The history of the auto industry is quite ambiguous. The last ten years have seen a lot of partnerships, bankruptcies, splits, and eliminations of entire divisions, making it exceedingly challenging to identify the true owners of the vehicle brands.
For example, automakers are getting smaller in order to become more efficient and profitable; old brands like Pontiac, Oldsmobile, and Mercury are disappearing from the face of the earth. Brands such as Jaguar, Volvo, and Chrysler are searching for new parent firms outside of their native countries. Additionally, new businesses like Tesla and Rivian have emerged.
List of some car brands and their owners:
- Acura by Honda Motor Company
- Alfa Romeo by Stellantis
- Audi by Volkswagen Group
- BMW by BMW Group
- Bentley by Volkswagen Group
- Buick by General Motors
- Cadillac by General Motors
- Chevrolet by General Motors
- Chrysler by Stellantis
- Dodge by Stellantis
- Fiat by Stellantis
- Ford by Ford Motor Co.
- GMC by General Motors
- Genesis by Hyundai Motor Group
- Honda by Honda Motor Co.
- Hyundai by Hyundai Motor Group
- Infiniti by Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance
- Jaguar by Tata Motors
- Jeep by Stellantis
- Kia by Hyundai Motor Group
- Land Rover by Tata Motors
- Lexus by Toyota Motor Corp.
- Lincoln by Ford Motor Co.
- Lotus by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group
- Lucid by Lucid Motors
- Maserati by Stellantis
- Mazda by Mazda Motor Corp.
- Mercedes-Benz by Daimler AG
- Mercury by Ford Motor Co.
- Mini by BMW Group
- Mitsubishi and Nissan by Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance
- Polestar by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group
- Pontiac by General Motors
- Porsche by Volkswagen Group
- Ram by Stellantis
- Rivian by Rivian Automotive
- Rolls-Royce by BMW Group
- Saab owned by Saab AB
- Saturn by General Motors
- Scion by Toyota Motor Corp.
- Smart by Daimler AG
- Subaru by Subaru Corp.
- Suzuki by Suzuki Motor Corp.
- Tesla by Tesla Inc.
- Toyota by Toyota Motor Corp.
- Volkswagen by Volkswagen AG.
- Volvo by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group
Car Brands and their Owners
BMW
The German premium automobile manufacturer BMW owns and produces the Mini Cooper.
The BMW Group owns Rolls-Royce, Mini, BMW, and BMW Motorrad. It has a straightforward organizational structure.
Volkswagen Group
The German auto behemoth Volkswagen Group is the owner of numerous well-known auto brands.
Given that it owns some of the greatest and most recognizable automobile brands in the world, the Volkswagen Group makes intelligent brand choices.
It is the owner of Lamborghini, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, SEAT, Bentley, Bugatti, MAN, Scania, and Ducati.
Daimler AG
- Founded in 1899, Daimler became the name we know today as DaimlerBenz AG when it amalgamated with Benz et Cie in 1926.
- Since 1900, the renowned Mercedes brand has existed.
- Mercedes-Benz, Western Star, Smart Freightliner, Fuso, Bharat Benz, Setra, and Thomas Built are currently under the ownership of Daimler AG.
General Motors Company
- In 1908, William C. Durant established General Motors, which later acquired Buick.
- Later on, it was purchased from other automakers like Oldsmobile and Cadillac.
- Before going bankrupt in 2009, this company had a number of well-known models in the US, causing the closure of well-known brands like Saturn, Hummer, Pontiac, and Oldsmobile.
- Currently, General Motors is in charge of Holden, OpelJiefang, Wuling, Aubobaoijun, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC.
Hyundai Motor Company
- Hyundai began as a construction company in 1947, expanded rapidly, and joined the automotive sector in 1967.
- Initially, they began producing a cost-effective and authorized Ford Cortina.
- At the moment, Hyundai, Genesis, and Kia are owned by Hyundai Motor Company.
Honda Motor Company
- 1948 marked the founding of Honda Motor Company by Takeo Fujisawa and Soichiro Honda.
- The business made its formal debut in the automotive sector in 1963 when it unveiled a T360 pickup truck and an S500 sports car.
- Tokyo, Japan is home to the headquarters of Honda Motor Company.
- At the moment, the company owns Honda, Acura, and Powersports.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA)
- It is undeniable that Fiat, the biggest manufacturer in Italy, has an amazing range of brands.
- With subsidiaries like Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Chrysler, and Lancia, the Italian carmaker may be proud of its progeny.
Solo Wanderers
In the automobile industry, a lot of firms own other car brands, yet some would rather stay separate and autonomous. Those automobiles include:
Mitsubishi is a lone wolf, whereas Suzuki and Mazda are mostly flying alone.
By being aware of the automotive brands and their parent corporations, prospective purchasers can more easily determine which brands and companies to trust based on their prior knowledge of the vehicles under consideration.