Introduction:
Cars are luxury for some while it is simply a desire beyond the reach of many. But for the carmakers, cars are the ultimate livelihood. Several popular brands have made some of the most popular and luxurious cars of the year and created history. Car is no longer a simple four-wheel vehicle for transportation; it is something more than that. With Formula 1 car racing becoming popular and electronic cars coming into being the share of different car companies in the market keep on fluctuating.
In this article, we will look at some of the most desired car brands. These companies hold an unshakable position and share in the market.
Different parameters on which the car companies are ranked:
Whenever we talk about the largest car companies, there are certain parameters on which the ranking of the car is prepared. Some of these are:
- Units of vehicles or automobiles manufactured by the company in a particular year
- Market capitalisation
- Number of employees working in the company
- The annual revenue of the company
Therefore different rankings show different car companies at the top because they use different patterns.
If we talk about market capitalization, the top companies are:
- US Car Manufacturer Tesla (with a market cap of 1.204 Trillion USD)
- Japanese company Toyota (with a market cap of 258.13 Billion USD)
- German Company Volkswagen (with a market cap of 130.57 Billion USD)
- Chinese company BYD (with a market cap. Of 124.12 Billion USD)
- US Company Rivian (with a market cap of 90.74 Billion USD).
Based on the revenue earned by the car company, the top players are:
- Toyota (with around 275 billion USD annual revenue)
- Volkswagen (with around 254 Billion USD revenue)
- Daimler Mercedes Benz (with around 184 Billion USD Revenue)
- Honda (with around 137 Billion USD revenue)
- Ford (127 billion USD annual revenue)
- General Motors (122 billion USD annual revenue).
So we have created a general list of the largest cars on the basis of all the factors.
List of most popular and largest car brands in overall terms:
Toyota Motor Corporation:
Popular for its Toyota Corolla car, Toyota Motor Corporation is a Japanese car manufacturing company, started by Sakichi Toyoda. Toyota is considered the largest car company in terms of revenue and production of cars. It is also the second most valued car company because of its highly reliable quality cars.
The company was founded in 1937 in Toyota city, Japan. The Company’s annual revenue is around 240 Billion USD. With the production of almost twenty million cars in 2017, Toyota stands at the number one position amongst car-making companies in terms of production. The company is popular for its vehicle quality and lean production system. It has a strong presence in the USA, European countries like France, Germany, the UK, Italy, and Asian countries like India, Thailand, and Indonesia.
The main principles followed by Toyota are respect and improvement. The just in time method followed by Toyota which answers the ‘when what and how much about the production is also a great principle. According to this, the right product is what is needed, the right time is when it is needed and the right quantity is the needful amount.
Toyota also sponsors some sports events like sponsoring a basketball team by the name of Toyota Alvark, Australian cricket team, Toyota Stadium, Toyota Cup, 2015 Olympics, etc.
Some of the most popular Toyota car models are Corolla, Altis, Qualis, Fortuner, Etios, etc. The subsidiary brands under Toyota include Daihatsu, Lexus, Ranz, and Hino.
Distinction from competitors: The Company unlike its competitors does not manufacture diesel cars.
Tesla:
Whenever we think of electric cars, Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk are impossible to forget. Tesla Inc., named in memory of the famous inventors Nicola Tesla, is a California-based popular car company. It is one of the top ten companies based on the amount of revenue these companies generate. Its annual revenue is almost 12 Billion USD. The Company was founded in the year 2003. But in recent years, the company has earned a huge name and fame amongst car lovers. One of the most popular car models of Tesla Inc. is Tesla Model X.
Although it was started to manufacture electric sports cars, its popularity is now mostly seen amongst environment lovers because it promotes the idea of clean energy.
The rising popularity of Tesla cars is due to the fame of Elon Musk who has always amazed people with his living style and innovative ideas. But do you know that the company was not started by Elon Musk? In reality, Marc Tarpenning and Martin Eberhard conceptualized the idea of Tesla inc. so they are the actual founders of Tesla.
But no matter who the founder of Tesla is, Elon Musk has become the face of Tesla and drove the company to great heights in terms of revenue and popularity.
Volkswagen:
Volkswagen, another German Car manufacturing company, has annual revenue of 117 Billion USD. It is considered the fourth largest car manufacturing group globally. It was founded in the year 1937 as a state-owned manufacturer. The company is headquartered in the German city of Wolfsburg. Some of the most popular car models of the Volkswagen group are Volkswagen Jetta, Vento, Polo, etc.
The cars are known for their durability and efficient performance which have helped the company to become popular amongst the masses.
The company was initially started with the mission of providing affordable cars. But now it is also counted as a luxurious car brand.
Plans: Shortly, the company plans to roll out Lithium batteries and electric cars analyzing the need for environmentally friendly green automobiles.
Volkswagen group has produced almost 10.3 million units of automobiles in 2017. The subsidiary car brands of Volkswagen group include Bentley, SEAT, Audi, Lamborghini, and Porsche. The Volkswagen brand has a huge presence in Chinese and European markets which helped it create a market capitalization of around 165 billion USD.
The company had faced a setback in 2016 when it was found that the emission count shown by the company is misleading. But by adopting greener technologies and new cars, Volkswagen is trying to make a comeback in the market.
Nissan (Datsun):
Nissan is a Popular Japanese car manufacturing company. Nissan is also a top revenue earner amongst automobile manufacturing companies. It was started in the year 1933 and its headquarter is in Yokohama, Japan.
The company’s original name was Datsun and it has formed a partnership with various other popular companies to provide better services to its customers. The company not only manufactured cars; it was also popular for helping Japanese space missions by building rocket engines.
At present, the company has annual revenue of around 41 billion USD and produces almost fifty-seven lakh units of automobiles in a year. Nissan Altima and Nissan Versa S sedan are some of the most popular car models launched by Nissan Company.
General Motors:
General Motors is a popular US automobile company that was started in the year 1908. It is also one of the leading car companies with an annual turnover of USD 52 Billion. The company, based in Michigan, USA has a considerable market share in car companies due to the popularity of its subsidiary car brands Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC. The Company also tries to build environment-friendly cars with hybrid trucks (that run both on fuel and electricity). The company produces almost 68, 56, 880 vehicles in a year and enjoys a dominant market share in the North American, Chinese and European markets.
Honda:
Another popular Japanese car brand, Honda earns annual revenue of sixty billion, by manufacturing cars. The company is considered one of the earliest car manufacturing brands.
Number of Units produced: In terms of production, the company rolls out almost 52 lakh units of cars every year
Employee count: With the help of 2,08,000 employees, the company has gained its present popularity. A Honda car is one of the most purchased cars due to its attractiveness, affordability, and fuel-efficient model.
The company was started in 1946. Honda Company is headquartered in the Japanese capital and the most populous city in the world, Tokyo. But Tokyo was not always its headquarters. In the beginning, the creator of Honda, Mr. Soichiro Honda chose Los Angeles, USA for Honda production.
Besides cars, Honda is also a popular motorbike brand. In 1964, it had earned the title of ‘the largest motorcycle manufacturer’ company. Honda Company tries to promote innovation and designer style in all of its models due to which its cars and bikes remain popular amongst the masses. One of the most sold car models of Honda was Honda Civic. Other famous car models launched by Honda include Amaze, Accord, Jazz, Brio, etc.
BMW:
BMW, the abbreviation of Bavarian Motor Works, is a German car brand that is popular for manufacturing some of the most luxurious cars in the world. The company was started in 1916 and is headquartered in Munich, Germany.
With annual revenue of around 72 billion USD, it is counted as the topmost car exporter brand in Europe. One of the most luxurious cars Rolls Royce is also produced by BMW. Due to the huge popularity of BMW all over the globe, the company has opened production locations in almost fourteen countries and almost one lakh twenty-nine thousand nine hundred thirty-two people are employed by the company.
BMW which is today a popular car brand was not always in the car business. You will be surprised to know that during the Second World War, the company supplied aircraft engines rather than cars. But after the end of the war, the company ventured into the car business and made remarkable gains.
Daimler Benz or Daimler AG:
Another popular German car company that has made it to the list of the top car companies is Daimler AG. The company has its headquarter in Stuttgart Germany and its foundation stone was laid in the year 1926. Due to the huge popularity of its car models like Mercedes Benz, the company earns around 80 Billion USD as annual revenue.
The company is considered as one of the top truck manufacturers globally produced under the Daimler Truck segment. In the car segment, the Mercedes Benz Sprinter is the most famous car model.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles:
Fiat is a popular car brand that had also supplied aircraft to the armed forces during world wars. In 2014 it had merged with Chrysler companies making it the third-largest car manufacturer in the world. Started by Walter P. Chrysler, the company has two headquarters namely Amsterdam, Netherlands, and London, UK. The total number of employees working in Fiat Chrysler Automobile Company is around 235201.
This partnership of Fiat and Chrysler automobiles has helped them earn around 130 Billion USD as annual revenue through popular cars like Jeep Cherokee, Dodge, Lancia, etc. The success of Fiat Chrysler automobiles is one of the perfect examples of the proverb: one and one make eleven.
Ford motor company:
Ford Motor Company is a popular US car brand that was started in the year 1903. The headquarters of the company is in Dearborn, Michigan, USA. The huge repute of the company, especially amongst US households has helped it earn around 150 billion USD annual revenue. The company had rolled out almost 6,386, 818 units of automobiles.
Some of the most popular models rolled out by Ford Motor are Figo, fiesta, classic, endeavor, eco sports, etc. Some of the factors that make ford company cars popular are superior engines, fuel efficiency, space, and budget-friendly prices.
Hyundai Motor Company:
Hyundai is a South Korean car manufacturing company started by Chung-Ju-Yung in 1967. Due to its innovative automobiles and branding, the company has a stronghold in Korean, US, Chinese, Russian, turkey, Czech Republic, and Indian markets.
Besides Hyundai cars, Hyundai Motor Company is also the parent company of popular South Korean car brand, Kia which has a market capitalization of around 30 billion USD. Hyundai has also launched several affordable car models like Verna, Santro, Eon, Xcent, i10, etc. which are elegant in style and fit in the budget.
With the production of almost 7218931 automobiles, the company was ranked third in automobile production in 2017 and holds a market capitalization of around 45 Billion USD. Hyundai has not only limited itself to car manufacturing; it also holds a significant share in shipbuilding.
Suzuki:
Suzuki is a Japanese car manufacturing company and almost 3.15 million vehicle units are produced and sold every year by Suzuki Company. The company employs almost 57 thousand people serving a huge customer base. The global presence of Suzuki has reduced in recent years due to the coming up of new players and technology. But in India, operating by the name of Maruti Suzuki, it has become one of the most popular car brands. The company has rolled out various models like Ertiga, Alto, Celerio, Swift, etc. which are considered budget-friendly and fit for middle-class people.
Renault
A popular French car manufacturing company, Renault produces almost 41 lakh fifty-three thousand units in a year and employs almost 450000 people. It has recently partnered with Japanese company Nissan which has helped it increase its sales by 6.5 percent.
The Renault cars are usually created keeping in mind the narrow streets of Europe. Some of the most popular car models manufactured by Renault are Scala, Koleos, Renault Duster, Fluence, Pulse, etc.
Group PSA peugeot Citroen:
A popular French car brand, Peugeot sells almost 4.16 million units of automobiles every year. The company operates with almost 170156 employees. The most popular car segment of Peugeot Company is SUV which contributes almost 23% of the total share of sales and helped the company in increasing its sale by 15.4% globally. The company now wants to increase its consumer base in ASEAN countries, for which it has partnered with Malaysian company Naza Corp. It has also acquired Opel Vauxhall which helped it increase its sales and revenue.
Tata Motors:
Considered as one of the biggest Asian Car manufacturing brands, Tata Motors has a market capitalization of 25.63 Billion USD. The company is popular for affordable pricing and excellent features. The company was started in 1945 in India and operates ten assembling units in India and other countries. Some of the most popular cars manufactured by Tata motors include Tata Safari, Zest, Iris, Nano, Sumo, etc., and also some buses and trucks.
SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation)
SAIC as you can figure out from the name is a Chinese car manufacturing company that is emerging as one of the largest car companies globally. The SAIC cars are popular in Western countries by the name of MG cars. Some of the popular subsidiary car brands of SAIC operating in the western countries include Maxus, Roewe, Yuejin, etc. The company had earned a total annual revenue of 115 Billion USD in 2020.
BYD:
BYD the abbreviation of Build your dreams is a Chinese automobile company that ranks fourth in market capitalization. The headquarters of the company is in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. The company is known for producing electric and hybrid cars and other automobiles like buses and trucks.
The company was started in the year 1995 and in 2010 it had been ranked sixth in the list of most sales making car companies. The company also deals in mobile phone batteries and some of its major subsidiaries include Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology Company (started in partnership with popular German automobile company Daimler AG.
Rivian
Started in the year 2009 by RJ Scaringe, Rivian is an American electric vehicle-making company. The company is famous for producing future-oriented electric SUVs (Sport Utility vehicles), electric vans, and trucks. The headquarters of the company is in California, USA but the production plants are spread in different parts of the USA. The market capitalization of the company is around 90.74 Billion USD which makes it the fifth-ranked automobile company in terms of market capitalization.
It manufactures both off-road and on-road models. Some of the trendy vehicles manufactured by Rivian include Rivian R1T (which can gain a speed of 60mph in just three seconds and has bagged the motor trend truck of the year award) and R1S, a sport utility vehicle.
Other emerging car brands (Chinese car companies)
Besides these car brands, some of the Chinese car companies are also emerging as significant players and some of them have even tied up with US car manufacturing company, GM (General Motors). These are Dongfeng, FAW group, BAIC group, GAC group, and Geely.
Rounding up:
As the demand for cars is increasing day by day, new brands and investors are appearing in the market. Several innovations have been made in the car market in terms of engine, speed, safety, space, and much more. But these innovations are only the beginning. With cutthroat competition in car companies, every company needs to come up with something unique and innovative to attract customers. Let’s see which car brands succeed in keeping their position intact and which wither away with the market pressure.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Ques 1: In terms of the production of cars, which countries are considered the largest and which countries have the most car manufacturing companies?
Ans: China, Japan, and the USA are ranked as top countries in automobile production, and the countries housing the largest number of car companies are the USA, Germany, Japan, and South Korea.
Ques 2: Which car models are considered the most luxurious cars?
Ans: Mercedes Benz (by the German company Daimler), Audi, Tesla, Porsche, Lexus, Volvo, Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Land Rover are the top ten most luxurious cars in the world.
Ques 3: What are some of the factors that are taken into consideration while determining the popularity of a car brand?
Ans: The cars are usually picked according to one’s style. Some of the factors considered include fuel efficiency, stylish model, luxury, safety, etc.
Ques 4: In terms of speed, which are the most popular cars?
Ans: Devel Sixteen (with a top speed of 347 miles per hour), SSC Tuatara (331 mph speed), Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut (330 mph speed), Bugatti Bolide, and Hennessy Venom (310 Mph top speed) are considered the fastest cars in the world.
