Ask The Best And Brightest: What Ten Chevy Designs Should Define Its Future?

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

In celebration of Chevrolet’s approaching 100th birthday, GM’s global design boss Ed Welburn took a look back at the history of the brand’s design and picked ten models that he found to be the most significant and influential. His list has quite a few of the usual suspects (’55 Bel Air, ’63 Stingray) and a few curveballs (1989 C/K Pickup?) and, in my mind anyway, some significant omissions. Welburn’s list captures the scope of Chevy’s design history well, but I’m not convinced it’s the list that I would use to define Chevy’s design direction as it enters its second century. Hit the jump for his list, and then let us know what ten Chevy designs from the last hundred years you would look to as you guided the brand into its 21st Century future.

1912 Chevrolet Classic Six

1932 Chevrolet Deluxe Sport Coupe

1936 Chevrolet Suburban

1948 Chevrolet Pick-Up

1953 Chevrolet Corvette

1955 Chevrolet Bel Air

1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray

1967 Chevrolet Pick-Up

1989 Chevrolet Pick-Up

2010 Chevrolet Camaro


Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Carlson Fan Carlson Fan on Apr 06, 2011

    I see a few others also agree that the '70 Camaro needs to be in the list. Any 63 to 67 Vette is a given.

  • Ponchoman49 Ponchoman49 on Apr 06, 2011

    Why the 1989 pickup and 2010 Camaro are on this list is puzzling. When asked what Chevy cars most people remember as great designs 1960's and early 70's Chevelles and Monte Carlos come to mind. So does the 1967-69 Camaro which the new car is just a fat bloated squinty windowed re-hash of. The G-body SS from 1983-1988 was another fondly remembered and design that was not only popular on the street but with nascar also for it's wind cheating aero design. It amazes me how narrow thinking many are today and how quickly the 70's and 80's designs are dismissed as all crap from Detroit. Growing up in the 70's - 90's revealed a very high percentage of youth lusting after Chevy Monte Carlos, El-Caminos, Camaros and Chevelles. I never once heard anybody say I love the new Honda Civic hatch and am dying to drive one. It was the Chevy performance coupes, muscle cars and luxury coupes that many desired along with the Pontiac cousins back in the day. That is why I take what todays youth say with a grain of salt because we live in drastically different times with everything is foreign or imported mentality. After the mid 90's everything changed over night litterally in the wrong direction. Just look at Chevys current car lineup. They could all pass as foreign bland designs. The new Global Cruze looks a lot like a Sentra from the side and it's window beltline and c-pilar are un-original. The Malibu is also bland and it would be very easy to remove the Chevy grille and badge and call it a Toyota. The Impala could pass as a former generation Accord etc. The new upcoming Malibu looks a tad more promising out back with retro round Camaro like taillights. Hopefully the rest of the car doesn't look like a melted bland bar of soap.

  • Lorenzo Lorenzo on Apr 06, 2011

    I'd just go with the 1955 Impala, 1965 Impala, and 1977 Impala, and ask why Chevy stopped making spacious, RWD, full size, four door family sedans.

  • VanillaDude VanillaDude on Apr 07, 2011

    Chevrolets usually look very nice. Ugly is actually the exception. Chevrolet needs to look honest. It works best when their car line looks simple and clean. I believe the sales figures also show this to be true. So no bat wings, no fins, no wrap around split rear windows, no goth opera windows, no plastic rear ends. The Chevrolet designs that work best display a solid looking metal body which is appropriately shaped, a bit of chrome, an eggcrate grille, and a conservative shape. It is the simplicity and economy of design which made Chevrolets look so perfect. My list - 1939 Chevrolet Truck 1949 Chevrolet 1955 Bel Air 1962 Malibu 1977 Impala 1984 Cavalier 1987 Corsica 1987 S10 2003 SSR 2011 Volt

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