46 Years Ago

On Oct. 24, 1954, Chevrolet Motor Div. takes the wraps off of its redesigned '55-model lineup - the first all-new Chevrolets in nearly a decade. Destined to become a "classic," the new Chevy's sleek, clean styling is heavily influenced by European designs, including a grille unabashedly copied from Ferrari. But even more important than the car's looks is its all-new Turbo-Fire 265-cu. in. (4.3L) V-8 engine, developed under the direction of Chief Engineer Edward N. Cole, who later became Chevrolet general manager and General Motors Corp. president. It is the first engine of that configuration offered by the division since 1919. Importantly, the new powerplant spawns numerous Chevy V-8s over the next 45 years. As a result of the car's popularity, Chevrolet production for the '55 model run rises 49% to a record 1,766,000 units from 1,185,000 in '54, outpacing a 47% increase for the industry as a whole. Chevy's lead over Ford Motor Co.'s Ford Div. is even more pronounced, increasing to 315,000 in '55 from 20,000 in '54.