ac
AC Cars: This is a sports car maker that started out as a manufacturer of 3-wheel delivery vehicles for butchers' shops
The famous Ace Bristol developed by AC cars was the star performer in the 1960's sports car races
The still-manufactured AC 427S/C, (sold in the US as the Shelby Cobra) is fitted with a Ford V8 engine and with superlative power and character, has become a cult classic
acura
Acura: This is a premium brand of Honda created in 1986 in North America
This is an active and sporty Honda that appeals to the image of high quality, high performance
The lineup includes the NSX, RSX (Integra), TSX (Accord), and RL (Legend)
alfaromeo
Alfa Romeo: This is a typically Italian brand that continues to pursue performance combined with breathtaking styling
Ever since its inception in Milan in 1910, Alfa Romeo has achieved significant success in the world of motor sports, but it has only been since the end of World War 2 that their reputation has increased to that of a manufacturer of highly desirable road cars
alpine
Alpine: This is a French sports car maker that was created in 1955 by Jean Redele, inspired by his passion for motorsports
Alpine became famous overnight for the outstanding performance of their race car, which shared parts from the cheap Renault 4CV
The A110 model also became famous as a rally car
Alpine is currently a part of Renault and their motorsport division
amemiya
RE Amemiya: RE Amemiya Corporation was opened in 1974 to become the number one rotary engine tuning company
Amemiya has a large number of dedicated fans, and is active in motor sports, with the knowledge they gain from motor sports thus applied to their tuning
Their Greddy series of complete tuned cars is also famous in Japan
amuse
Amuse: This is a tuning brand that regularly increases circuit speed records using sophisticated computer-based tuning
Original Amuse-branded parts have been developed through theory and experimentation and are highly reliable
Amuse also boasts wizardry in weight reduction using leading edge materials such as carbon and titanium
asl
ASL: Full name "Autobacs Sportscar Laboratories"
This is a sports car manufacturer inspired by the Autobacs shops in Japan, a chain that supplies parts for major cars to bring to the masses the dream of car ownership
The debut of their first car, the Garaiya, drew intense interest and ASL's success in the Japan GT Championship was notable
astonmartin
Aston Martin: This legendary British marque of sports car was born at the start of the last century
In 1947, David Brown took control of the management, and under his leadership the company has since been able to achieve many milestones, including winning the Le Mans 24 hour race
Aston Martin is going from strength to strength and currently forging a path as the prestige brand in the Ford Premier Automotive Group
au_ford
Ford Australia: This is a subsidiary of Ford that was created in 1925 to meet the continuously growing demand for cars in Australia
This company works on Ford models that are unique to Australia starting from the planning and design stages
From among these, the Falcon model has a history of over 40 years as a top selling model
audi
Audi: The origins of Audi begin with the Horch company, which was created in 1899
In 1932, the 4 companies Audi, Wanderer, Horch and DKW merged to form the Auto Union
Company restructuring after the war then gave Audi the leading role in the company
Using the principle of "Vorsprung durch Technik" (advancement through technology), Audi brought a large number of innovations to the automotive world
The "quattro" 4WD system is but one symbol of that innovation
autobianchi
Autobianchi: The predecessor of Autobianchi was Bianchi, which started operating in the late 19th century
After World War II this was reborn as Autobianchi, which produced many advanced development models as part of the Fiat family
One of these was the A112, which gained recognition for pioneering the packaging of front-engine, front-drive cars
autounion
autounion
bentley
Bentley: This is an English sports car maker that had the monumental success of a run of 5 wins in the early days of Le Mans
Control of the company changed to Rolls Royce for a long time from the 1930s, but the company is now a top level brand within the Volkswagen group and is beginning to blaze a path of its own
blitz
Blitz: This is a long-established collective brand of tuning parts that lives up to the motto "Power Innovation"
Their range is not limited to sports cars, but extends from hatchbacks to MPV's
Blitz has an established reputation for their particular development approach, focussing on power on the open road, and they excel in the areas of both drift and drag racing
bmw
BMW: BMW, whose name is an abbreviation of
Bayerische Motoren Werke,
or
Bavarian Motor Works
in English, was founded as an aircraft engine manufacturer in Bavaria, in southern Germany
It also built motorcycles, and later, cars
Even before World War II, BMW competed in races such as Mille Miglia and Le Mans
After the war, the company leveraged this sporty image to create a luxury image for itself
All of its cars are exceedingly fun to drive
buick
Buick: David Dunbar Buick, a Scotsman who had emigrated to America, formed the Buick company in 1903
Management of the company was seized by William Durant after this, who then acquired Oldsmobile and Cadillac and merged them together to form General Motors
From that point on, uniquely characteristic models of Buick have been developed under the Buick brand, which is a high level brand within GM second only to Cadillac
cadillac
Cadillac: Cadillac was founded in 1902 in Detroit by William Murphy, then became a division of General Motors in 1909
Although known as a symbol of American affluence, Cadillac has also been a technological innovator
For instance, Cadillac was the world's first car maker to fit synchromesh gearboxes and vacuum carburettors in their cars
callaway
Callaway: The former racing driver Reeves Callaway opened a car engineering business in Connecticut, America
In addition to building complete cars, Callaway also designs and fabricates tuning parts
Although Callaway has the most experience with Chevrolets, they have also recently worked on developing a turbo for the Mazda Protege and other projects
caterham
Caterham: Although Caterham was originally a dealer handling the lightweight "Seven" sports car produced by Lotus, in 1973 Caterham bought the rights to Seven from Lotus and has been continually releasing models that carry on the tradition ever since
Aside from the basic model that remains true to the original Seven, a high performance version fitted with the latest components has also been created
chaparral
Chaparral: This is a legendary brand from American motor sports that was founded by Jim Hall, who was a Texas oil king as well as a brilliant engineer and racing driver
A few of Chaparral's distinctive racing cars had great success not only in America, but also in the big races in Europe, taking the 1960's racing scene by storm
Despite winning the Indy 500 in 1980, Chaparral sadly left motor racing in 1982
chevrolet
Chevrolet: Started in 1911 by Durant, the founder of GM, and Louis Chevrolet
In the 1920s, Chevrolet used a slick marketing campaign to overtake the number one Model T in terms of number of cars sold, and became a regular best seller in America ever since
Although the Corvette and Camaro large coupes are quite well-known, for a time the Chevrolet racing V8 engine also gained fame across the circuits
chrysler
Chrysler: Walter Chrysler once originally worked for GM, but left to become independent in 1924 and began developing his own unique models
In addition to quickly producing the DeSoto, Dodge and Plymouth, etc, Chrysler became one of the big three American car manufacturers
In 1998 Chrysler merged with Daimler-Benz to form DaimlerChrysler, and is now producing new models from this new stage of its life
citroen
Citroen: The history of Citroen, formed in 1919 by Andre Citroen, is filled with originality, including the world's first mass produced front-engine, front-drive car (Traction Avant), the epitome of rationality (2CV) and innovative suspension (hydro-pneumatic)
These have all been the result of Citroen's tough development philosophy
Today, Citroen is a member of the PSA group along with Peugeot
cizeta
Cizeta: In the 1980s, Claudio Zampoli, a wealthy businessman who worked as a car dealer, and the musician Giorgio Moroder found kindred spirits in one another and formed this supercar maker
Their goal was to build a car with unsurpassed performance and style
Cizeta is the Italian pronunciation of Claudio Zampoli's initials (C
Z
)
daihatsu
Daihatsu: The predecessor to Daihatsu was the Hatsudoki Seizo Co
Ltd
that was established in 1907 by the Osaka business community with the aim of nationalising the production of engines
In 1951, this was updated to Daihatsu Motor Co
Ltd
Since then, Daihatsu have consistently produced small cars that are centred on practicality
In 1967, Daihatsu merged with Toyota
Today, Daihatsu plays the important role within the Toyota family of the sub-compact and compact division
dmc
DMC: After rising rapidly through the management at Pontiac and Chevrolet, John Delorean became vice president of GM at a young age, and in the late 1970s resigned from that position to create DMC
Regrettably, the business fell into problems after a few years
The current incarnation of DMC only performs maintenance and tuning on the Delorean cars that were produced by the original company
dodge
Dodge: Dodge began when the Dodge brothers, John and Horace, who had great success at producing Ford cars, began producing their own cars
Although Dodge became a part of the Chrysler group in 1928, innovation and leadership remained the keywords and Dodge continued to produce uniquely characteristic cars
dome
Dome: This sports car project, which started in 1975, was developed by Minoru Hayashi, who has had a love of cars ever since he was a child
The "Dome Zero" exhibited at the 1978 Geneva Motor Show where it caused a huge sensation
Ever since, the Dome business of planning, designing and developing automobiles has been expanding and has been successful on the world stage of motor sports from JGTC to Le Mans
eagle
Eagle: The predecessor to Eagle was AMC (American Motors Corporation), who specialised in four wheel drive cars
AMC came under the Renault banner temporarily, but was subsequently bought by Chrysler and given the Eagle brand name
In America, the first and second generation Mitsubishi Eclipses were sold under the Talon name
fiat
Fiat: One of the most important companies in Italian car manufacturing, Fiat was founded in 1899 by the industrialist Giovanni Agnelli
Throughout its history, Fiat has produced utilitarian cars for the general public
The company also acquired other prestigious Italian auto brands, such as Lancia and Alfa Romeo
Fiat entered a partnership with General Motors in March 2000
ford
Ford: The Ford company that was revolutionised by the Model T was started by Henry Ford in 1903
After WWII, the Ford lineup expanded into every class of automobile, and from among these the successful Mustang has had the greatest impact on sports cars across the world
Although factories were constructed locally across Europe to produce the Model T originally, these local subsidiaries now develop and produce Ford cars unique to Europe
fpv
FPV: This is a high performance car development division of Ford Australia that began in 2002 through the technology and passion of Tickford, which had been successful at developing high performance cars
FPV produces high reliability and high quality super machines under the backing of the Ford global development environment
gillet
Gillet: Tony Gillet, the racing car driver who started a business importing Donkervoort into Belgium, started this sports car manufacturing company so that he could follow his own ideas
In 1992 the sports car called the Vertigo was unveiled at the Brussels Motor Show
This car evolved as the years progressed into a successful high performance racing sports car
ginetta
Ginetta: In 1957 the four Walklett brothers Bob, Douglas, Ivor and Trevor started a small volume sports car maker
The G4 that was released in 1961 was highly successful, and increased the standing of the company in one leap
Although Ginetta released a variety of models after that, by the 1990s, attention was focused on reproducing the G4 and G12
hks
HKS: This is a combined tuning brand that boasts a history starting from 1973
HKS offer an extensive lineup of high performance parts ranging from the engine and underbody to the drivetrain
HKS also has a deep relationship with touring cars, drag racing and other motor sports
HKS are known as an influential tuner, even overseas
holden
Holden: Holden was established in Australia through a partnership between James Alexander Holden, who ran a saddlery, and GM Australia
The first model was produced in 1948
In addition to the original Camaro and Commodore models, Holden sells a lineup of cars from Opel, Suzuki and other members of the GM group
hommell
Hommell: Michel Hommell, a publishing magnate, is an avid collector of classic cars, and at the same time, took the wheel himself as a racing driver and engineer
Hommell created a sports car company (also called Hommell) to pursue his ideal car, with the Berlinette and Barquette being two of his well-known models
honda
Honda: The Honda Technical Research Institute was established by Soichiro Honda in 1946
After outstanding success in the world of motorcycles, Honda began producing cars in 1963
The achievements of the Civic and Accord followed by success in motor sports has made the Honda brand a big name throughout the world
Honda is currently receiving attention for robotics research and general-purpose machines
hpa
HPA: HPA is a powerful Canadian tuning shop that specialises in Volkswagen customisation and tuning
HPA continue to release high performance models that run rings around normal cars through know-how that is backed up by feedback from motor sports, etc
The demonstration car based on the Golf R32 won the Second Annual Gran Turismo award in 2004
HPA are not only associated with Volkswagen, but have been expanding the range of their activities to include collaboration with big names such as Ford Racing and Mopar Performance
hyundai
Hyundai: Hyundai started in 1967 when the successful Korean shipbuilder "Hyundai Group" established Hyundai Motors and began producing Ford cars under licence
Advanced styling and leading-edge technology allowed Hyundai to quickly gain equal footing with Japanese and American manufacturers
Hyundai is also an active participant in WRC and other motor sports
infiniti
Infiniti: This is a premium Nissan brand that made its debut in North America in 1989
Compared to the active Nissan brand, Infiniti has a lineup of high quality, prestigious cars
In 2005 there are plans to enter the market in Korea, and then expand to cover each of the regions across the world, including Japan
isuzu
Isuzu: The predecessor to Isuzu, Tokyo Automobile Industries Co
Ltd
, was established in 1937
Isuzu Motors Limited was born in 1949 after first changing its' name to Diesel Automobile Industries Co
Ltd
From as early as 1953, Isuzu began producing domestic cars, with a number of unique models including the Bellette and 117 Coupe
Isuzu is now a part of the GM group, mainly responsible for diesel engines
jaguar
Jaguar: Jaguar began in 1945 after the end of World War II when William Lyons changed the name of his motorcycle side-car company
The XK120 that was released the following year gained a reputation for high performance, and for a time the name of Jaguar spread across the world
Jaguar found success at Le Mans a number of times after this, and the Mark II and E-Type stock cars grew in popularity
Jaguar is currently releasing new models as a part of the Ford Premier Automotive Group
jayleno
Jay Leno: Jay Leno is a nationally popular celebrity who is known throughout America
He also has another role as one of America's biggest car collectors
The massive "Jay Leno Collection" contains special models that have only been made specifically for Jay Leno
If you saw the collection, you would think Jay Leno was a custom builder in his own right
jensen
Jensen: The origins of the Jensen company start with the coachbuilding company established by the Jensen brothers, Alan and Richard, in the 1930s
They initially produced saloons but after the end of WWII grew into a manufacturer that created custom high performance GT's
Although Jensen has produced the Interceptor and the FF, which was the world's first mass-produced four wheel drive sports car, the company was unable to survive the shock of the world oil crisis and disappeared in 1976
lancia
Lancia: Lancia is a distinguished Italian car brand that was formed in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia
The "Lambda" released before World War 2 was the first car in the world with a monocoque body, which hugely increased the standing of the company
After the war, Lancia gained a solid reputation thanks to the Aurelia, Flaminia and other models, and also had some success in motor sports
Lancia became a subsidiary of the Fiat group in 1969, and again exhibited great successes in rallies with the Stratos and Delta models
Lancia is currently a premium brand within the Fiat group
landrover
Land Rover: The history of Land Rover started with a single 4x4 model created in 1948
That model was called the "Land Rover" and it attracted attention from around the world due to its overwhelming ability to go anywhere and high levels of endurance, fixing its place as the pioneer of 4WD
In 1970 the premium model Range Rover was released and became a high-status four wheel drive
Although management was taken over temporarily by BMW after this, in 2000 it became a subsidiary of the Ford group and continues to advance under a brand new strategy
lexus
Lexus: This is a new division of Toyota, created in 1989 as a premium brand
After initially starting with the LS400 (Celsior) and ES250 (Windom), the lineup gradually expanded to successfully compete for the number 1 and 2 of the most popular dealers
The goal for Lexus in 2005 is to be introduced to the Japanese market
lister
Lister: Lister is a small volume production sports car maker that was formed in 1954 by Brian Lister
In 1957, a model fitted with Jaguar type D engines had outstanding success in races, bringing recognition in one sweeping step
Although this was followed by a lull, Lister returned to sports car racing in the 1980's and in 1991 released the Storm, which was fitted with a V12 engine manufactured by Jaguar
This reinvigorated the company and Lister can once again be seen tearing up the circuit
lotus
Lotus: The unspoken leader of British lightweight sports cars
Lotus started in the 1940's when the founder, Colin Chapman, who was a student at the time, built his own racecar from a second-hand car he owned
With the high performance and low cost of the machines he built, he was able to gradually gain customers until Lotus grew into a major sports car maker
Lotus also made a number of major advances in F1, and is currently taking on a variety of challenges in the latest model Elise
marcos
Marcos: The Marcos company name originated from a combination of the first three letters of the surnames of its two founders, Jem Marsh and Frank Costin
The company began when Costin, who was skilled in the wooden construction of earlier aircraft, used this technology for creating the car chassis
In addition to the Mini Marcos, which used Mini components, Marcos had great success in sports car races with the GT, which was fitted with a Ford engine, earning Marcos a solid reputation
mazda
Mazda: Mazda's history began when the Toyo Kogyo company, formerly a machining tool company, began producing 3-wheel lorries in 1931
The 4-wheel R360 coupe for passenger use was released in the early 1960's, and its ambitious features soon became a talking point
After unimaginable hardship, the world's first twin-rotary engine was put into commercial use in 1967, and from that point on the Mazda identity grew to become synonymous with the rotary engine
Mazda's great success in motor sports, starting with Le Mans, is also well known
Mazda is currently a core part of the Ford Group and continues to produce exciting new models
mercedes
Mercedes-Benz: Daimler Benz, producer of the Mercedes cars, came about with the merger in 1926 of the respective companies of Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz, considered the fathers of the automobile
Since then, the company has continuously been at the forefront of car technology
Their cars are advanced not only in terms of speed, but also safety and utility
During the wave of restructuring that swept the global auto industry in the late 1990's, Daimler Benz merged with Chrysler
Incidentally, the name
Mercedes
comes from the name of the daughter of Emile Jellinek, Daimler distributor in France in the early 1900's
mercury
Mercury: This is a brand created by Ford in 1938 to counter the Buick and Pontiac upper models of GM
Mercury holds a position exactly between Ford and Lincoln
At the start of the 1960's, the compact Comet was a big hit, and the Cougar model that was a brother of the Mustang that began selling in 1967 also became popular
Mercury has since maintained a steady position as the big brother brand of Ford
mg_mini
MG: The predecessor to MG was "Morris Garages" created in 1910 by William Morris
In the 1920's, an enthusiast by the name of Cecil Kimber became general manager of MG, marking the beginning of MG's success
Kimber actively entered races in cars that he had made himself, with his spectacular successes earning a name for MG
After the war, the modern MG-A aroused a great deal of public interest, and this was followed by the Midget which became a big hit with young drivers
Although the business began to turn, suffering some temporary setbacks during this time, MG is currently producing essential British sports cars forming the sports brand of the Rover group
mines
Mine's: Mine's is a total tuning brand that was founded by Tsuzo Niikura, a tyre manufacturer employee
With a focus on computer tuning and rapidly perfected products, Mine's became prominent in the mid 1980's
Mine's features are not limited to just speed, but specialise in balanced street tuning
From their factory in beautiful Hayama, Mine's continues to produce high performance machines today
mini
Mini: The Mini was produced in 1959 by BMC (British Motor Company), which was a merger of Austin and Morris, and grew for over 40 years as a single brand
This big name was completely reborn under BMW, with a current lineup of 4 variations including a cabriolet
There is much anticipation about how the world's smallest premium brand will evolve in the future
mitsubishi
Mitsubishi: The shipbuilding division of the Mitsubishi conglomerate began building buses and passenger cars before World War II
The company released the popular Mitsubishi 500 in 1959 and the Colt mini-car in 1962, but it wasn't until 1970 that the car division was seperated to form Mitsubishi Motors
Mitsubishi built up its reputation with distinctive passenger cars like the Mirage, Galant, and Starion and has long competed in motor sports, including the Paris-Dakar Rally and the World Rally Championship
DaimlerChrysler bought a large stake in Mitsubishi in 2000 but sold off its shares in 2004
Mitsubishi is currently in the process of reorganising in the hopes of staging a comeback in the market
mugen
Mugen: This was a special brand of Honda formed in 1973 based on the two pillars of motor sports and tuning
The founder of Mugen was Hirotoshi Honda, the eldest son of the founder of Honda, Soichiro Honda
Although Mugen is famous for success across a broad range of motor sports, with F1 at the peak, the variety of tuning parts that are developed and fabricated within the company also attract a lot of support
nike
Nike: In 1964 Bill Bowerman, the head coach at Oregon University, and Phil Knight, an accounting student at the university, created the company "Blue Ribbon Sports" to import sports shoes from Japan
This was the beginning of Nike
Nike has since grown into the world's largest sports and fitness company, and have designed a model of car for Gran Turismo
This car is similar to an athlete, kicking along the ground from a crouching position to full stretch
nismo
Nismo: Nismo is a works brand of Nissan that formed in 1984 from the merger of the number 3 publicity division that had been promoting motor sports to end customers, and the special vehicles testing division that had been developing race cars
The Nismo name has made an impression with successful performances at a number of venues, include the Le Mans 24 Hour race, the All Japan Touring Car Championship and the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship
Nismo tuning parts and complete cars for street use that utilise the know-how gained from the circuit are also highly valued
nissan
Nissan: Nissan originated in 1926 when the Kwaishinsha Motorcar Works and Jitsuyo Jidosha Co
Ltd
merged to form the DAT Automobile Manufacturing Co
Ltd
Yoshisuke Aikawa then purchased shares in this company, and it merged with other companies until Nissan Motor Co
Ltd
was finally formed in 1934
Although the company was a general vehicle maker after this and produced many different kinds, Nissan developed a large number of fans from successes in motorsport at key points in the company's history
In 1999 Nissan formed a partnership with Renault and this business continues to thrive today, with Nissan being one of Japan's most successful companies
nothing
nothing
opel
Opel: Opel produced its first car in 1899, and began participating actively in motor sports, such as the Grand Prix, from this time
From the 1920's, Opel began increasing sales by virtue of the company's accessible and popular cars, and in 1931 became a member of the GM group
Although Opel suffered setbacks during World War 2, the company made an outstanding comeback after the war producing popular cars such as the Ascona and Kadet
Opel is responsible for GM strategy in Europe
opera
Opera: This is a tuning brand represented by Yasukichi Yamamoto, who has raced in the All Japan Grand Touring Championship and Super Endurance categories
This brand specialises in creating racing machines that deliver both overwhelming weight reductions and increased rigidity due to the strengthened body
Body strength is again the main point of focus in the Z33 that is currently under construction
pagani
Pagani: This manufacturer of exotic cars was founded by Argentine-born Horacio Pagani, who started designing cars at an early age in his homeland
His hero, legendary Argentine racing driver Juan Manuel Fangio, introduced Pagani to important people in the Italian sports car industry, and he began to work for some noted Italian sports car manufacturers
When he began his own company, Pagani used his experience in crafting carbon bodies for Lamborghini and other sports car companies to infuse his own cars with exceptionally high-quality bodywork
Pagani is part of a new generation of leading supercar builders
panoz
Panoz: This is a sports car maker based in Atlanta, America that was formed in 1989
Panoz is a company in love with 1960's American sports cars that releases many models that are reinterpretations of those cars
The Esperente is currently the base model for creating racing machines, which actively participate in Le Mans, and ALMS
pescarolo
Pescarolo: Pescarolo is a local French privateer team in the current Le Mans 24 Hour race and is a strong contender that continues to challenge the race leaders
The head of the team is Henri Pescarolo who is himself the original team driver to race at Le Mans
In the last 2 years Pescarolo has been highly competitive in battles against the works teams, and has been sponsored by SCEE France
peugeot
Peugeot: In 1891, Peugeot used an engine produced by Daimler to become the first company in the world which was commercially based on the production of cars
In fact, Peugeot has many world firsts
The winner of the world's first car race, the first to fit pneumatic tyres, and the first use of a DOHC engine are all achievements of Peugeot
This spirit is still alive in the cars that Peugeot creates today
With a lineup of cars that fit excellent features into a stylish exterior, Peugeot is highly market competitive
Peugeot is also well known for success in F1 and WRC
plymouth
Plymouth: This brand was formed by Chrysler in 1928 in an attempt to create a strong brand similar to Chevrolet in GM
By aiming for excellence, Plymouth was able to become a regularly popular car for a long period in America
Although the range of models had come to resemble the brother Dodge brand in recent years, the Prowler that was released in 1997 was reminiscent of the 1930's hot rod machines, and attracted a lot of attention
However, even this popularity could not revive the overall brand and so Chrysler stopped offering the Plymouth brand from 2002
polyphony
Polyphony Digital: The spirit of Gran Turismo is the portrayal of an intimate appreciation of, and passion for, the world of cars
This car is an original, dream model designed by the development team, to encapsulate these emotions
pontiac
Pontiac: Oakland, the predecessor to Pontiac, was formed in 1908, and became part of the GM group the following year
Although a reasonable priced "Pontiac" model was released in 1926, this car name has been used as a brand name ever since
A relationship with the brother Oldsmobile brand was formed after WWII, and the GTO muscle car and Firebird sports car gained fierce support from young drivers
Although there was a temporary period where Pontiac did not have a success in the marketplace, the latest Solstice compact sports and new model GTO have once again brought this brand to life
proto
Proto Motors: Proto Motors was established in 1997 for automotive research and development
Although their initial development work concentrated on electric cars and stretch limousines, Proto Motors were firmly on the path to becoming a manufacturer in their own right in 2001 with the release of the "PS-II" mid-engined sports car
The following year, development began on a production model of the PS-II, named Spirra, with this dream finally realised in 2004
As the sixth car manufacturer in Korea, this is a brand whose new direction has now firmly thrown them into the spotlight
renault
Renault: This company originated from a single car created in 1898 by Louis Renault, who had a love for machinery
Production of the cars started the following year
In the early stages, Renault also actively participated in races for promotional purposes, and achieved good results
Despite being nationalised at the end of World War 2, Renault was gifted with creating hits, such as the 4CV and "4" (Quatre), which were tough, practical and good value
Renault created a stir in 1977 with a Formula 1 comeback by introducing the first turbo machine in history
The company was privatised in 1996, and in 1999 formed a partnership with Nissan and continues to produce new models with novel styling
ruf
Ruf: The history of Ruf dates back to
Auto Ruf,
a car repair shop founded in 1939 by Alois Ruf
Ruf began tuning rear-engined, air-cooled German sports cars in the 1970's, and in 1977 released the BTR
Painted in a flat olive-drab colour, the BTR earned the nickname
the NATO car
Ruf became an officially sanctioned car maker in 1981 and continues to build new machines today
The exceptionally high performance of its cars is proven by many impressive achievements, including the world record for the fastest car
saleen
Saleen: This is a tuning and complete-car brand that was founded by Steve Saleen
In the 1980's, Saleen entered the American "Showroom Stock Car Endurance Race" where virtually no modifications were allowed in a Ford Mustang, and at the same time sold race parts for these cars, making the Saleen name spread rapidly
The success of Saleen was so big that it had an effect on the strategies used in later Mustang models
Saleen next began creating complete cars based on the Mustang, which has developed up to the point where Saleen is currently racing in Le Mans using a machine with an original chassis
scion
Scion: This is a new brand that was produced by Toyota in 2003 to try to tap the potential of young American drivers
Although Scion started from the "xA" and "xB" models based on the Japanese "ist" and "bB" cars, the "tC" sports coupe that was introduced in 2004 is a dedicated Scion
Although a separate area has been setup for sales within Toyota shops in North America, the popularity has been growing due to the reasonable price, the use of an internet sales tool, and other unique ideas targeted at the young age group
seat
Seat: Seat was established in 1950 through cooperation between the government and Fiat in order to promote Spanish industry
Although the cars produced were clones of long-running Fiat models, Fiat withdrew from the Spanish production in 1980, and so original models were produced with support from Volkswagen and Porsche
The number 1 model was the Ibiza, which debuted in 1984
After that, the connection with Volkswagen grew gradually stronger, and Seat is currently one part of the Volkswagen group
Seat is also famous for successes in WRC and touring car races
shelby
Shelby: Shelby American is a constructor that was formed in 1962 by Carroll Shelby, a racing driver who won the Le Mans 24 Hour race in 1959 in an Aston Martin
His dream was to create the strongest race car using a European made body that delivers excellent handling combined with a powerful American V8 engine
The AC Cobra was thus born with the combination of an AC cars body with a Ford V8 engine
In 1998 a new model, the series 1, was released after a long break, and resurrected the sheer grunt of the original machines
spoon
Spoon: This is a company that every Honda fan knows
The Spoon brand that boasts this degree of notoriety is a tuning shop that was opened by Ichishima in 1988 and specialises in Honda cars
The parts and complete cars that are the result of over 25 years of racing experience by Ichishima are created by considering reliability and feeling, and are of a high standard, even among pros
"Both comfortable and fun, while being exceptionally fast"
The true goal of Spoon is to create this car
spyker
Spyker: The Spyker brothers, who worked at a Benz branch office in Holland, succeeded in creating a 2-cylinder air-cooled car in 1900
That was the very beginning of Spyker
However, the management side of the company was not successful, and the company closed in 1925
More than 70 years later, in 1997, a new Spyker was born using the same brand name
This Spyker is a low volume production sports car maker building full aluminium-bodied cars
Beginning with the Le Mans 24 Hour race, Spyker is actively expanding race operations
subaru
Subaru: Nakajima Aircraft, the creator of a number of aircraft engines, changed names to Fuji Sangyo Co
Ltd
after the end of World War 2, then was renamed once again to become Fuji Heavy Industries
In 1958 Subaru released the sub-compact 360 car which made considerable use of weight reduction and technology from aircraft design
Subaru has been continuously producing unique and technologically advanced cars ever since
Subaru entered a business partnership with GM in 1999
The Impreza, with it's breathtaking power delivery and amazing handling, is one of Subarus' major success stories - becoming more popular by the day across the world and particularly so in the UK
suzuki
Suzuki: Michio Suzuki was originally successful at manufacturing looms for weaving, and didn't begin producing motorcycles until after World War 2 in 1952, leading to a name change to Suzuki Motor Corporation in 1954 which signaled the start of the company
Suzuki became the core manufacturer of light and small Japanese cars, producing the Fronte in 1962, the Jimmy in 1970, and the Alto in 1979
In 1993, the new style of the compact Wagon R became a big hit
In 1998 Suzuki strengthened ties with GM, and today continues to create compact cars on a global scale
tickford
Tickford: This is a technical development company that took on the role of the high performance division of Ford Australia in 1991
Although the XR6 and XR8 clearly demonstrate the high engineering capabilities of Tickford, the company merged with the English motor sports constructor Prodrive in 2001, and so the know-how and passion was transferred to the new Ford Performance Vehicle company
tommykaira
Tommy Kaira: This is a complete tuning-car maker that was established in 1987 by the foreign car importer Yoshikazu Tomita, and the well-known engineer Kikuo Kaira
In a time when there were still large barriers to successfully marketing tuning cars, Tommy Kaira gained recognition by releasing the first "Officially Approved" Japanese tuning car that complied with all of the requirements of the Ministry of Transport
Ever since then, Tommy Kaira has been producing a large number of individualistic complete cars not produced by the major car manufacturers
In 1995, Tommy Kaira released the original "ZZ" sports car
toms
Tom's: Tom's is a motor sports and tuning brand specialising in Toyota vehicles
The company was etablished in 1974 by an ex-Toyota factory driver, Nobuhide Tate, and a motor sports co-ordinator from a Toyota dealer, Kiyoshi Oiwa
Tom's developed original parts, whilst at the same time actively expanding race operations in the British F3 and Le Mans races, as well as competing successfully in the All Japan Grand Touring Championship
The name Tom's comes from the first letters of the words "Tate", "Oiwa", and "Motorsports"
Tom's has also recently began work on complete cars to offer for sale
toyota
Toyota: Toyota began when Kiichiro Toyoda, the eldest son of Sakichi Toyoda (inventor of the automatic loom) set up an automobile division within Toyoda Automatic Loom Works
Ltd
in 1933
By consistently focusing on improving quality and productivity, this operation eventually grew into the global corporation that Toyota is today
Toyota finally began competing in Formula One racing in 2002
Toyota is also the world leader in developing next-generation automobiles, such as hybrids and fuel-cell automobiles
toyotamodellista
Toyota Modellista: This is a customisation brand that Toyota established in 1997 to handle the diverse preferences of customers
From development of custom parts, changing seat materials, and body tuning, to full order-made customisation, Toyota Modellista offers parts and technology aimed at customers' desires for "a car that is not in the catalogue"
trd
TRD: This is the Toyota Technocraft motor sports and tuning division that was formed in 1954
TRD provides feedback on knowledge and skills gained through motor sports operations such as the All Japan Grand Touring Championship, and produces many parts that are overflowing with functionality and reliability
These operations are not limited to Japan, with TRD fixed as an essential sports brand for Toyota cars around the world
trial
Trial: Trial started after Michio Makihara tackled the S30 Fairlady Z "zeroyon" maximum speed challenges at a tuning shop, and subsequently established Technical Service Trial in 1982
In 1986 the name was changed to Trial and the company then developed into a general tuning brand
Trial won the Tuner's Cannonball in 1994, completed the original American Cannonball in 1999 and to this day continues to be a competitive challenger
triumph
Triumph: Siegfried Bettmann, who had successfully produced bicycles, and then motorcycles, released his first 4-wheel vehicle in 1923
Although production stopped temporarily, it resumed again after World War 2 with the production of the TR series and popular Spitfire
This was followed by a wave of restructuring of the English automobile industry, and although production of cars ended with the final "Acclaim (a Honda OEM vehicle)", the motorcycle operation continues to boom today
tvr
TVR: A young automobile engineer called Trevor Wilkinson created a prototype car in 1947 using an Alvis chassis
Trevor took three letters out of his name to start the "TVR" sports car maker
Since then TVR has been consistently producing fast, individualistic sports cars
Peter Wheeler took control of the company in 1982, and the introduction of modern styling continued, building a new age of TVR
In 2004, the parent company of TVR changed again, and TVR is now aiming for a new leap forward
vauxhall
Vauxhall: The Vauxhall company was created in England when the Vauxhall Ironworks, which had been making marine engines, began manufacturing cars at the start of the 20th century
Vauxhall cars were very successful in races at the time and proceeded to become part of the GM group, subsequently concentrating on mass-production cars
From the 1960's, Vauxhall began sharing models with Opel, which is within the same GM family, and even now new models are being produced using those rules
Their emblem shows the mythical creature, the Griffon
vemac
Vemac: The Vemac brand was established in 1998 in order to realise the long-held dream by R & D Sports of creating a road-going sports car
Up to this point their work had been concerned with mainly race cars and electric cars
The RD series was developed as a combination of a unique chassis mated with a Honda engine, and its release is highly anticipated
Before the release of the road car, the advanced development car will enter the All Japan Grand Touring Championship (JGTC)
Although it will be constrained by race regulations, the vehicle has amazing potential and will undoubtedly show the way forward for the company
volkswagen
Volkswagen: After WWII the innovations of the "people's car", designed by Dr
Ferdinand Porsche, was developed into the Volkswagen and heralded the beginnning of the company of the same name
The "Beetle" as it was called, was a huge hit, and so Volkswagen grew from this to become a major manufacturer
The lineup expanded, the most notable success being the introduction of the amazing Golf GTI - coining the nickname for hot hatches
Volkswagen went on to become a well-known brand within a larger corporation, and is still one of the best full lineup makers in Europe
volvo
Volvo: Volvo the automaker got its start in 1927, when two men who worked at a Swedish ballbearing company, Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson, built the first Volvo car
The company's growth was guided by the principles of pursuing quality and designing automobiles from the user's point of view
One embodiment of these principles is the company's relentless dedication to safety
In fact, many safety features that are standard in all automobiles today were invented by Volvo, such as the three-point seatbelt and the collapsible steering column
As a member of the Ford Group, Volvo continues to build cars that are both practical and of exceptional quality