About This Quiz
Know your luxury car brands? Take this HowStuffWorks quiz to test your knowledge!
One of the best marketing strategies for any company to employ is to corner as much of a market as possible. That means selling their product, or a version of it, to everyone. The problem is that not everyone needs, wants or can afford every product. When talking about cars, that means developing vehicles that meet the needs and wants of everyone, from the economy buyer to the luxury aficionado and marketing those cars to the right set of buyers. For this reason, vehicle manufacturers expand their business, their lines, and their divisions to include economy and luxury car models. Although most of us are at least somewhat familiar with the companies and the models, we're often stunned to find out that there is a connection between luxury car brands and our well-known vehicle favorites.
For instance, did you know that Porsche is a division of Volkswagen? Did you know that Lexus is the luxury division of Toyota? How about Lamborghini? Did you know that it is also a division of Volkswagen?
If you knew these and you think you can name them all, let's get rolling!
Ford, the iconic American car, is family-owned and operated. For years, Ford also sold many other brands, but the company has offloaded most of them to increase profitability.
Chevrolet, better known as Chevy, is owned by General Motors (GM). As any Ford fanatic will tell you, Chevrolet is definitely not owned by Ford.
GMC is owned, of course, by GM. GMC is a truck brand that's often marketed towards professionals who need hardcore, reliable trucks.
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BMW is responsible for a huge portion of the world's luxury automobile market. But it also owns the Mini brand, which churns out millions of cheaper and more fuel-efficient small cars.
Ford has ditched many of the brands it has been associated with for decades. But it did hold on to Lincoln, cars that feature higher-end components and parts than most Ford vehicles.
You know Honda as the maker of budget-priced (and super reliable) cars and SUVs. But Honda also owns Acura, a luxury brand that costs far more than a Civic or Accord.
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As you've undoubtedly noted, independent brands are rare in the car business. But Mitsubishi is independently owned by the Japanese company of the same name.
Nissan established its name in the 1930s and grew to gigantic proportions in Japan. But in 1999, the company was nearly bankrupt, so it sold much of its stock to Renault, which now controls much of Nissan's destiny.
Rolls-Royce is one of the most luxurious (and costly) brand of cars in the world. It's no wonder, then that luxury car maker BMW wanted a piece of the action. It got the rights to Rolls-Royce in the '90s.
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Toyota created the Scion brand to appeal to younger consumers. In 2016, Toyota decided that it couldn't sell enough Scions to make the effort worthwhile, and so it killled off the brand.
Porsche is known for its small, fast sports cars. It's had a relationship with Volkswagen for decades, and in 2009, the two companies combined many of their manufacturing capabilities.
GM sells millions of vehicles all over the world, but only a few are Cadillacs. Cadillacs is the luxury brand made famous thanks to cars like the El Dorado, which has high-end features matched with posh attitude.
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Saab is a favorite of eccentric American car buyers everywhere. The brand is owned by National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), which also hopes to sell electric vehicles under the NEVS nameplate.
South Korean car maker Hyundai owns a large stake in the Kia brand, which is known for its affordable vehicles. Kia sells millions and millions of cars each year, raking in huge profits for Hyundai.
Like other Japanese brands, Nissan has a very successful line of wallet-friendly and dependable vehicles, like the Sentra and Maxima. Its Infiniti brand targets consumers who have richer tastes and bigger bank accounts.
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The Jeep brand is known for toughness and traction. In 1987, it was sold to Chrysler, which later became part of an ever bigger company.
Land Rovers are known as luxurious four-wheel-drive vehicles that can crash their way over just about any terrain. The brand has bounced around some, but it's currently owned by Indian car giant Tata Motors.
Mazda is mostly owned by just Mazda. Ford has traditionally had dealings with Mazda, but it got out of the brand in 2015 when Mazda's profits began sinking.
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Chrysler was an American company for decades. But when the Great Recession of 2008 struck, it sold out and became part of Fiat.
You've seen Smart cars, the tiny autos buzzing around city streets looking like bugs lost in a concrete jungle. The brand is owned by German car maker Daimler AG.
Morgan is a tiny British car maker that handcrafts only around 1,000 vehicles per year. The company is 100 percent owned by the Morgan family.
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Jaguar has long been known for its sleek luxury cars. In 2008, Indian conglomerate Tata Motors bought the rights to Jaguar vehicles.
Mercedes-Benz is a German brand owned by a German company -- Daimler AG. Daimler got its start in 1926, when the company's name was Daimler-Benz.
Subarus have a reputation for ridiculous off-road capabilities. The brand is owned by Fuji Heavy Industries, but Toyota is also a minority owner.
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Audis are made in Germany by Volkswagen. With the famous interlocking ring emblem, Audi stands for luxury vehicles coveted by people who appreciate German manufacturing precision.
Dodge has a legendary history in America. The brand was snapped up by Chrysler, and now both are owned by Fiat.
Toyota is the purveyor of all manner of affordable and reliable vehicles that sell like hot cakes around the world. But it also owns the luxury brand Lexus, which has a level of refinement not found in Corollas and Camrys.
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There's a reason that Volkswagen is one of the most prolific car makers in the world. It owns a lot of car companies, including Lamborghini, which makes the sportiest sport cars around. No, you can't afford one.
Bentley is the car of choice for rap videos everywhere. These ridiculously luxururious cars are made thanks to the efforts of Volkswagen.
In addition to owning Lexus, Scion and others, Toyota also owns Isuzu.
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