Oldest Car Companies in the World

27 JAN 2024

Credit: Google Images

Credit: Google Images

Peugeot

Widely considered to be the first car company in world history, Peugeot actually began as a coffee mill and steel foundry in 1810 after being founded by Armand Peugeot as a family business. The company would focus on various other businesses as well like manufacturing bicycles or kitchen equipment for the next 70 years until 1889.

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Tatra

The year is 1850 and Czech-born Ignatz Schustala has the inspiration to begin manufacturing horse-drawn carriages. This business worked well until 1891 when Nesseldorfer Wagenbau-Fabriksgesellschaft, Schustala’s company, began turning its attention to the manufacturing of railroad cars, which was a growing business to help transport goods across the country. 

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Opel Automobile GmbH

Founded by Adam Opel in Russelheim, Germany in 1862, Opel Automobile GmbH, or Opel as it’s most commonly known, began life as a sewing machine manufacturer. As soon as 1886 rolled around, Opel shifted gears toward producing bicycles but would find that, by 1899, a new demand was forming — the automobile industry. 

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Mercedes-Benz

Arguably one of the best-known names on this list, Mercedes-Benz has a unique history as the combination of two companies which wasn’t officially formed until 1926.

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Skoda Auto

Originally founded as Laurin & Klement in December 1895, this Czech-based automobile group wouldn’t actually begin car production in 1905. Like many companies that would become automobile manufacturers, Laurin & Klement started off producing bicycles and would do so for the next 15 years, when it changed its focus and began manufacturing automobiles.

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Land Rover

Go back in time to the year 1896 and you will find the introduction of the Land Rover brand, the 6th oldest car company in the world. To be more exact, you will find the Lancashire Steam Motor Company which was founded in 1896 and is the precursor to Land Rover. Lancashire would keep its name until 1907 when it became Leyland Motors.

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Renault

The time was February 1899 and three brothers, Louis, Marcel, and Fernand Renault established the Renault Corporation, which is the 7th oldest car company in history. Louis was the engineering-focused brother and it was his prototype automobile designs that he showed to his brothers when they decided to set up a business.

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Fiat

Originally known by its full name Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino, Fiat was the brainchild of Giovanni Agnelli in 1899. Today, Fiat is known as the largest automobile manufacturer in Italy and is currently a part of the Stellantis group of brands. 

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Ford

The founding of Ford is something of an interesting twist of fate and being at the right place at the right time. The origins of the company actually trace back to August 1899 when the Detroit Automobile Company was created by automotive mechanic Henry Food and 12 investors.

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Dodge

Originally founded as the Dodge Brothers Company, brothers Horace Elgin Dodge and John Francis Dodge would start their namesake business in 1900. Based in Detroit, the Dodge brothers took advantage of a growing automobile industry in the area and manufactured chassis and engine components for various automobile manufacturers.