Marque Histories

Alfa Romeo originally began manufacturing cars on **June 24, 1910**². The company was initially founded as **A.L.F.A.** (Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili) in Milan². Their first car was the **24 HP**, designed by Giuseppe Merosi.

Aston Martin originally began manufacturing cars in **1913**. The company was founded by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford. Their first car, named the "Coal Scuttle," was built using a four-cylinder Coventry-Simplex engine fitted to a chassis of their own design.

Audi originally began manufacturing cars in **1909** when August Horch founded the company in Zwickau. The name "Audi" was derived from the Latin translation of Horch's surname, which means "listen".

The Austin Motor Company began manufacturing cars in **1905**. It was founded by Herbert Austin in Longbridge, England.

Austin-Healey began manufacturing cars in **1952**. The brand was a collaboration between the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and Donald Healey, a renowned automotive engineer and designer. The first model they produced was the Austin-Healey 100, which quickly gained popularity for its performance and stylish design.

BMW began manufacturing cars in **1928** when it acquired the Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach, which was producing the Austin 7 under license at that time². The first car sold as a BMW was a rebadged Dixi called the BMW 3/15.

Citroën began manufacturing cars in **1919**. The company was founded by **André Citroën**, who launched the first Citroën car, the **Type A**, in that same year.

Daimler originally began manufacturing cars in 1896. The Daimler Company Limited was founded in London by H. J. Lawson, and they set up their manufacturing base in Coventry. The company bought the right to use the Daimler name from Gottlieb Daimler and Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft of Cannstatt, Germany.

Ferrari began manufacturing cars in **1947**. The first car produced was the **Ferrari 125 S**, which was powered by a 1.5-liter V12 engine. However, the company's roots trace back to **1929** when Enzo Ferrari founded the Scuderia Ferrari racing team.

Fiat, originally known as **Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino**, began manufacturing cars in **1899**¹². The first Fiat automobile, the **Fiat 4 HP**, was produced in 1900.

Henry Ford was driven by a vision to make automobiles affordable and accessible to the general public. While working as an engineer for the Edison Illuminating Company, he built his first gasoline-powered horseless carriage, the Quadricycle, in 1896. This invention sparked his determination to improve upon his prototype and continue building other vehicles.

Ford's goal was to "put the world on wheels" and produce an affordable vehicle for the masses. He received backing from various investors and, after some initial setbacks, founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903. His innovative approach to mass production, including the introduction of the moving assembly line, revolutionized the automotive industry and made cars like the Model T accessible to a wider audience.

The Gordon-Keeble car company began manufacturing in **1964**³. They produced cars until **1967**, during which time they made around 100 vehicles.

The Hillman car company was founded in **1907** by William Hillman and Louis Coatalen as the Hillman-Coatalen Company¹². It was renamed the Hillman Motor Car Company in **1910**

Honda started making cars in **1963** with the production of the **T360 small pickup truck**³. Shortly after, they introduced their first production car, the **S500 sports car**.

The Humber Motor Company, originally known for its bicycles, began manufacturing cars in **1896**³⁴. They initially built French Léon Bollée three-wheelers under license. By 1898, they produced their first car, a three-wheeled tricar.

Jaguar Motor Company began its journey as the **Swallow Sidecar Company** in **1922**. It was founded by **William Lyons** and **William Walmsley** in Blackpool, England¹². Initially, they focused on making motorcycle sidecars before transitioning to producing bodies for passenger cars.

The Jensen Motor Company, originally known as W J Smith & Sons Limited, began its business in 1922. However, it was in 1934 that brothers Alan and Richard Jensen renamed the company to Jensen Motors Limited.

Lancia, the Italian car manufacturer, began building cars in **1906**. The company was founded by Vincenzo Lancia and Claudio Fogolin in Turin, Italy. The first car they produced was the "Tipo 51" or "12 HP," which was later called "Alfa".

Lotus began manufacturing cars in 1952 when Colin Chapman founded Lotus Engineering Ltd. However, the origins of the company date back to 1948 when Chapman built his first trials car in a garage.

MG, originally known as Morris Garages, began manufacturing cars in the 1920s. The first cars were modified versions of Morris cars, created by Cecil Kimber, who was the manager of Morris Garages. The MG Car Company Limited was officially incorporated in July 1930.

Mazda, originally known as Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., began its journey as a cork manufacturer in 1920. The company transitioned into vehicle manufacturing in 1931 with the introduction of the Mazda-Go, a three-wheeled truck.

Mercedes-Benz traces its origins back to **1886** when Karl Benz created the Benz Patent Motorwagen, which is widely regarded as the first automobile. However, the brand as we know it today was established in **1926** when Benz & Cie. and Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft merged to form Mercedes-Benz.

Mitsubishi began manufacturing cars in **1917** with the production of the **Mitsubishi Model A**. This was Japan's first series-production automobile, a hand-built seven-seater sedan based on the Fiat Tipo 3.

Morris Motors began manufacturing motor vehicles in 1912. The company was founded by William Morris, who initially started with bicycle manufacturing before venturing into the automobile industry. Morris Motors quickly became one of the leading car manufacturers in the UK, producing iconic models like the Morris Oxford and Morris Minor.

Opel began manufacturing motor cars on **January 21, 1899**. This marked the start of their journey from a sewing machine and bicycle manufacturer to a prominent automobile producer.

Peugeot manufactured its first car, the **Peugeot Type 1**, in **1886**. This was a small steam-powered tricycle. Later, in **1891**, Peugeot introduced the **Type 3**, which was the first model to be mass-produced and sold to the public.

Porsche began producing cars in 1948 with the introduction of their first production car, the Porsche 356. This model was based on the design principles and engineering innovations developed by Ferdinand Porsche himself.

Renault began manufacturing cars in **1898**. The company was established by brothers Louis, Marcel, and Fernand Renault. Their first car, the "Voiturette," was a success and received twelve orders in the same year.

Rover began manufacturing cars in **1904**. Initially, the company started with bicycles and motorcycles before transitioning to automobiles. Their first production car was the **Rover 8**, a single-cylinder vehicle.

Saab began manufacturing cars in **1949**. The company initially started as an aircraft manufacturer in 1937 and later expanded into the automotive industry³. The first production model was the **Saab 92**, which was launched in 1949.

Subaru began manufacturing cars in **1953**. The first car they produced was the **Subaru 1500**, which rolled off the production line in **1954**.

Toyota began manufacturing cars in 1933 as a division of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works¹. The first production car, the Toyota Model AA, was released in 1936. In 1937, Toyota Motor Co. was established as an independent and separate company.