From Detroit To Tokyo: Where Every Major Automaker Is Actually Headquartered

BMW, Ford, Toyota, and more—here’s where the world's biggest car companies are located.

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

By: Jeff Perez

Nov 6, at 2:00pm ET

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The auto industry is global. A car designed in Germany might be assembled in the United States and sold under a brand owned by a company based in Japan. With so many moving parts, it's not always easy to keep track of where everything actually comes from.

Sure, most enthusiasts probably know that Ford is American, Ferrari is Italian, and Toyota is Japanese. But not every automaker's roots are quite as obvious. Some brands have changed ownership over the years, while others have moved their corporate headquarters far from where they first got started (looking at you, Stellantis).

So, where are the world's biggest automakers actually based? We've rounded up the major manufacturers and some of the industry's most recognizable brands, breaking them down by region and listing the cities and countries they call home.

America

The United States is home to some of the world's most recognizable automakers, and Detroit remains the heart of the American auto industry. General Motors and Ford both call the Motor City home, or at least the suburbs just outside it.

But the modern American automotive industry stretches beyond Michigan. Electric startups like Tesla and Rivian have set up shop in California and Texas, while a few once-proud American automakers have moved their headquarters overseas entirely.

Acura

Torrance, California

Chrysler

Auburn Hills, Michigan

Dodge

Auburn Hills, Michigan

Jeep

Auburn Hills, Michigan

Ram

Auburn Hills, Michigan

Ford Motor Company

Dearborn, Michigan

General Motors

Detroit, Michigan

Lucid Motors

Newark, California

Rivian

Irvine, California

Scout Motors

Charlotte, North Carolina

Slate Auto

Troy, Michigan

Tesla

Austin, Texas

China

China has quickly become one of the world's biggest automotive markets, and its automakers are expanding well beyond the country's borders. Most Americans are probably familiar with names like BYD and Geely, but there are dozens of other major manufacturers operating across China.

Interestingly, many of these companies are concentrated in just a handful of cities. Shenzhen, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou have all become major automotive hubs, especially as China's electric vehicle industry continues to grow.

BYD Auto

Shenzhen, China

Changan Automobile

Chongqing, China

Chery Automobile

Wuhu, China

Dongfeng Motor Corporation

Wuhan, China

FAW Group

Changchun, China

Great Wall Motor

Baoding, China

Guangzhou Automobile Group

Guangzhou, China

Leapmotor

Hangzhou, China

Li Auto

Beijing, China

Nio

Shanghai, China

SAIC Motor

Shanghai, China

Seres Group

Chongqing, China

Smart

Ningbo, China

Xiaomi Auto

Beijing, China

XPeng

Guangzhou, China

Zhejiang Geely Holding Group

Hangzhou, China

Europe

Europe is home to some of the world's most recognizable luxury and performance automakers. Germany, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom all have deep automotive roots, and many of their biggest manufacturers are still headquartered in the same cities where they got their start.

Germany is especially important, with Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche all calling the country home. Italy, meanwhile, is home to iconic names like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati, while the United Kingdom remains a major hub for luxury and specialty automakers.

Alfa Romeo

Turin, Italy

Alpine

Boulogne-Billancourt, France

Aston Martin

Gaydon, United Kingdom

Audi

Ingolstadt, Germany

Bentley

Crewe, United Kingdom

Bugatti

Molsheim, France

BMW

Munich, Germany

Caterham

Dartford, United Kingdom

Citroen

Poissy, France

Cupra

Martorell, Spain

Dacia

Mioveni, Romania

DS Automobiles

Poissy, France

Ferrari

Maranello, Italy

Fiat

Turin, Italy

Ineos Automotive

London, United Kingdom

Jaguar Land Rover

Whitley, Coventry, United Kingdom

Koenigsegg

Ängelholm, Sweden

Lamborghini

Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy

Lancia

Turin, Italy

Maserati

Modena, Italy

Mercedes-Benz

Stuttgart, Germany

McLaren Automotive

Woking, Surrey, England

Mini

Munich, Germany

Morgan Motor Company

Malvern, United Kingdom

Opel

Rüsselsheim am Main, Germany

Pagani

San Cesario sul Panaro, Italy

Peugeot

Poissy, France

Porsche

Stuttgart, Germany

Renault

Boulogne-Billancourt, France

Rimac

Sveta Nedelja, Croatia

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Goodwood, United Kingdom

Seat

Martorell, Spain

Škoda

Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic

Stellantis

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Vauxhall

Luton, England

Volkswagen

Wolfsburg, Germany

Volvo

Gothenburg, Sweden

Zenvo

Præstø, Denmark

India

India has grown into one of the world's largest automotive markets, with several manufacturers building vehicles for both domestic buyers and international markets. Tata Motors and Mahindra are two of the country's biggest names, while Maruti Suzuki dominates the affordable passenger car segment.

Mumbai is also home to two of India's most important automakers: Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra.

Force Motors

Pune, India

Mahindra & Mahindra

Mumbai, India

Tata Motors

Mumbai, India

Japan

Japan is home to some of the world's largest automakers. Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Mazda are all household names, with vehicles sold in nearly every major market around the globe.

Unlike the American auto industry, which is largely centered around Detroit, Japan's biggest manufacturers are spread across several cities. Toyota is headquartered in Toyota City, while Honda and Nissan call Tokyo and Yokohama home, respectively.

Daihatsu

Ikeda, Osaka, Japan

Hino

Tokyo, Japan

Honda

Tokyo, Japan

Isuzu Motors

Yokohama, Japan

Lexus

Toyota City, Aichi, Japan

Mazda

Hiroshima, Japan

Mitsubishi Motors

Tokyo, Japan

Nissan Motor Corporation

Yokohama, Japan

Subaru

Tokyo, Japan

Suzuki Motor Corporation

Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan

Toyota

Toyota City, Aichi, Japan

South Korea

South Korea has one major automotive conglomerate that dominates its domestic market: Hyundai Motor Group. The company controls Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis, three brands that have become increasingly popular in international markets.

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Seoul is the center of the country's automotive industry, with Hyundai Motor Group and Kia both headquartered in the capital.

Hyundai Motor Group

Seoul, Korea

KG Mobility

Pyeongtaek, Korea

Vietnam

Vietnam may not have the same automotive legacy as Japan or Germany, but it's quickly making a name for itself in the global car industry. Its biggest automaker, VinFast, was founded in 2017 and has wasted little time expanding into international markets, including the United States.