We wouldn’t have cars if we didn’t have companies that manufacture them. Let’s take a quick look at when, where, and who founded some of the largest car manufacturers in the world:
Ford
When: June 16, 1903
Where: Dearborn, Michigan
Who: Henry Ford
Interesting Fact: Ford is the largest family-controlled company in the world.
Toyota
When: 1933
Where: Japan
Who: Kiichiro Toyoda was the son of the founder of the Toyoda Loom Works company and made the decision for the company to branch into automobiles.
Interesting Fact: The first Toyota built outside of Japan was in 1963 in Melbourne, Australia.
Volkswagon
When: January 4, 1937
Where: Wolfsburg, Germany
Who: The German Labour Front
Interesting Fact: Volkswagen means ‘People’s Automobile’.
General Motors
When: 1908
Where: Flint, Michigan
Who: William C. Durant
Interesting Fact: Shortly after forming, General Motors purchased the Buick Motor Company and rapidly expanded by purchasing other companies including Cadillac, Catercar, Elmore, and more.
Hyundai
When: December 29, 1967
Where: Seoul, South Korea
Who: Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company
Interesting Fact: Hyundai first began selling cars in the United States in 1986.
Honda
When: 1948
Where: Japan
Who: Soichiro Honda
Interesting Fact: The world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959.