive division to create

Saturn automotive division to create smaller cars nevertheless GM suffered

smaller cars nevertheless GM suffered

smaller cars nevertheless GM suffered several losses during the economic

several losses during the economic

several losses during the economic recession of the 1990s and wound up

recession of the 1990s and wound up

recession of the 1990s and wound up closing plants and laying off employees

closing plants and laying off employees

closing plants and laying off employees things turn around a few years later as

things turn around a few years later as

things turn around a few years later as profits rolled in from the sales of

profits rolled in from the sales of

profits rolled in from the sales of light trucks and SUVs the most

light trucks and SUVs the most

light trucks and SUVs the most dependable longest-lasting trucks are

dependable longest-lasting trucks are

dependable longest-lasting trucks are throw

gM then introduced the first full-sized

gM then introduced the first full-sized hybrid pickup with the Silverado Sierra

hybrid pickup with the Silverado Sierra

hybrid pickup with the Silverado Sierra in 2004 a few years later General Motors

in 2004 a few years later General Motors

in 2004 a few years later General Motors became affected by the struggles of the

became affected by the struggles of the

became affected by the struggles of the auto industry and filed for bankruptcy

auto industry and filed for bankruptcy

auto industry and filed for bankruptcy protection in 2009 2010 saw the

protection in 2009 2010 saw the

protection in 2009 2010 saw the discontinuation of the Pontiac and

discontinuation of the Pontiac and

discontinuation of the Pontiac and Saturn brands as well as a number of new

Saturn brands as well as a number of new

Saturn brands as well as a number of new developments for example GM formed

developments for example GM formed

developments for example GM formed General Motors ventures to work on new

General Motors ventures to work on new

General Motors ventures to work on new technologies the company then made

technologies the company then made

technologies the company then made another attempt at an all-electric

another attempt at an all-electric

another attempt at an all-electric vehicle with the Chevrolet Volt and this

vehicle with the Chevrolet Volt and this

vehicle with the Chevrolet Volt and this followed their initial attempts with the

followed their initial attempts with the

followed their initial attempts with the impact back in 1990 GM continued its

impact back in 1990 GM continued its

impact back in 1990 GM continued its research and development into buy fuel

research and development into buy fuel

research and development into buy fuel and flexible fuel vehicles through the

and flexible fuel vehicles through the

and flexible fuel vehicles through the end of the decade crashing prices back

end of the decade crashing prices back

end of the decade crashing prices back up back up with plants and centers

up back up with plants and centers

up back up with plants and centers making cars trucks and automotive parts

making cars trucks and automotive parts

making cars trucks and automotive parts around the globe General Motors is

around the globe General Motors is

around the globe General Motors is undoubtedly one of the world’s most

undoubtedly one of the world’s most

undoubtedly one of the world’s most important motor vehicle manufacturers

important motor vehicle manufacturers

important motor vehicle manufacturers there’s a new era in automobiles it’s

there’s a new era in automobiles it’s

there’s a new era in automobiles it’s the new motor annek Chevrolet what’s new

the new motor annek Chevrolet what’s new

the new motor annek Chevrolet what’s new everything

everything

everything 43 distinctively different interior

43 distinctively different interior

43 distinctively different interior styling choices new fabrics new colors

styling choices new fabrics new colors

styling choices new fabrics new colors new treatments it’s the new motor amic

new treatments it’s the new motor amic

new treatments it’s the new motor amic Chevrolet