AUDI

Founder : August Horch. Previously known as : Horch's It has also garnered acclaim on the racing track including one for Top Speed Endurance. Audi is currently enjoying a privileged position and large market share. It is predicted to reach the production threshold of 1 million units by the end of this year.

BMW
Founder : Karl Friedrich Rapp in October 1913 Previously known as : Bavarian Motor Works BMW had not focused on a vehicle as a whole but started from its primary source of power, the engine. Logo represents mimicking the motion of a white propeller on a sky-blue background. from 1920 to 1922, BMW built two motorcycle models, the Victoria and the Flink. Two-wheeled vehicles quickly turned into four-wheeled ones in 1928.

In 1929, BMW build a new motorcycle-speed record through their Ernst Henne ridden 750 cc bike, that reached the speed of 134.65 mph (216.75 km/h).

Mercedes- Benz
Founder : Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler. The name Mercedes adopted from daughter's name of a wealthy Austrian business man Emil Jellinek. In 1908, won the French Grand Prix. First hybrid vehicle was manufactured in 1900's, when the Mercedes Mixte range was released. It holds record of crossing 200 km/h barrier which is probably the most notable. World's first diesel truck OB 2 was revealed in 1923 and 1924. World's first diesel-run passenger car 260 D model was launched in 1936.

During the 50's, Mercedes Benz produced some of their best looking cars ever such as the 190 and 300 SL. By the time the 80's came, Mercedes Benz were among the first to introduce the closed-loop three-way catalytic converter in 1985. Mercedes Benz was the first to fit ABS and ESP systems on its cars.

OPEL
Founder : Adam Opel in 1863. The first model had been introduced at the Hamburg Motor Show in 1902. In 1913 they had already become the biggest cheap & reliable car manufacturer in Germany and continued upto 1928. By 1930 Opel was the largest manufacturer of cars in Europe. As Vectra, the most successful model is launched in 1988, Opel introduces catalytic converters on all its cars.

In 2000, Opel begins production of the Agila, a microvan, the first of its kind in Germany. At present it is a part of General Motors.

PORSCHE
Founder : Dr. Ing. Ferdinand Porsche in 1931. In 2006 it won the most prestigious automobile brand for over 70 years of excellence. First model introduced was Porsche 64 developed in 1939. Beetle was one of the most famous cars in history, one of the best sold. During WW-II the Porsche factory turned to making vehicles for the German Army. Ferry Porsche followed the footstep after death of his father in1951 and continued designing cars. A new technological leap was made in 1988 when the 911 Carrera 4 with all-wheel drive was introduced on the market.

In 1991, Porsche becomes the first car manufacturer to fit driver and passenger airbags on all its models. In 2002 Porsche entered the SUV market with the unconventional Cayenne.

Volkswagen
Founded in : May 28th 1937. The headquarters established in Wolfsburgto to fulfil Hitler's dream car for the average German, designed by Ferdinand Porsche. Type 1, the Beetle gained popularity with the young crowd and from 1945 to 1955 numbers reached the 1 million mark. On February 17th 1972, Volkswagen celebrated selling over 15 million units of the Beetle sold, thus surpassing the Ford Model T as the most popular car in the world, a title which it still holds to this day.

For the smaller car market, the German car maker came up with the Polo in 1976, which was quite popular throughout Western Europe.