Real Owners Behind Automobile Brands
business and startups
"As of today many of the leading automobile brands operate under an umbrella of companies and some of the names may surprise you"
Since automobiles are an essential part of human society, it has even managed to evolve a culture around that industry. Consumers and people who are interested in automobiles and motorsports give attention to their favourite brands and the culture that the brand presents over history.
Even though many automobile factories started their operation in the last century due to various economic crises they were beginning to bankrupt. This was a moment of opportunity for more established automobile giants like General Motors, Volkswagen, etc. They wanted to seize the opportunity with buying those struggling companies and bring them under their big umbrella of automobile companies.
As of today many of the leading automobile brands operate under an umbrella of companies and some of the names may surprise you. Since the ownership of the automobile factories shifts frequently among the major players of the industry here are some of the leading brands and their true owners as it stands by the time this article was written.
General Motors – (Founded 1908) : This US motorsport giant has gained ownership of leading brands such as Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, Holden, HSV, and Opel. Therefore they have managed to remain as the leading car manufacturer in the USA.
Volkswagen – (Founded 1937) : As it stands today Volkswagen is arguably the crowned prince of automobile manufacturers. They have acquired many of the luxury and hypercar brands under their name making them control a fair share of the high-end automobile market. They have the ownership of Porsche, Bugatti, Bentley, Skoda, and Audi which also owns Lamborghini.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) – (Founded 2014) : Recently founded FCA also holds the ownership of some of the leading brands in Europe and the USA. They own Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and Lancia.
Groupe Renault- (Founded 1899) : You might be surprised that Japanese automobile giants like Nissan and Mitsubishi are owned by a French company, Renault. They also own the Infiniti Brand as well.
Tata Motors – (Founded 1945) : It will be hard to digest if I said that British giants like Land Rover and Jaguar now belong to an Indian company. Since 2008 Tata has managed to get the ownership of Land Rover and Jaguar under their name.
Daimler – (Founded 1926) : Daimler is managing their long time partners of AMG, Mercedes, Smart, and Maybach. AMG has been involved as the engine and gearbox partner for the sportscar series of Mercedes and Maybach remains as the ultra-luxury brand of Mercedes family who competes in the range of Rolls Royes.
BMW – (Founded 1916) : The rivalry between German automobile giants of Bavarian Motor Works (BMW) and Mercedes is considered as one of the fiercest among others. BMW has managed to get the ownership of MINI and Rolls Roys to keep them in the fight with Daimler.
Independent Brands
Amid all the chaos happening in the economy and automobile industry, some brands can stand their ground on their own. Some of them belonged under a bigger group for a while and then became independent again. Tesla, Ford, Honda, Mazda, and McLaren remain as standalone automobile brands at the moment.
Volkswagen (source: pexels.com)Contributed by: Gayan Prasad
