Only a True Car Lover Can Ace This Chevy Quiz!

By: Torrance Grey
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Only a True Car Lover Can Ace This Chevy Quiz!
Image: RamblinAround

About This Quiz

"See the USA in your Chevrolet!" This early advertising slogan captures what a piece of American history the Chevy brand is. Founded in the early 20th century alongside brands like Ford, Dodge, Nash and Studebaker, Chevrolet has survived to become one of America's best-known carmakers, and to have a presence around the world. 

Chevrolet, like its longtime rival Ford, makes almost every kind of vehicle, from work trucks to sports cars, economy compacts to family cars. You'll see Silverados and Sierras on ranches and at construction sites, and Camaros and Corvettes on the Pacific Coast Highway or Miami's South Beach Drive. Chevrolet cars turn up in films regularly, including Marvel's "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." (Who can forget Nick Fury's Chevy Tahoe getting shot to bits in the street, or Black Widow pulling up in a sleek new Corvette Stingray to pick up Steve, aka Cap, for his new assignment?)

How much do you know about this iconic American brand? Do you know which major US company one of its co-founders was ousted from -- twice? Or which legendary race another of its co-founders competed in four times? What about which Chevy model came under attack in Ralph Nader's muckraking book, "Unsafe At Any Speed"? (Note: Chevy wasn't the only carmaker that Nader took to task). 

Relive the ups and downs of the Chevy brand with our quiz!

What was William Durant's commonly used nickname?
"Billy"
"Chev"
"Crapo"
"Durable"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Don't laugh about "Crapo." That was Durant's mother's maiden name, and his middle name!

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Which automaker is Chevrolet's longtime rival?
Ford
Mercedes
Dodge
Tesla
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There's even a bumper sticker you'll see on Ford vehicles. It reads "Friends don't let friends drive Chevys."

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What year was Chevrolet founded?
1901
1911
1921
1931
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The company was born in the early "teens." Ford and Dodge were already established.

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What nationality was Louis Chevrolet?
American
Canadian
Bulgarian
Swiss
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's true! The co-founder of a classic "Americana" company was Swiss. Who knew?

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What was Louis Chevrolet's claim to fame?
He was a chemist.
He was heir to a fortune in Europe.
He was a pioneering aviator.
He was a race-car driver.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Louis Chevrolet was also an automotive engineer. But it was while racing cars for Buick that he got to know his future business partner, William Durant.

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How long did Louis Chevrolet stay with Chevrolet?
55 years
45 years
40 years
less than 10 years
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The company was founded in 1911; Chevrolet sold his share in 1915. Apparently he did not get along with his partner, William Durant.

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Under what larger umbrella does Chevrolet operate?
Daimler-Chrysler
AMC
General Motors
the United Nations
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chevrolet is a GM brand. Once an independent company, it has a complicated history with GM (which you'll learn about elsewhere in this quiz).

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William Durant, co-founder of the company with Louis Chevrolet, had been ousted from the board of which company?
Dodge Brothers
General Motors
Kellogg
Nabisco
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Durant had founded General Motors. He used the Chevrolet company as a backdoor way of getting back on the board of GM, via a merger in 1918. Unfortunately, he was bounced from the board a second time the following year. (Some guys just can't take a hint!)

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What is the Chevy symbol, seen on its grilles, called?
the bowtie
the running man
the running horse
the seven-point star
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chevrolet's emblem is a cross with its crossbar longer than its vertical bar. It's casually called the Chevy "bowtie."

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In what state is Chevrolet headquartered?
California
New York
Michigan
Alabama
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is typical for a major car maker. Chevy got its start in Flint, Michigan, and is now headquartered in Detroit.

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What year did Chevrolet become the bestselling car brand in the US?
1919
1929
1939
1944
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chevrolet overtook classic American car brand Ford to do this. It was part of the rivalry between the companies that lasts to this day.

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What year was the Corvette first produced?
1953
1963
1973
1983
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Corvette rolled out in the early 1950s. A "corvette" is a light, quick warship.

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What is the Corvette also called?
the Corrie
the Corvair
the Pony
the Stingray
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

These names are often used synonmously. But a fan will tell you they're not the same. The "Sting Ray" name was first introduced in 1963.

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Chevrolet's early "Standard Six" referred to six _____.
cylinders
gears
thousand dollars (in price)
seats
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ford, at that time, used a four-cylinder engine. So when Chevy offered buyers a six-cylinder car "for the price of a four," it was a marketing coup.

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What car came under fire in Ralph Nader's "Unsafe at any Speed"?
the Corvair
the Standard Six
the Silverado
the Volt
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Unsafe at Any Speed" was a book that indicted America's car makers overall for a lack of concern about safety. However, its first chapter, "The Sporty Corvair: A One-Car Accident," was a public-relations problem for Chevrolet in particular.

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The name "Corvair" is a mashup of "Corvette" and _______.
Bel Air
Flair
Repair
just "air"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chevrolet already made cars called the Corvette and the Bel Air. The Corvair name suggests it was a combination of both, but really, it was a break from tradition, with a rear engine and independent suspension for all four wheels. The Corvair was 1960's "Car of the Year," according to Motor Trend.

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The Camaro was created to be a rival to the _____.
Dodge Challenger
Lamborghini Miura
Ford Mustang
Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Mustang was considered the first "pony car," and the Camaro was Chevy's answer to it. To this day, no one knows what the name means!

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What year was the Camaro first sold?
1967
1972
1976
1980
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The first Mustangs were sold in mid-1964. Chevy was not quick, then, to respond with the Camaro.

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In 2010, Chevy began selling what plug-in hybrid car?
the Escape
the Leaf
the Insight
the Volt
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Volt has been tremendously popular. It is the top-selling plug-in hybrid in US history.

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Which of these is NOT a Chevrolet model?
Cruze
Impala
Nova
Yaris
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Vintage Impalas and Novas are powerful cars that are now, sometimes, collector's items. Yaris is a Toyota product, and -- sorry Toyota! -- unlikely to ever be collectibles.

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"Silverado" is the name of a Chevrolet _____.
engine
motorcycle
sports car
truck
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Like Ford, Chevy makes a lot of its income from its light- to medium-duty trucks. These include the Sierra and the Silverado.

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"Stovebolt" referred to what Chevy creation?
a gearbox
an engine
a pillar
a tailpipe
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The "stovebolt" was Chevrolet's inline 6-cylinder engine. It was first produced in 1929.

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Some of Chevrolet's high-performance models come with the designation ___.
C+
HP
A+
SS
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This stands for "Super Sport." Some Chevelles and Novas had this designation, as well as other cars and even some Chevy trucks.

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Which Chevrolet model supposedly didn't sell well in the Latin American market?
the Cruze
the Bel Air
the Nova
the Corvette
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"No va" means "it doesn't go" in Spanish, so the story is that the Nova failed in Latin America. It's a fun anecdote, but just not true. The Nova sold fine.

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In what decades was the Chevelle sold?
the '40s and '50s
the '50s and '60s
the '60s and '70s
the '70s and '80s
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Chevelle was sold from 1964 to 1978. They are still popular with car enthusiasts today.

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Which car replaced the Chevelle in the marketing lineup?
the Bel Air
the Corvair
the Malibu
the Cruze
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Chevelle was phased out in 1978. The Chevy Malibu took its niche in the market.

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At which of these racetracks' museums can you find a memorial to Louis Chevrolet?
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Talladega Superspeedway
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The memorial is in the racetrack's Hall of Fame Museum. Louis competed in the Indianapolis 500 several times; his best finish was 7th place.

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How many cars did Chevrolet sell in its first year in business?
75
200
1,000
nearly 3,000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When we say "nearly," we mean it. The number on record is 2,999.

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What year did the first Chevrolet truck roll out?
1918
1928
1938
1948
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The America of the "teens" (1910 - 1919) was a growing nation, and that requires solid working vehicles. It's no surprise that Chevy moved into this space fairly quickly.

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Which of the following is NOT a Chevrolet slogan?
Like a rock
Chevy runs deep
Inspiration comes standard
See the USA in your Chevrolet
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Inspiration comes standard" was a Chrysler slogan. The other three mottoes have all been used by Chevrolet.

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Ed Cole, who became general manager of Chevrolet in the 1950s, came from what background?
engineering
racing
sales
aviation technology
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ed Cole is famous for developing the Chevy small-block V8 engine, among other advances. He died in a plane crash in 1977, and is now in the Automotive Hall of Fame.

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What are Chevrolets called in Australia and New Zealand?
Chevs
Holdens
Opels
Durants
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Technically, Holden is GM's Australia division in place of Chevrolet. But many models are fundamentally the same, like the "Chevy Volt" and "Holden Volt."

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Which of these companies did Chevy founder William Durant also own?
Goodyear
Frigidaire
Turtle Wax
Quaker State
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

What is it with carmakers and appliance companies? In 1937, the American automaker Nash. famous for the "Rambler," joined forces with appliance company Kelvinator to become Nash-Kelvinator. Perhaps it reflects early interest in cars having A/C systems.

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In what movie series is a Camaro prominently featured?
Saw
Kill Bill
Scream
Transformers
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Bumblebee" is a Camaro in the films, starting as a '60s version and later becoming a fifth-generation model. A Camaro also appears in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," for which Chevy had a product-placement deal.

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Which of these movies features a Chevelle?
Jack Reacher
Drive Angry
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
all of them
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are more movies than this, frankly, and usually things don't end well for the Chevelle. As one writer for AutoTrader put it, "It's as if there's some sort of not-so-secret conspiracy to crash every late-'60s and early-'70s A-bodied SS Chevelle in existence."

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