The Biggest Car Company Acquisitions Ever!
General Motors acquired Cadillac in 1909 to expand its luxury car lineup. In 1964, Volkswagen purchased Auto Union, bringing the Audi brand under its control. Fiat bought a 50% stake in Ferrari in 1969, gaining entry into the high-performance market while allowing Ferrari to retain autonomy in motorsports. Volkswagen later acquired Lamborghini in 1998 through Audi, further solidifying its position in luxury sports cars. That same year, Daimler-Benz merged with Chrysler, creating DaimlerChrysler, a partnership that eventually dissolved in 2007. Renault acquired a 36.8% stake in Nissan in 1999, forming a long-standing alliance that would also include Mitsubishi. BMW secured full ownership of Rolls-Royce in 2003, while Tata Motors bought Jaguar Land Rover from Ford in 2008, marking India's presence in the luxury sector. Chinese automaker Geely acquired Volvo in 2010, giving the Swedish company access to new markets. Volkswagen also completed its acquisition of Porsche in 2012, consolidating control over the sports car maker. Lastly, in 2021, Fiat Chrysler and PSA Group merged to form Stellantis, one of the world’s largest automakers.