Short answer
104 car brands in the archive are named after their founders, including Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota.
Quick read
Car Brands Named After Their Founders: Key Facts
- Brands on this list
- 104
- Countries
- 17
- Oldest brand
- Peugeot (1810)
- Newest brand
- Pagani (1992)
- Most brands from
- United States (30)
Car Brands Named After Their Founders at a Glance
| Brand | Country | Founded | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
United States | 1903 | Founder: Henry Ford |
 |
United States | 1911 | Founder: Louis Chevrolet, Arthur Chevrolet, William C. Durant |
 |
Japan | 1937 | Founder: Kiichiro Toyoda |
 |
Japan | 1948 | Founder: Soichiro Honda |
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Japan | 1920 | Founder: Jujiro Matsuda |
 |
Germany | 1948 | Founder: Ferdinand Porsche |
 |
Germany | 1909 | Founder: August Horch |
 |
Germany | 1862 | Founder: Adam Opel |
 |
Italy | 1939 | Founder: Enzo Ferrari |
 |
Italy | 1963 | Founder: Ferruccio Lamborghini |
 |
Italy | 1914 | Founder: Alfieri Maserati |
 |
Italy | 1992 | Founder: Horacio Pagani |
 |
United Kingdom | 1904 | Founder: Charles Rolls and Henry Royce |
 |
United Kingdom | 1919 | Founder: W. O. Bentley |
 |
France | 1899 | Founder: Louis Renault |
 |
France | 1810 | Founder: Peugeot family |
 |
France | 1919 | Founder: André Citroën |
 |
France | 1909 | Founder: Ettore Bugatti |
 |
Czech Republic | — | Founder: Václav Laurin and Václav Klement |
 |
Spain | — | Founder: Francisco Serramalera Abadal |
 |
Italy | — | Founder: Carlo Abarth |
 |
Germany | — | Founder: Abt family |
 |
United Kingdom | — | Founder: Herbert Austin |
 |
Italy | — | Founder: Bianchi, Pirelli and Fiat |
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United Kingdom | — | Founder: Neill Briggs and Ian Briggs |
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France | — | Founder: Marius Berliet |
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Italy | — | Founder: Giovanni Bertone |
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Germany | — | Founder: Erich Bitter |
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Italy | — | Founder: Giotto Bizzarrini |
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Germany | — | Founder: Carl F. W. Borgward |
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United Kingdom | — | Founder: Andrew Bowler |
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Germany | — | Founder: Bodo Buschmann |
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United States | — | Founder: George A. Brockway |
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United States | — | Founder: David Dunbar Buick |
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United States | — | Founder: Walter P. Chrysler |
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United States | — | Founder: Joseph J. Cole |
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United States | — | Founder: Kevin Czinger |
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Italy | — | Founder: Giampaolo Dallara |
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United Kingdom | — | Founder: David Brown |
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Italy | — | Founder: Alejandro de Tomaso |
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France | — | Founder: Louis Delâge |
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United States | — | Founder: John Z. DeLorean |
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France | — | Founder: Hervé Valliet |
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Italy | — | Founder: Guglielmo Diatto |
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United States | — | Founder: Horace Elgin Dodge and John Francis Dodge |
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Netherlands | — | Founder: Joop Donkervoort |
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United States | — | Founder: Dean Drako |
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United States | — | Founder: Fred and August Duesenberg |
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United States | — | Founder: Henrik Fisker |
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United Kingdom | — | Founder: Edwin Foden |
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United States | — | Founder: Herbert H. Franklin |
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Belgium | — | Founder: Tony Gillet |
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Germany | — | Founder: Roland Gumpert |
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United States | — | Founder: John Hennessey |
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United Kingdom | — | Founder: William Hillman |
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France | — | Founder: Michel Hommell |
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Germany | — | Founder: August Horch |
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United States | — | Founder: Robert Hupp |
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Italy | — | Founder: Ferdinando Innocenti |
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Italy | — | Founder: Cesare Isotta and Vincenzo Fraschini |
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United Kingdom | — | Founder: Alan and Richard Jensen |
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United States | — | Founder: Henry J. Kaiser |
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United Kingdom | — | Founder: Anthony Keating |
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United States | — | Founder: Edgar K. Worthington and Harry Kent |
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Sweden | — | Founder: Christian von Koenigsegg |
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Italy | — | Founder: Vincenzo Lancia |
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Morocco | — | Founder: Abdeslam Laraki |
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France | — | Founder: Guy Ligier |
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United Kingdom | — | Founder: Brian Lister |
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United States | — | Founder: Mack brothers (John M. and Augustus F. Mack) |
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India | — | Founder: Jagdish Chandra Mahindra, Kailash Chandra Mahindra and Malik Ghulam Muhammad |
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Germany | — | Founder: Kourosh Mansory |
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Mexico | — | Founder: Daniel Mastretta |
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Germany | — | Founder: Wilhelm Maybach |
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Italy | — | Founder: Luca Mazzanti |
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United Kingdom | — | Founder: Bruce McLaren |
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Germany | — | Founder: Heinz Melkus |
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Japan | — | Founder: Unknown |
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United Kingdom | — | Founder: H. F. S. Morgan |
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United Kingdom | — | Founder: William Morris |
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United States | — | Founder: Warren Mosler |
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United Kingdom | — | Founder: Lee Noble |
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United States | — | Founder: Ransom E. Olds |
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United States | — | Founder: James Ward Packard |
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France | — | Founder: René Panhard, Émile Levassor |
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United States | — | Founder: Dan Panoz |
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United States | — | Founder: T. A. Peterman |
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United States | — | Founder: George N. Pierce |
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Italy | — | Founder: Battista "Pinin" Farina |
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United States | — | Founder: Ferris Rezvani |
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United Kingdom | — | Founder: William Riley Jr. |
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Croatia | — | Founder: Mate Rimac |
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Germany | — | Founder: Alois Ruf Sr. |
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United States | — | Founder: Steve Saleen |
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Netherlands | — | Founder: Jacobus and Hendrik-Jan Spijker |
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United States | — | Founder: Henry and Clement Studebaker |
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United States | — | Founder: Harry C. Stutz |
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Japan | — | Founder: Michio Suzuki |
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India | — | Founder: J. R. D. Tata |
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United States | — | Founder: Preston Tucker |
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China | — | Founder: Great Wall Motor |
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Germany | — | Founder: Martin and Friedhelm Wiesmann |
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United States | — | Founder: John North Willys |
 |
Denmark | — | Founder: Jesper Jensen and Troels Vollertsen |
No brands match your search.
The scale of the difference
Brands by founding decade
Brands on this list with a known founding year, counted by decade.
- 1810s1 brand
- 1860s1 brand
- 1890s1 brand
- 1900s4 brands
- 1910s4 brands
- 1920s1 brand
- 1930s2 brands
- 1940s2 brands
- 1960s1 brand
- 1990s1 brand
Car Brands Named After Their Founders: Entry Details
Ford
United States · Founded 1903See how the Ford logo evolved from early emblems to today's Blue Oval, what its script means, who shaped it, and which Ford cars became icons.
- Name
- Founder: Henry Ford
- Segment
- Mass-market
- Archived logo versions
- 11
Chevrolet
United States · Founded 1911See how the Chevrolet bowtie evolved from a disputed 1913 design to today's gold emblem, the stories behind its shape, and the cars that made it famous.
- Name
- Founder: Louis Chevrolet, Arthur Chevrolet, William C. Durant
- Segment
- Mass-market
- Archived logo versions
- 15
Toyota
Japan · Founded 1937How the Toyota logo went from a 1930s TOYODA badge and a katakana circle to the three-oval emblem of 1989, what the ovals mean, and which cars made the name famous.
- Name
- Founder: Kiichiro Toyoda
- Segment
- Mass-market
- Archived logo versions
- 10
Honda
Japan · Founded 1948Follow the Honda logo from its early trapezoid badge to the rounded H emblem and red wordmark, with the people, plants and cars behind the name.
- Name
- Founder: Soichiro Honda
- Segment
- Mass-market
- Archived logo versions
- 6
Mazda
Japan · Founded 1920From a Hiroshima cork maker to today's winged oval, see how the Mazda logo changed, what the name means, and which cars defined the brand.
- Name
- Founder: Jujiro Matsuda
- Segment
- Mass-market
- Archived logo versions
- 15
Porsche
Germany · Founded 1948How the Porsche crest grew out of the arms of Württemberg and Stuttgart, what its horse and antlers mean, and which cars and people shaped the brand.
- Name
- Founder: Ferdinand Porsche
- Segment
- Sports cars
- Archived logo versions
- 9
Audi
Germany · Founded 1909How the four rings came from the 1932 Auto Union merger, why the name is Latin for Horch, who shaped the lettering, and which Audi cars became icons.
- Name
- Founder: August Horch
- Segment
- Luxury vehicles
- Archived logo versions
- 12
Opel
Germany · Founded 1862How the Opel logo moved from an A and O monogram through laurels and a flying airship to today's lightning bolt in a ring, and which cars and people shaped the brand.
- Name
- Founder: Adam Opel
- Segment
- Mass-market
- Archived logo versions
- 10
Ferrari
Italy · Founded 1939How the Ferrari Prancing Horse went from a fighter pilot's emblem to a yellow shield and rectangle, what its details mean, and which Ferraris became icons.
- Name
- Founder: Enzo Ferrari
- Segment
- Sports cars
- Archived logo versions
- 13
Lamborghini
Italy · Founded 1963How the Lamborghini shield and raging bull came about, what the badge shows, how the logo changed since 1963, and which cars made the name famous.
- Name
- Founder: Ferruccio Lamborghini
- Segment
- Sports cars
- Archived logo versions
- 6
Maserati
Italy · Founded 1914How the Maserati trident grew from a 1926 radiator plaque into today's black trident and script wordmark, where the symbol comes from, and which cars made the badge famous.
- Name
- Founder: Alfieri Maserati
- Segment
- Luxury vehicles
- Archived logo versions
- 12
Pagani
Italy · Founded 1992How the Pagani badge went from a chrome oval reading Automobili Modena to a plain outlined wordmark, who founded the brand, and which cars made it famous.
- Name
- Founder: Horacio Pagani
- Segment
- Hypercars
- Archived logo versions
- 2
Rolls-Royce
United Kingdom · Founded 1904How the Rolls-Royce double-R monogram, the grille badge and the Spirit of Ecstasy came together, what the colors changed from and to, and which cars made the name a superlative.
- Name
- Founder: Charles Rolls and Henry Royce
- Segment
- Luxury vehicles
- Archived logo versions
- 7
Bentley
United Kingdom · Founded 1919How the Bentley winged B grew from a 1919 radiator badge into today's flat black emblem, what its parts show, and which Bentley cars made the name famous.
- Name
- Founder: W. O. Bentley
- Segment
- Luxury vehicles
- Archived logo versions
- 5
Renault
France · Founded 1899Follow the Renault diamond from a 1899 monogram and a tank badge to the flat double-line lozenge of 2021, and see who shaped it and which cars made it famous.
- Name
- Founder: Louis Renault
- Segment
- Mass-market
- Archived logo versions
- 17
Peugeot
France · Founded 1810How the Peugeot lion went from a walking figure on a saw-blade arrow to a roaring head in a black shield, who created it, and which Peugeot cars became icons.
- Name
- Founder: Peugeot family
- Segment
- Mass-market
- Archived logo versions
- 19
Citroën
France · Founded 1919How Citroën's double chevron grew from a gear pattern into a badge, how it changed from 1919 to the 2022 oval, and which cars made the brand famous.
- Name
- Founder: André Citroën
- Segment
- Mass-market
- Archived logo versions
- 12
Bugatti
France · Founded 1909From the red oval with its ring of dots and EB monogram to today's plain black wordmark, see what the Bugatti logo shows, where it came from and which cars made it famous.
- Name
- Founder: Ettore Bugatti
- Segment
- Hypercars
- Archived logo versions
- 5
Škoda
Czech RepublicFollow the Škoda winged arrow from the Slavia badges of Laurin & Klement to today's flat dark-green emblem, and see who built the brand and which cars defined it.
- Name
- Founder: Václav Laurin and Václav Klement
- Segment
- Vehicle maker
- Archived logo versions
- 13
Abadal
SpainHow the Abadal shield badge of a short-lived Barcelona carmaker looked, what its lettering says, who founded the marque, and which Abadal cars survive.
- Name
- Founder: Francisco Serramalera Abadal
- Segment
- Vehicle maker
- Archived logo versions
- 1
Abarth
ItalyHow the Abarth scorpion shield evolved from a 1949 scorpion drawing to today's chrome badge, why Carlo Abarth chose it, and which Abarth cars became icons.
- Name
- Founder: Carlo Abarth
- Segment
- Vehicle maker
- Archived logo versions
- 6
ABT
GermanyHow the ABT Sportsline logo works, what the slanted metallic letters show, where the Kempten tuner came from, and which Audi-based cars made it known.
- Name
- Founder: Abt family
- Segment
- Vehicle maker
- Archived logo versions
- 1
Austin
United KingdomFrom a winged steering-wheel emblem to the chrome Austin script, see how the British carmaker's badge changed, who built the cars behind it, and what became of the name.
- Name
- Founder: Herbert Austin
- Segment
- Vehicle maker
- Archived logo versions
- 4
Autobianchi
ItalyHow the Autobianchi logo moved from Bianchi's eagle to a rounded triangle with a stylized A, who stood behind the brand, and which small cars made it matter.
- Name
- Founder: Bianchi, Pirelli and Fiat
- Segment
- Vehicle maker
- Archived logo versions
- 14
Details are shown for the 24 best-known brands. All 104 brands are in the table above.
Car Brands Named After Their Founders: Analysis
Why brands choose this kind of name
Naming a company after its founder puts a personal promise behind every car. It was the usual choice in the early decades of the industry, when the founder was often also the engineer and the face of the product.
Where these brands come from
United States has the most brands on this list (30 of 104), followed by Italy (16) and United Kingdom (16). In all, 17 countries are represented.
How old these brands are
The oldest brand on this list is Peugeot, founded in 1810, and the newest is Pagani, founded in 1992. The most common founding decade is the 1900s (4 brands).
FAQ: Car Brands Named After Their Founders
Which car brands are named after their founders?
Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Porsche, Audi, Opel, Ferrari and Lamborghini, and 94 more in the table above.
Which is the oldest brand on this list?
Peugeot, founded in 1810.
How is this list compiled?
The name-origin type comes from each brand's documented facts; brands whose origin is disputed are not listed here.
Sources & methodology
The name-origin type comes from each brand's documented facts; brands whose origin is disputed are not listed here. Each brand page lists its own sources, and the logo images are an educational reference archive.
Maintained by Artsiom Dusau, a software engineer and BMW 4 Series owner. Editorial policy