Chevrolet, Louis (1878–1941)

Swiss-born US racing car driver and motor car designer who emigrated to the USA in 1900 to race cars. In 1911, with the backing of William Crapo Durant, he founded the Chevrolet Motor Company and designed its first car. His racing cars won the Indianapolis 500 in 1920 and 1921.

He was born in La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland. In his first race in the USA he defeated Barney Oldfield. In 1905 he drove a record mile in 52.8 seconds. In 1929 he formed (with one of his brothers, Arthur Chevrolet), the Chevrolet Brothers Aircraft Company, but this venture failed and he went back to building racing cars.