On July 16, 1909 automotive pioneer August Horch founded August Horch Automobilwerke GmbH in Germany. A short time later he renamed the company after the Latin translation of his last name – making it Audi Automobilwerke. In 1932, Audi merged with Horch, DKW and Wanderer, to form Auto Union AG.

The BMW name stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH. BMW was created in 1917 from the Munich firm Rapp-Motorenwerke. The company was incorporated into Knorr-Bremse AG in 1920 before being refounded as BMW AG in 1922. It was the successor of Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG, founded in 1916

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Jaguars business was founded as the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922, originally making motorcycle sidecars before developing bodies for passenger cars

The Rover Company began as a bicycle manufacturer in Warwickshire, England. 1947: The original Land Rover design, inspired by a Jeep axle and chassis, was created by engineer and Rover Company Chairman Maurice Wilks, while Wilks was with his brother Spencer on their farm in Wales.

Benz was hot on their tracks, producing his first 4-wheeler in 1891. By 1900 his firm, Benz & Cie was the world's largest automaker. The first models to bear the Mercedes name were a series of DMG sports cars named after the daughter of a wealthy entrepreneur and auto racing enthusiast Emil Jellinek, Mercedes

The history of the Porsche automobile brand began in 1948 with the Type 356, but the groundwork for the company was laid in the design office of Professor Ferdinand Porsche. The first order book in 1930 recorded the start-up phase of a legend in the making.

Ford has been a major presence in the UK for over a century, establishing itself as one of the country’s most recognisable car marques. The company began selling cars in Britain in 1903 and opened its first UK factory in Trafford Park, Manchester, in 1911. In 1931, Ford shifted production to its large Dagenham plant in Essex, which became one of Europe’s most important car factories for decades, producing classics like the Cortina, Escort, Fiesta, and Transit van—models that became household names across Britain. Ford dominated UK sales charts for much of the late 20th century, with the Fiesta and Focus regularly topping best-seller lists. Although car production at Dagenham ended in 2002, the site remains a major centre for diesel engine manufacturing, while the Transit is built in Turkey and other models are imported. Ford continues to be a leading brand in the UK market, especially in commercial vehicles, and its cars remain a familiar sight on British roads.

Volkswagen has had a strong presence in the UK since the 1950s, when it began importing models like the Beetle and later the Golf, which became one of Britain’s best-selling cars. The brand quickly built a reputation for reliability, practicality, and solid German engineering, appealing to families and company car drivers alike. Iconic models such as the Polo, Passat, and Golf GTI established Volkswagen as a key player in the UK market, while the Transporter van earned cult status among tradespeople and campervan enthusiasts. Today, Volkswagen remains one of the UK’s top-selling marques, balancing mainstream appeal with premium positioning, and is heavily investing in electric mobility with its ID. range leading its future strategy.