Automotive industry

The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the Earth's most important economic sectors by revenue.

The term automotive industry usually does not include industries dedicated to automobiles after delivery to the customer, such as repair shops and motor fuel filling stations.

The first practical automobile with a petrol engine was built by Karl Benz in 1885 in Mannheim, Germany. Benz was granted a patent for his automobile on 29 January 1886, and began the first production of automobiles in 1888, after Bertha Benz, his wife, had proved with the first long-distance trip in August 1888 (104 km (65 mi) from Mannheim to Pforzheim and back) that the horseless coach was absolutely suitable for daily use. Since 2008 a Bertha Benz Memorial Route commemorates this event.

Soon after, in 1889, Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in Stuttgart designed a vehicle from scratch to be an automobile, rather than a horse-drawn carriage fitted with an engine. They also are usually credited as inventors of the first motorcycle, the Daimler Reitwagen, in 1885, but Italy's Enrico Bernardi, of the University of Padua, in 1882, patented a 0.024 horsepower (17.9 W) 122 cc (7.4 cu in) one-cylinder petrol motor, fitting it into his son's tricycle, making it at least a candidate for the first automobile, and first motorcycle. ^p.26 Bernardi enlarged the tricycle in 1892 to carry two adults.^p.26

Until 2005, the U.S.A. led the world in total automobile production. In 1929 before the Great Depression, the world had 32,028,500 automobiles in use, and the US automobile industry produced over 90% of them. At that time the U.S. had one car per 4.87 persons.In 2006, Japan narrowly passed the U.S. in production and held this rank until 2009, when China took the top spot with 13.8 million units. By producing 18.3 million units in 2010, China produced nearly twice the number of second place Japan (9.6 million units), with the U.S. in third place with 7.8 million units.

 Around the world, there were about 806 million cars and light trucks on the road in 2007, consuming over 260 billion US gallons (980,000,000 m³) of gasoline and diesel fuel yearly. The automobile is a primary mode of transportation for many developed economies. The Detroit branch of Boston Consulting Group predicts that, by 2014, one-third of world demand will be in the four BRIC markets (Brazil, Russia, India and China). Other potentially powerful automotive markets are Iran and Indonesia. Emerging auto markets already buy more cars than established markets. According to a J.D. Power study, emerging markets accounted for 51 percent of the global light-vehicle sales in 2010. The study expects this trend to accelerate

Top vehicle manufacturing groups by volume

The table below shows the world's largest motor vehicle manufacturing groups, along with the marques produced by each one. The table is ranked by 2010 end of year production figures from the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA)^[24] for the parent group, and then alphabetically by marque. Joint ventures are not reflected in this table. Production figures of joint ventures are typically included in OICA rankings, which can become a source of controversy.^[25][26]

Marque	Country of origin	Ownership	Markets
1. Toyota Motor Corporation ( Japan)
Lexus		Division	Global
Scion		Division	North America
Toyota		Division	Global
Daihatsu		Subsidiary	Global, except North America and Australia
Hino		Subsidiary	Asia Pacific, North America and South America
2. General Motors Company ( United States)
Alpheon		Division	South Korea
Buick		Division	North America, China, Israel, Taiwan
Cadillac		Division	North America, Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa
Chevrolet		Division	Global, except Australia, New Zealand
GMC		Division	North America, Middle East
Holden		Subsidiary	Australia, New Zealand
Opel		Subsidiary	Global, except North America, United Kingdom
Vauxhall		Subsidiary	United Kingdom
3. Volkswagen Group AG ( Germany)
Audi		Subsidiary	Global
Bentley		Subsidiary	Global
Bugatti		Subsidiary	Global
Lamborghini		Subsidiary	Global
MAN		Subsidiary	Europe, Asia, Africa, South America
Scania		Subsidiary	Global
SEAT		Subsidiary	Europe, South America, Africa, Asia, Mexico
Škoda		Subsidiary	Global, except North America
Volkswagen		Division	Global
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles		Division	Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia
4. Hyundai Motor Group ( South Korea)
Hyundai		Division	Global
Kia		Subsidiary	Global, except Mexico
5. Ford Motor Company ( United States)
Ford		Division	Global
Lincoln		Division	North America, Middle East, Japan, South Korea
Troller		Subsidiary	Latin America, Africa
6. Nissan ( Japan)
Infiniti		Division	Global, except Japan, South America and Africa
Nissan		Division	Global
7. Honda Motor Company ( Japan)
Acura		Division	North America, China
Honda		Division	Global
8. PSA Peugeot Citroën S.A. ( France)
Citroën		Subsidiary	Global, except North America, South Asia
Peugeot		Division	Global, except USA, Canada, South Asia
9. Suzuki Motor Corporation ( Japan)
Suzuki		Division	Global
Maruti Suzuki		Subsidiary	India, Middle East, South America
10. Renault ( France)
Dacia		Subsidiary	Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia, except Japan
Renault		Division	Global, except North America, South Korea
Renault Samsung		Subsidiary	South America, Asia, except Japan and China
11. Fiat S.p.A. ( Italy)
Abarth		Subsidiary	Global
Alfa Romeo		Subsidiary	Global, except North America
Ferrari		Subsidiary	Global
Fiat		Subsidiary	Global
Lancia		Subsidiary	Europe and Japan (except UK and Republic of Ireland)
Maserati		Subsidiary	Global
12. Daimler AG ( Germany)
BharatBenz		Subsidiary	India
Freightliner		Division	North America, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand
Master		Subsidiary	Pakistan
Mercedes-Benz		Division	Global
Mitsubishi Fuso		Subsidiary	Global
Orion		Subsidiary	North America
Setra		Division	Europe, Asia, USA
Smart		Division	Global
Thomas Built		Subsidiary	North America
Western Star		Subsidiary	North America, Australia, New Zealand
13. Chrysler Group, LLC ( United States)
Chrysler		Division	Global, UK and Republic of Ireland, except Europe
Dodge		Division	Global, except Europe
Jeep		Division	Global
Ram		Division	North America, South America, Middle East
14. BMW AG ( Germany)
BMW		Division	Global
MINI		Division	Global
Rolls-Royce		Subsidiary	Global
15. Mazda Motor Corporation ( Japan)
Mazda		Division	Global
16. Mitsubishi Motors Corporation ( Japan)
Mitsubishi		Division	Global
17. Chana Automobile Company, Ltd ( People's Republic of China)
Chana		Division	China, South Africa, Europe
18. Tata Motors, Ltd ( India)
Hispano		Subsidiary	Europe
Jaguar		Subsidiary	Global
Land Rover		Subsidiary	Global
Tata		Division	Global, except North America
Tata Daewoo		Subsidiary	South Korea
19. First Automotive Group Corporation ( People's Republic of China)
Besturn		Division	China
Freewind		Subsidiary	China
Haima		Subsidiary	China
Hongqi		Division	China
Jiaxing		Subsidiary	China
Vita		Subsidiary	China
Xiali		Subsidiary	China
20. Geely Automobile ( People's Republic of China)
Geely		Division	China, Russia, North Africa
Maple		Division	China
Volvo (Cars)		Subsidiary	Global
21. Chery Automobile Company, Ltd ( People's Republic of China)
Chery		Division	China, Africa, South East Asia, Russia
Riich		Division	China
Rely		Division	China
22. Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd ( Japan)
Subaru		Division	Global
23. Dongfeng Motor Corporation ( People's Republic of China)
Dongfeng		Division	China
24. Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Corporation, Ltd ( People's Republic of China)
BAW		Division	China
Foton		Subsidiary	China
25. OAO AvtoVAZ ( Russia)
Lada		Division	Global, except North America and Portugal
26. BYD Auto ( People's Republic of China)
BYD		Division	China, Russia
27. Isuzu Motors, Ltd ( Japan)
Isuzu		Division	Global, except North America
28. Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Company, Ltd ( People's Republic of China)
JAC		Division	China
29. Brilliance China Automotive Holding, Ltd ( People's Republic of China)
Brilliance		Division	China, North Africa
Jinbei		Subsidiary	China
30. Great Wall Motor Company, Ltd ( People's Republic of China)
Great Wall		Division	China, South Africa, Russia, North Africa, Australia
31. SAIC Motor ( People's Republic of China)
MG Motor		Subsidiary	China, United Kingdom, South America
Roewe		Division	China
Soyat		Division	China
Yuejin		Division	China
32. Mahindra & Mahindra, Ltd ( India)
Mahindra		Division	India, South East Asia, Europe, North Africa, North America, Australia
SsangYong		Subsidiary	Global
Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles Private Limited		Division	India
Mahindra Navistar Automotives Ltd		Division	India
33. Hafei Motor ( China)
Hafei		Subsidiary	China
34. AB Volvo ( Sweden)
Mack		Subsidiary	Global
Nissan Diesel		Subsidiary	Global
NovaBus		Subsidiary	North America
Prevost		Subsidiary	North America
Renault Trucks		Subsidiary	Global, except Japan
Volvo Trucks		Division	Global
35. Jiangxi Changhe Automobile ( China)
Changhe		Division	China
36. Qingling Motors Company Ltd. ( China)
Qingling		Division	China
37. Proton Holdings, Bhd ( Malaysia)
Proton		Division	Asia Pacific (except Japan and South Africa), United Kingdom, Middle East
Lotus		Subsidiary	Global
38. Hunan Jiangnan Automobile ( People's Republic of China)
Jiangnan		Division	China
39. Chongqing Lifan Automobile Company, Ltd ( People's Republic of China)
Lifan		Division	China
40. Fujian Motor Industry Group Company ( People's Republic of China)
Soueast		Division	China
41. Kuozui Motors, Ltd ( Taiwan)
Kuozui		Subsidiary	Taiwan
42. Shandong Kaima ( China)
Kaima		Division	China
Jubao		Division	China
Aofeng		Division	China
43. Porsche Automobil Holding SE ( Germany)
Porsche		Division	Global
44. Chenzhou Gonow Nanyan Chifeng Vehicle ( People's Republic of China)
Gonow		Division	China
45. Ziyang Nanjun Automobile Co., Ltd. ( People's Republic of China)
Nanjun		Division	China
46. Rongcheng Huatai Motor ( People's Republic of China)
Huatai		Division	China