The auto industry is global. A car designed in Germany might be assembled in the United States and sold under a brand owned by a company based in Japan. With so many moving parts, it’s not always easy to keep track of where everything actually comes from.
Sure, most enthusiasts probably know that Ford is American, Ferrari is Italian, and Toyota is Japanese. But not every automaker’s roots are quite as obvious. Some brands have changed ownership over the years, while others have moved their corporate headquarters far from where they first got started (looking at you, Stellantis).
So, where are the world’s biggest automakers actually based? We’ve rounded up the major manufacturers and some of the industry’s most recognizable brands, breaking them down by region and listing the cities and countries they call home.
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America
The United States is home to some of the world’s most recognizable automakers, and Detroit remains the heart of the American auto industry. General Motors and Ford both call the Motor City home, or at least the suburbs just outside it.
But the modern American automotive industry stretches beyond Michigan. Electric startups like Tesla and Rivian have set up shop in California and Texas, while a few once-proud American automakers have moved their headquarters overseas entirely.
Acura
Torrance, California
Chrysler
Auburn Hills, Michigan
Dodge
Auburn Hills, Michigan
Jeep
Auburn Hills, Michigan
Ram
Auburn Hills, Michigan
Ford Motor Company
Dearborn, Michigan
General Motors
Detroit, Michigan
Lucid Motors
Newark, California
Rivian
Irvine, California
Scout Motors
Charlotte, North Carolina
Slate Auto
Troy, Michigan
Tesla
Austin, Texas
China
China has quickly become one of the world’s biggest automotive markets, and its automakers are expanding well beyond the country’s borders. Most Americans are probably familiar with names like BYD and Geely, but there are dozens of other major manufacturers operating across China.
Interestingly, many of these companies are concentrated in just a handful of cities. Shenzhen, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou have all become major automotive hubs, especially as China’s electric vehicle industry continues to grow.
BYD Auto
Shenzhen, China
Changan Automobile
Chongqing, China
Chery Automobile
Wuhu, China
Dongfeng Motor Corporation
Wuhan, China
FAW Group
Changchun, China
Great Wall Motor
Baoding, China
Guangzhou Automobile Group
Guangzhou, China
Leapmotor
Hangzhou, China
Li Auto
Beijing, China
Nio
Shanghai, China
SAIC Motor
Shanghai, China
Seres Group
Chongqing, China
Smart
Ningbo, China
Xiaomi Auto
Beijing, China
XPeng
Guangzhou, China
Zhejiang Geely Holding Group
Hangzhou, China
Europe
Europe is home to some of the world’s most recognizable luxury and performance automakers. Germany, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom all have deep automotive roots, and many of their biggest manufacturers are still headquartered in the same cities where they got their start.
Germany is especially important, with Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche all calling the country home. Italy, meanwhile, is home to iconic names like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati, while the United Kingdom remains a major hub for luxury and specialty automakers.
Alfa Romeo
Turin, Italy
Alpine
Boulogne-Billancourt, France
Aston Martin
Gaydon, United Kingdom
Audi
Ingolstadt, Germany
Bentley
Crewe, United Kingdom
Bugatti
Molsheim, France
BMW
Munich, Germany
Caterham
Dartford, United Kingdom
Citroen
Poissy, France
Cupra
Martorell, Spain
Dacia
Mioveni, Romania
DS Automobiles
Poissy, France
Ferrari
Maranello, Italy
Fiat
Turin, Italy
Ineos Automotive
London, United Kingdom
Jaguar Land Rover
Whitley, Coventry, United Kingdom
Koenigsegg
Ängelholm, Sweden
Lamborghini
Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy
Lancia
Turin, Italy
Maserati
Modena, Italy
Mercedes-Benz
Stuttgart, Germany
McLaren Automotive
Woking, Surrey, England
Mini
Munich, Germany
Morgan Motor Company
Malvern, United Kingdom
Opel
Rüsselsheim am Main, Germany
Pagani
San Cesario sul Panaro, Italy
Peugeot
Poissy, France
Porsche
Stuttgart, Germany
Renault
Boulogne-Billancourt, France
Rimac
Sveta Nedelja, Croatia
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Goodwood, United Kingdom
Seat
Martorell, Spain
Škoda
Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic
Stellantis
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Vauxhall
Luton, England
Volkswagen
Wolfsburg, Germany
Volvo
Gothenburg, Sweden
Zenvo
Præstø, Denmark
India
India has grown into one of the world’s largest automotive markets, with several manufacturers building vehicles for both domestic buyers and international markets. Tata Motors and Mahindra are two of the country’s biggest names, while Maruti Suzuki dominates the affordable passenger car segment.
Mumbai is also home to two of India’s most important automakers: Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra.
Force Motors
Pune, India
Mahindra & Mahindra
Mumbai, India
Tata Motors
Mumbai, India
Japan
Japan is home to some of the world’s largest automakers. Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Mazda are all household names, with vehicles sold in nearly every major market around the globe.
Unlike the American auto industry, which is largely centered around Detroit, Japan’s biggest manufacturers are spread across several cities. Toyota is headquartered in Toyota City, while Honda and Nissan call Tokyo and Yokohama home, respectively.
Daihatsu
Ikeda, Osaka, Japan
Hino
Tokyo, Japan
Honda
Tokyo, Japan
Isuzu Motors
Yokohama, Japan
Lexus
Toyota City, Aichi, Japan
Mazda
Hiroshima, Japan
Mitsubishi Motors
Tokyo, Japan
Nissan Motor Corporation
Yokohama, Japan
Subaru
Tokyo, Japan
Suzuki Motor Corporation
Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
Toyota
Toyota City, Aichi, Japan
South Korea
South Korea has one major automotive conglomerate that dominates its domestic market: Hyundai Motor Group. The company controls Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis, three brands that have become increasingly popular in international markets.
Seoul is the center of the country’s automotive industry, with Hyundai Motor Group and Kia both headquartered in the capital.
Hyundai Motor Group
Seoul, Korea
KG Mobility
Pyeongtaek, Korea
Vietnam
Vietnam may not have the same automotive legacy as Japan or Germany, but it’s quickly making a name for itself in the global car industry. Its biggest automaker, VinFast, was founded in 2017 and has wasted little time expanding into international markets, including the United States.
VinFast
Hai Phong, Vietnam
