Who Stands Behind the Logo: Car Brands Relations

Many car models from different brands and price segments share identical components. And this is no coincidence – brands that work alone are becoming less and less common. Gathering in groups has become profitable thanks to globalization. This is the reason car groups expand every year.

The Indy Auto Man experts believe that knowing the brand’s origin can reveal a lot about the car’s quality. And some less popular and cheaper models may appear the most beneficial purchase. Here is an overview of the automotive giants that unite the most popular car brands.

Most groups consist of two, or three maximum, major brands and possibly a few smaller niche manufacturers. Things are a little different when it comes to Stellaantis. In 2021, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles joined the PSA Groupe. It consisted of popular Italian manufacturers, several iconic American brands, and copyright holders, for example – Peugeot, Citroën, and DS. All brands were considered powerful players in the automotive market.

And then a merger was decided – a combination that the automotive industry had not yet seen. The shareholders of the created Stellantis group are the Italian Agnelli family, the French Peugeot family, and even the French government.

• Alfa Romeo is an Italian car brand that produces sports cars with beautifully designed bodies.
• FIAT is a brand popular primarily in Europe.
• Citroën has reimagined driving comfort, and the hydropneumatic suspension fitted to its models.
• Peugeot, together with Peugeot Motors, is the epitome of the French automotive industry.
• Opel is a German brand made in Poland.
• Chrysler is well-known as a brand producing very peculiar passenger models like the PT Cruise.
• Dodge is the brand best known for the sporty Viper. If you want to discover more about the Chrysler, Dodge, and RAM relation.

Stellantis also includes the following automotive brands:

• Jeep is the most popular SUV brand in the US.
• Rams are massive pickup trucks that can hardly fit on the roads (except for the USA and big cities like Indianapolis).
• Lancia is associated with the rally Delta. Many consider it a brand that produces very original, if not specific, in terms of aesthetics, cars.
• Maserati is chosen by drivers who want an outstanding car with great sound.

Stellantis is a real giant not only in car brands. They are also manufacturers of the Magneti Marelli and Mopar spare parts, the La Stampa Italian magazine, and the Gefco logistics business.

Ford Motor Company

Ford is a perfect example of a rich history that started in 1903. The Ford Model T is considered the starting point of the mass production of cars.

Henry Ford, the company’s founder, wanted to make cars affordable to not-so-wealthy drivers while providing comfort and safety. For more than a hundred years, the principles remain in force.

Currently, Ford Motor Company consists of two automobile brands – Ford and Lincoln.

The portfolio of brands previously owned by Ford are:

• Aston Martin,
• Land Rover,
• Jaguar,
• And even Daimler was owned by Ford for a while.

General Motors

In the past, the company, founded in 1908, produced many more passenger cars under world-famous brands, from the quintessentially American Cadillac-badged cruisers to the Australian Holden. The beginning of the 21st century was unfavorable for GM – the company filed for bankruptcy and was bought by the US State Department. The restructuring carried out in subsequent years brought it to record sales and profits.

This American group currently includes the following brands:

• Chevrolet produces different types of cars – from small urban to sports models, which means that most drivers can find something to their liking and within their budget.
• Cadillac is a brand that offers massive, voracious, but at the same time beautiful and luxurious models that America has fallen in love with.
• Buick is currently involved in the production of crossovers and SUVs.
• GMC brings to its customers pickups, cars for delivery services and trucks, and, most importantly, massive SUVs, which are the basis of the brand.
• BrightDrop, which aims to produce an electric delivery vehicle, and GSMV, responsible for Chevrolet’s presence in Australia, are both newly founded brands.

In the past, General Motors also included Vauxhall and Saab, Opel, and Pontiac, well-known to American car enthusiasts, Saturn, Oldsmobile, and Daewoo, incredibly popular in Poland.

Mercedes-Benz Group AG

Mercedes-Benz changed its name several times. It was known for the longest time as Daimler-Benz, then DaimlerChrysler, and just Daimler. The subsequent changes left their mark on the auto group’s portfolio, just like when the German group acquired Chrysler Corporation along with its brands.

It was one of the founders, Karl Benz, who produced the first practical car. Benz is not in vain considered a pioneer of the automotive industry. The group also has a solid assortment of car and truck brands popular all over the world:

• Mercedes-Benz, along with the sporty AMG and the luxurious Maybach;
• Smart – the smallest electric cars on the market;
• MV Augusta, the motorcycle manufacturer;
• Daimler Buses responsible for Mercedes-Benz and Setra bus models;
• Daimler Trucks manufacturing Freightliner, Unimog, Western Star, and Sterling.

The Mercedes Group also owns shares in:

• Mitsubishi,
• Tata Motors,
• and even the Aston Martin.

It also provides leasing services, so the scope of this company goes far beyond the production of cars.

Nowadays, all or almost all popular car brands are part of larger groups, based on the assumption that “if you can profit from cooperation, do it.” External suppliers are estimated to be responsible for 80% of the elements in a car. They share platforms, engines, components, and various elements in production and design, providing customers with decent alternatives for every taste and budget and helping to balance reasonable vehicle costs and reliable components to the car manufacturers.