European Car Brands

Europe is home to some of the world's most iconic and recognizable car brands. European car manufacturers have a high reputation for their quality made cars, innovative technologies, and trend-setting marketing and design (such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and Land Rover).

As of 2022, the Volkswagen Group is the largest car manufacturer in Europe, followed by Stellantis (Its brands in Europe include Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Peugeot, Citroen and Opel), Mercedes-Benz Group (Germany), BMW AG (Germany) and Renault Group (France).

According to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), motor vehicles bring in EUR 374.6 billion in tax revenue to governments across Europe and account for a trade surplus of EUR 79.5 billion for the continent. Moreover, the automobile industry accounts for over 8% of Europe's GDP, with roughly EUR 58.8 billion set aside for investments in R&D for the automotive sector, which makes up 32% of total government expenditure.

Here are the top five leading countries in European car manufacturing, including Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, France and Sweden.

Let's take a look, Which car brands and countries are on the list.

1. Germany
2. United Kingdom
3. Italy
4. France
5. Sweden
6. Other Countries (Spain, Russia, Czech Republic)

Germany

Being home to the modern car, the German automobile industry is regarded as the most competitive and innovative in the world. German-designed cars won in the European Car of the Year, the International Car of the Year, the World Car of the Year annual awards the most times among all countries.

Germany is home to several world-famous luxury car brands, including Porsche (high-performance and high-quality sports cars), Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi. These companies are known for their high quality and technological innovation. In the mass market sector, Volkswagen and Opel are also popular among consumers.

The following are well-known German car brands:

All German Car Brands »

United Kingdom

The automotive industry in the United Kingdom is now best known for ultra-luxury cars and luxury sports car marquees, such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Aston Martin, Lagonda, Land Rover, Jaguar, McLaren, Lotus, Mini, MG, and Morgan. However, despite its long history, the British automotive industry is unfortunately in decline due to many factors.

The most iconic British cars include the Aston Martin DB5/DB9, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Bentley 4½ Litre, Land Rover Defender, Jaguar E-Type, Lotus Esprit, McLaren F1, MGB, original two-door Mini, Range Rover, Rolls-Royce Phantom III and Rover P5.

The following are well-known British car brands:

All British Car Brands »

Italy

Italy is known as the "home of sports cars." Italy's automobile industry has developed a unique style as the birthplace of Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, and many other world-famous automobile brands. Italian sports cars are elegant and exciting at the same time, leaving a very impressive impression on car enthusiasts around the world. In addition, Italy is also one of the world's most important automotive design and manufacturing centers.

Italy has one of the highest car ownership rates in the world, with 62 cars per 100 inhabitants. Italy has the second highest number of cars per capita in the 27-nation European Union.

Today, Italy's automotive industry offers a wide range of products, from very compact city cars (Fiat) to luxury sports cars/Supercars such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Pagani.

The following are well-known Italian car brands:

All Italian Car Brands »

France

France is Europe's second only to Germany when it comes to car manufacturing. The country is also one of the pillars of the global automobile industry; according to statistics, over 2.5 million people were involved in France's automobile industry at one time.

French cars tend to have small bodies and novel designs, which have made them popular among Western Europeans. For example, Renault's Twingo minicar has won the first place in European sales for many times. However, French carmakers are not as good at making luxury cars or sports cars as German, American and Japanese companies--a fact that is undoubtedly a pity for France's car industry.

The two main automotive manufacturers in France are PSA Peugeot Citroën, makers of Peugeot and Citroen, and Renault, which makes Renault and Dacia (in Romania).

The following are well-known French car brands:

All French Car Brands »

Sweden

Sweden's automobile industry has long been synonymous with exceptional quality and safety, whether it be trucks, busses, or passenger vehicles (it's because of the country's national character). So when you buy a Swedish car, you get not only great performance and design but also a sense of Swedish culture.

Volvo—from Latin volvō ("I roll"), is Sweden's leading luxury car brand and is known for making some of the safest cars on the road. In addition, Koenigsegg—is the world's top supercar brand; since its debut in 1994, Koenigsegg has been attracting the attention of car fans worldwide.

The following are well-known Swedish car brands:

All Swedish Car Brands »

Other European Countries

Spyker Cars are the most famous automobile brand in the Netherlands. It was born in 1880, making it one of the oldest car companies in the world. Spyker manufactures luxury sports cars that are hand-built and lightweight with large-displacement mid-engine rear-wheel drive layouts. These cars use F1 standards, have amazing performance parameters, and are all unique art pieces.

All Spanish Car Brands » All Russian Car Brands »

10 Most Popular European Car Brands in the U.S.

In the global luxury car market (including the US market), For two consecutive years (2021-2022), BMW has surpassed Mercedes-Benz to become the world's best-selling luxury brand.