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What does a Volkswagen Aventador, a Fiat Quattroporte, and a BMW Cooper all have in common?
Well, besides the fact that that statement just made car enthusiasts all around the world cringe, those names are also… technically correct? The automotive industry is constantly evolving through business just like every other industry. There are mergers, acquisitions, bankruptcies, and good ‘ol competition. Automotive groups are always searching for the best way to grow and have the most real estate in each segment of the auto industry.
In order to compete in multiple segments, automotive groups need to have multiple brands because let's face it, there would be a lot less Lamborghinis sold if they were publicly branded as Volkswagens or Chryslers (yes, they were once owned by Chrysler). Certain brands have certain identities. For example, Toyota is viewed as a more reliable, blue collar brand, while Lexus is seen as a much more luxurious line of vehicles. This strategy can be found across all of the different automotive groups currently in business.
That is quite enough talk about business, let’s see what group makes your car so you can see how it stacks up against the competition:
BMW Group - BMW (1916), Mini (1994), and Rolls-Royce (1998).
Daimler AG - Mercedes-Benz (1926) and Smart (1994).
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles - In 2014 Fiat and Chrysler merged into a new holding company. The company owns Alfa Romeo (1986), Chrysler (2009), Dodge (Chrysler owned since 1928), Fiat (1899), Jeep (acquired from AMC 1987), Maserati (1993), and Ram (created in 2010).
Ford Motor Co. - Ford (1903) and Lincoln (1922).
General Motors - Buick (1908), Cadillac (1909), Chevrolet (1918), and GMC (1912).
Honda Motor Co. - Acura (1986) and Honda (1949).
Hyundai Motor Group - Genesis (2003), Hyundai (1967), and Kia (1998).
Mazda Motor Corp. - Mazda (1920).
Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance - Infiniti (1989 by Nissan; 1999 by Renault), Mitsubishi (2016), and Nissan (1999).
Subaru Corp. - Subaru (1953).
Tata Motors - Jaguar (2008) and Land Rover (2008).
Tesla - Tesla (2003).
Toyota Motor Corp. - Lexus (1989) and Toyota (1937). And has a 16.5% stake in Subaru (2005).
Volkswagen Group - Audi (1964), Bentley (1998), Bugatti (1998), Lamborghini (1998), Porsche (2009), and Volkswagen (1937).
Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (ZGH) - Lotus (2017), Polestar (2010), and Volvo (2010).
Honorable mentions: As of 2019, these car brands have stopped production of their vehicles. While these defunct brands may not be producing new vehicles, their spirit lives on through their parent companies… and the hundreds of thousands of vehicles still being sold and driven today as used cars.
Mercury - Ford Motor Co.
Pontiac - General Motors
Saturn - General Motors
Scion - Toyota Motor Corp.
Suzuki - Suzuki Motor Corp.
If you’ve ever told your buddy, “man, my Acura NSX looks a lot like that old Honda NSX”
Or
“I swear my Chrysler Sebring breaks down just as much as my Dodge Dart used to”
Well...
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