Last week we took a look at the humble beginnings of GM Canada featuring the McLaughlin family. This week we’re going to see what happened after they built those first 154 cars. Here are Craig Dunn Motor City we think it’s important to see where our brand came from. These things don’t just appear, they take years of hard work and dedication. This is how the impressive GM Canada reputation got its start.
A few years after the McLaughlin vehicles were initially released, they started gaining quite a following. The McLaughlin’s advertisers persuaded management to change the brand name from McLaughlin to Buick. They compromised and renamed the cars, McLaughlin-Buick. This increased their popularity because a Buick won the first race at the Indianapolis Speedway in the United States.
Eventually the McLaughlin’s partner, Durant, was kicked out of the Buick company, but he quickly rebounded by joining forces with Louis Chevrolet. By 1915, Durant had so many Chevy shares that he regained control of GM all together. The McLaughlin boys convinced Durant to give them the Chevy as well. The Chevy bodies were designed by Sam McLaughlin and the McLaughlin plant painted them. Soon, the McLaughlins’ Chevrolets were just as popular as the Chevrolet vehicles crafted in the United States. In 1918, GM management bought the business but allowed Sam and George McLaughlin to continue running it. With that, the became the first president and vice president of General Motors Canada. Sam remained president until 1945 and was still a chairman of the board until he died at the age of 100 in 1972.
GM Canada has a rich and exciting history with family right at the heart of the business. Through the years, GM Canada continued to expand and grow as a company. Next week we’ll take a look what the company looks like today. If you want to see the current start of GM Canada, come explore the vehicles available at Craig Dunn Motor City. We have a wide selection of Buick, Chevy and GMC vehicles. see how Craig Dunn is carrying out the McLaughlin legacy right here in Portage la Prairie MB.
Flashback Friday: 1955 Chevy Bel Air Sport Coupe
