Nineteen fifty-five was a Renaissance year for Chevrolet and the start of its assault on the growing youth market. The all-new vehicles wore sharp styling and were powered by a new 265 cubic-inch V8 engine under the hood as optional power. Model year production soared to over 1.7 million, a record for any automaker. An extensive facelift followed a year later along with some potent new power options. The 1957 Chevrolet model became an instant 'Classic' as it was regarded as a baby Cadillac and the Bel Air Sport Coupe, convertible and two-door Nomad station quickly gained a cult following.

1957 was the year Chevrolet bored out the small-block V-8 to 283 cubic inches and made available the most prestigious of options, the Ramjet Fuel injection. Chevy claimed one horsepower per cubic inch.

The mid-1960s were the genesis of the muscle car craze and the entire Detroit market worked aggressively to build cars that could house the larger and more powerful engines. When introduced in 1963, its 327 cubic-inch V8 engine producing 300 horsepower was at a disadvantage to the 389 CID V8 installed in the Pontiac GTO, but internal GM rules, at least for a while, attempted to keep Chevrolet's brand identity in its place.

The Chevrolet Chevelle was introduced on September 26th of 1963 as a mid-sized member of the Chevrolet fleet. It was essentially a smaller version of the Bel Air, Biscayne, and Impala that were still strong sellers but did not fit in with the new trend of smaller cars. It was built atop a new A-frame platform and could be ordered initially as a two or four-door. The 300 Series was the base model while the Malibu SS was the top-of-the-line model, and Chevrolet built over 76,800 examples of the Chevelle SS during the 1964 model year. Engine options included the older 283 two-barrel and variations of the 327 with horsepower ranging from 195 through 300 bhp. Although this initial success was promising, Chevrolet still needed to prove that they were still capable of competing outside of the Corvette. In grand fashion, Chevrolet not only displayed their performance capabilities in 1965, but it also posted a number of records in the process.

The Z-16 performance package was unleashed in a limited number for 1965, powered by a 396 cubic-inch V8 with 375 hp, a highly modified suspension, power-assisted steering, and sway bars in the front and rear. The gear ratio behind the Muncie 4-speed transmission was raised from 3.31 to 4.56. The 283 and 327 cubic-inch engines were still available, and the base engine still offered 195 horsepower while the top-of-the-line L69 327 had 350 horsepower.

During the late 1960s, Chevrolet's market share for products declined, partly due to Ralph Nader's attack on the Corvair. Auto sales in general declined but had a particularly severe effect on Chevrolet, and the Corvair was dropped in 1969.

Although market share declined, Chevrolet began catching up with the market, as well as its sister brands, in the horsepower race. By 1966, no small-block Chevelle remained available. Rather, the 396 became the standard engine with the horsepower outputs offered between 325 and 375 bhp. The higher the horsepower, the greater the number of other components of the vehicle that required upgrading. As a result, all Chevelles were outfitted with stiffer springs and shocks to counter handling problems. To showcase the 396 cubic-inch engine lurking underneath the hood, the SS name was switched to SS396. A more aggressive appearance was the result of a new bumper, dual hood scoops, and a new roofline. Front disc brakes became available in 1967 and a three-speed automatic joined the list of transmission options.

The Chevelle SS was redesigned in 1968, with the rear of the car shortened while the front was stretched for a fastback appearance.