CHEVY'S BOWTIE TURNS 100

The actual origins of the bowtie have been clouded for a number of years, with claims that General Motors' supremo and Chevrolet co-founder William Durant copied the distinctive shape from the 'Coalettes' brand of Briquette-type stove fuel in around 1912.

The 'official' Chevrolet line from the 1960s (on Chevy's 50th Anniversary) contended that Durant spotted the design in the wallpaper of a Paris hotel room in 1908. Durant's daughter Margery claimed in her 1929 book, My Father, that the design came from Durant's own imaginings and doodling in the same period.

Whatever the facts of the bowtie's origins, there's little disputing that it's become one of the most iconic, recognisable and popular (judging by the number of Chev-badged Holdens in this country) logos in all automotive history.

The Chevrolet Motor Car Co. had been incorporated in 1911, but the first use of the bowtie by Chevrolet appeared in the Oct. 2, 1913 edition of The Washington Post with the words "Look for this nameplate" above the symbol.

In the same year, Chevrolet co-founder William C. Durant introduced the signature Chevy bowtie on the 1914 Chevrolet H-2 Royal Mail and the H-4 Baby Grand, centred at the front of both models.

"The Chevrolet bowtie is recognized around the world and has become synonymous with American ingenuity," said Chevrolet Chief Marketing Officer Tim Mahoney.

"Whether you're pulling thousands of pounds through rocky terrain in a Silverado pickup or commuting in a Spark EV, Chevrolet's bowtie will always be at the very front of your travels."

Sixty million Chevrolets are on the roads worldwide today and the bowtie has adorned 215 million Chevrolets over the last century. A Chevrolet car, crossover or truck is sold every 6.39 seconds in one of 140 countries, and the brand set a sales record of 2.5 million in the first six months of 2013.