Chevrolet (pronounced /ˌʃɛvrəˈleɪ/, of Swiss origin) (also known as Chevy /ˈʃɛvi/) is a brand of automobile produced by General Motors Company (GM). Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 8, 1911[1], Chevrolet was acquired by General Motors in 1917. Chevrolet was positioned by Alfred Sloan to sell a lineup of mainstream vehicles to directly compete against Henry Ford's Model T in the 1920s, and continues to hold its position as General Motors' highest-selling brand to the present day, with "Chevrolet" or "Chevy" being at times synonymous with GM. In North America, Chevrolet offers a full range of automobiles, from subcompact cars to medium-duty commercial trucks.
Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet