General Motors

Some of the key events about General Motors

• 1908

  Founded as a holding company for Buick and rapidly acquired other automobile manufacturers
• 1911

  Introduced the electric self-starter, making cars easier and safer to operate
• 1918

  Acquired the Chevrolet Motor Company, expanding its market reach
• 1925

  Established General Motors Overseas Operations to expand internationally
• 1936

  Suppressed a major sit-down strike at its Flint, Michigan plant
• 1940

  Became the first company to produce over 25 million vehicles
• 1949

  Convicted of conspiring to monopolize the sale of buses and supplies to National City Lines
• 1953

  Introduced the first American sports car, the Chevrolet Corvette
• 1962

  Launched the Pontiac GTO, credited with starting the muscle car era
• 1965

  Faced criticism for the unsafe design of the Chevrolet Corvair
• 1970

  Accused of installing faulty engine mounts in several car models
• 1974

  Introduced the catalytic converter on all US cars, reducing harmful emissions
• 1980

  Closed multiple plants, resulting in massive job losses
• 1992

  Closed its Willow Run assembly plant, impacting thousands of workers
• 1996

  Launched the EV1, one of the first mass-produced electric vehicles
• 2004

  Ended production of the EV1 electric car, disappointing environmentalists
• 2009

  Filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection during the financial crisis
• 2010

  Completed the largest initial public offering (IPO) in U.S. history at the time
• 2014

  Recalled millions of vehicles due to a faulty ignition switch linked to numerous deaths
• 2019

  Closed several North American plants, leading to significant job cuts

Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.