COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 336111

Automobile Manufacturing

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

54companies1856–1998founding years52still active2no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedHolden Ltd.
1856
FoundedAdam Opel AG
1862
FoundedSkoda Auto a.s.
1895
FoundedPSA Peugeot Citroen S.A.
1896
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedFiat SpA
1906
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedGeneral Motors Corporation
1916
FoundedFord Motor Company
1919
FoundedMazda Motor Corporation
1920
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedNissan Motor Co., Ltd.
1933
FoundedIsuzu Motors, Ltd.
1937
FoundedVolkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
1938
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedAisin Seiki Co., Ltd.
1943
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedPT Astra International Tbk
1957
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedFerrari S.p.A.
1960
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedMitsubishi Motors Corporation
1970
FoundedSealaska Corporation
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
FoundedSaab Automobile AB
1990
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
FoundedAVTOVAZ Joint Stock Company
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Holden Ltd. →
Active · founded 1856 · Australia
Holden Ltd.
Holden Ltd. →
Active · founded 1856 · Australia
Holden Ltd.
Adam Opel AG →
Active · founded 1862 · Germany
Adam Opel AG ranks among Germany's largest automobile manufacturers, producing passenger cars, sport utility vehicles,…
Adam Opel AG →
Active · founded 1862 · Germany
Adam Opel AG ranks among Germany's largest automobile manufacturers, producing passenger cars, sport utility vehicles,…
Linde AG →
Active · founded 1879 · Germany
Linde AG, an international technology company, operates in two business segments: Gas and Engineering and Materials…
Linde AG →
Active · founded 1879 · Germany
Linde AG, an international technology company, operates in two business segments: Gas and Engineering and Materials…
Skoda Auto a.s. →
Active · founded 1895 · Czech Republic
Skoda Auto a.s., also known as Skoda Automobilova a.s., has been making cars for more than a century.
Skoda Auto a.s. →
Active · founded 1895 · Czech Republic
Skoda Auto a.s., also known as Skoda Automobilova a.s., has been making cars for more than a century.
PSA Peugeot Citroen S.A. →
Defunct · founded 1896 · France
PSA Peugeot Citroen S.A.
PSA Peugeot Citroen S.A. →
Defunct · founded 1896 · France
PSA Peugeot Citroen S.A.
Mack Trucks, Inc. →
Active · founded 1901
A prominent fixture in the U.S.
Mack Trucks, Inc. →
Active · founded 1901
A prominent fixture in the U.S.
Fiat SpA →
Active · founded 1906 · Italy
Fiat SpA, one of Europe's largest companies, is perhaps best known as a manufacturer of automobiles.
Fiat SpA →
Active · founded 1906 · Italy
Fiat SpA, one of Europe's largest companies, is perhaps best known as a manufacturer of automobiles.
General Motors Corporation →
Active · founded 1916
General Motors Corporation (GM) is the world's largest full-line vehicle manufacturer and marketer.
General Motors Corporation →
Active · founded 1916
General Motors Corporation (GM) is the world's largest full-line vehicle manufacturer and marketer.
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG →
Active · founded 1917 · Germany
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, popularly known as BMW, is a global manufacturer and marketer of luxury automobiles and…
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG →
Active · founded 1917 · Germany
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, popularly known as BMW, is a global manufacturer and marketer of luxury automobiles and…
Ford Motor Company →
Active · founded 1919
As the second-largest automobile company in the world, Ford Motor Company represents a $164 billion multinational…
Ford Motor Company →
Active · founded 1919
As the second-largest automobile company in the world, Ford Motor Company represents a $164 billion multinational…
Mazda Motor Corporation →
Active · founded 1920 · Japan
Mazda Motor Corporation is the number five Japanese automaker, behind Toyota Motor Corporation; Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.;…
Mazda Motor Corporation →
Active · founded 1920 · Japan
Mazda Motor Corporation is the number five Japanese automaker, behind Toyota Motor Corporation; Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.;…
Suzuki Motor Corporation →
Active · founded 1920 · Japan
Suzuki Motor Corporation is Japan's fourth largest automaker (trailing Toyota Motor Corporation, Nissan Motor Co.,…
Suzuki Motor Corporation →
Active · founded 1920 · Japan
Suzuki Motor Corporation is Japan's fourth largest automaker (trailing Toyota Motor Corporation, Nissan Motor Co.,…
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1933 · Japan
Early 1940s:During World War II, the company makes military trucks and engines for airplanes and torpedo boats.
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1933 · Japan
Early 1940s:During World War II, the company makes military trucks and engines for airplanes and torpedo boats.
Isuzu Motors, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1937 · Japan
One of the largest producers of medium- and heavy-duty trucks in the world, Isuzu Motors, Ltd.
Isuzu Motors, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1937 · Japan
One of the largest producers of medium- and heavy-duty trucks in the world, Isuzu Motors, Ltd.
Toyota Motor Corporation →
Active · founded 1937 · Japan
Toyota Motor Corporation was Japan's largest car company and the world's third largest by the year 2000.
Toyota Motor Corporation →
Active · founded 1937 · Japan
Toyota Motor Corporation was Japan's largest car company and the world's third largest by the year 2000.
Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft →
Active · founded 1938 · Germany
Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, a company born in the shadow of Nazism, rose to become the world's third largest…
Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft →
Active · founded 1938 · Germany
Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, a company born in the shadow of Nazism, rose to become the world's third largest…
Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1943 · Japan
Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd.
Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1943 · Japan
Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd.
Renault Argentina S.A. →
Active · founded 1955 · Argentina
Of Argentina's ten automakers, almost all are closely held subsidiaries or affiliates of their American, European, or…
Renault Argentina S.A. →
Active · founded 1955 · Argentina
Of Argentina's ten automakers, almost all are closely held subsidiaries or affiliates of their American, European, or…
PT Astra International Tbk →
Active · founded 1957 · Indonesia
PT Astra International Tbk is one of Indonesia's largest diversified conglomerates.
PT Astra International Tbk →
Active · founded 1957 · Indonesia
PT Astra International Tbk is one of Indonesia's largest diversified conglomerates.
Ferrari S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1960 · Italy
Early 1960s:Ford agrees to purchase the company but the deal falls apart.
Ferrari S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1960 · Italy
Early 1960s:Ford agrees to purchase the company but the deal falls apart.
Automobili Lamborghini Holding S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1963 · Italy
Automobili Lamborghini Holding S.p.A.
Automobili Lamborghini Holding S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1963 · Italy
Automobili Lamborghini Holding S.p.A.
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation →
Active · founded 1970 · Japan
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is Japan's fourth largest car company, and manufactures and markets passenger cars and…
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation →
Active · founded 1970 · Japan
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is Japan's fourth largest car company, and manufactures and markets passenger cars and…
Sealaska Corporation →
Active · founded 1971
A Native-owned corporation with more than 16,500 shareholders, Sealaska Corporation is the largest private landholder…
Sealaska Corporation →
Active · founded 1971
A Native-owned corporation with more than 16,500 shareholders, Sealaska Corporation is the largest private landholder…
Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Bhd. →
Active · founded 1983 · Malaysia
Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Bhd., better known as Proton, is Malaysia's largest manufacturer of automobiles,…
Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Bhd. →
Active · founded 1983 · Malaysia
Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Bhd., better known as Proton, is Malaysia's largest manufacturer of automobiles,…
Saab Automobile AB →
Active · founded 1990 · Sweden
Saab Automobile AB is a Swedish maker of passenger automobiles in the premium sector of the market.
Saab Automobile AB →
Active · founded 1990 · Sweden
Saab Automobile AB is a Swedish maker of passenger automobiles in the premium sector of the market.
AVTOVAZ Joint Stock Company →
Active · founded 1993 · Russia
AVTOVAZ Joint Stock Company, or OAO AVTOVAZ (Avtovaz), manufactures nearly three-quarters of the light automobiles sold…
AVTOVAZ Joint Stock Company →
Active · founded 1993 · Russia
AVTOVAZ Joint Stock Company, or OAO AVTOVAZ (Avtovaz), manufactures nearly three-quarters of the light automobiles sold…
DaimlerChrysler AG →
Active · founded 1998 · Germany
DaimlerChrysler AG--the third-largest car maker in the world--is the product of the November 1998 merger of…
DaimlerChrysler AG →
Active · founded 1998 · Germany
DaimlerChrysler AG--the third-largest car maker in the world--is the product of the November 1998 merger of…
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