Automotive Giants: Who Are the 13 Companies Owning Most Major Car Brands?
It’s hard to know the exact number of car brands available in the world, but we do know that most of the major brands are owned by just a few companies. In fact, just 13 companies control over 50 car brands from around the world. If you want to know about the top car companies in the world and the brands they own, keep on reading.
1. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW Group)
BMW is a German automaker that started out as a producer of airplane engines in 1916. Now, it owns three brands producing vehicles from entry-level luxury with MINI to super luxury vehicles with Rolls-Royce. Popular cars in Malaysia under this group include the BMW 3 Series, 5 Series, and MINI Countryman. Here are the car brands in the BMW Group:
BMW
MINI
Rolls-Royce
2. Daimler AG
Daimler AG is another German Automaker responsible for the luxury German car brand, Mercedes-Benz. It was formerly named Daimler-Benz and Daimler-Chrysler before settling on Daimler. Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler invented the automobile independently of each other in 1886.
Benz started Benz & Co. in 1883 which later became Benz & Cie in 1899, while Daimler founded Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) in 1890. In 1926, these two companies merged to form the Daimler-Benz Corporation and the rest was history. Daimler also owns Smart, a brand producing compact EVs (electric vehicles). Popular cars under the brand include the Mercedes-Benz A180 and C200. Brands in the Daimler AG portfolio include:
Mercedes-Benz
Smart
3. Ford Motor Company
Ford was founded by Henry Ford on 16 June 1903 as an American automobile company. It’s one of the largest and most profitable companies globally. With the Ford family still having a majority voting power in the company, it’s also one of the largest family-controlled companies in the world. Besides Lincoln, Ford’s luxury vehicle division, the company also owns Troller, a Brazilian car brand that produces off-road vehicles. Popular models under this American car brand now include the Ford Fiesta, Ranger, and Mustang. Brands in its portfolio include:
Ford
Lincoln Motor Company
Troller
4. General Motors
General Motors or GM is one of the largest American automakers. In fact, it was the largest automaker in the world for 77 years before Toyota took the top spot in 2008. All names under GM are American car brands that we don’t really see in Malaysia other than Chevrolet. Here are the brands under GM’s portfolio:
Buick
Chevrolet
Cadillac
GMC
5. Honda Motor Company
This Japanese Giant was established by Shoichiro Honda in 1946 as a motorcycle producer and only produced its first automobile in 1963. Now, Honda is a household name in many countries as it continues to produce both cars and motorcycles from the two-wheeled Honda EX-5 to the Honda Civic Type R.
Honda has also partnered with Sony to form Sony Honda Mobility, a joint venture company that owns Afeela, a mobility brand focusing on intelligent mobility. Here are the brands under the Honda Portfolio:
Honda
Acura
Afeela
Read More: Honda, the Power of Dreams: History and Achievements in Malaysia
6. Hyundai Motor Group
This Korean automaker was established in 1967. It first produced vehicles for the domestic South Korean market but soon started exporting its cars in 1976 to Ecuador and other countries. Hyundai has come a long way since its beginnings in producing affordable cars. Now, it’s developing cutting-edge automotive technology with both battery electric vehicles (BEV) and hydrogen-fueled vehicles. Brands in its portfolio include:
Hyundai
Genesis
Kia
7. Nissan Motor Corporation
Nissan is another esteemed Japanese automaker known for legendary cars such as the Nissan GTR, and Fairlady. It started out as Kaishinsha Motor Car Works in 1911, then DAT in 1925, and was finally acquired by the Nissan Group Zaibatsu in 1933. Now, it’s better known for the Nissan Almera, X-Trail, and Navara. Here are the brands owned by Nissan:
Nissan
Infiniti
Datsun
8. Renault Group
Renault is a French multinational automaker established in 1899. It currently manufactures a range of cars and vans but has made various types of vehicles including buses, aircraft and aircraft engines, tanks, tractors, and rail vehicles. Although it doesn’t have a huge presence in Malaysia, the Renault Captur, one of the best-selling SUVs in Europe, is also quite well-known here. Brands in its portfolio include:
Renault
Dacia
Renault Korea Motors
Alpine
Mobilize
9. Stellantis
Stellantis is a corporation formed by the merger of (FCA) Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and (PSA) Peugeot Société Anonyme in 2021. Stellantis owns 13 car brands and is now the second largest automaker behind Toyota. Brands under Stellantis are:
PSA
Citroën
DS Automobiles
Opel
Peugeot
Vauxhall
FCA
Abarth
Alfa Romeo
Chrysler
Dodge
Fiat
Jeep
Lancia
Maserati
10. Tata Group
Tata is an Indian multinational conglomerate operating in various sectors including motor vehicles, power supply, chemicals, and communications, just to name a few. The Group was established in 1868 while its vehicle division, formerly known as Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company (TELCO) was founded in 1945. Here are the brands under the Tata Group:
Tata Motors
Land Rover
Jaguar
11. Toyota Motor Corporation
Toyota is the largest automaker in the world and needs little introduction. Founded by Kiichiro Toyoda in 1937, Toyota is known for producing reliable vehicles for the masses. Sedans like the Toyota Vios and Corolla are some of the best-selling cars in Malaysia, but the brand is also known for its amazing cars like the Toyota 2000GT, Supra, and Land Cruiser. Here are the brands under Toyota:
Toyota
Lexus
Daihatsu
Read More: History of Toyota: The Largest Carmaker in the World
12. Volkswagen Group
Although the name Volkswagen doesn’t sound as prestigious as its other German competitors, it’s actually Europe’s largest automaker, owning eight big brands. It was founded in 1937 and is now controlled by the Porsche-Piëch family who has a majority voting right over the Volkswagen Group. Probably best known for its Volkswagen Beetle, the company also has other iconic cars like the Golf R and Passat. Here are the brands in its portfolio:
Audi
Bentley
Bugatti
Lamborghini
Porsche
SEAT
Škoda
Volkswagen
13. Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (ZGH)
Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (ZGH) is a relative newcomer to the automotive industry that has grown into a well-respected global company. It was founded in 1986 as a refrigerator producer but later created the Geely Auto subsidiary to manufacture automobiles in 1996. In Malaysia, we may be most familiar with Geely thanks to it acquiring a stake in Proton in 2017. Here are the brands owned by ZGH:
Geely
Volvo
Polestar
Lynk & Co
