Audi's beginnings date back to the late 1800s. Audi AG has built more than 15 million Audi models over the past four decades, and is currently owned by Volkswagen AG.

Bavarian Motor Works (BMW) was founded in 1916 for the purpose of building aircraft engines. After expanding to motorcycles in the early 1920s, the first BMW automobile was produced in 1928. BMW Group currently owns MINI and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

Karl Benz was granted a patent for the world's first motor car in 1886. In 1901 Daimler acquired the rights to the name Mercedes. In 1926 Daimler and Benz merged. In 1998 Daimler-Benz AG bought Chrysler Corporation to form DaimlerChrysler AG. In May 2007, DaimlerChrysler sold Chrysler Corp. In October 2007, DC was renamed Daimler AG.

In 1931 the Porsche marque was established in Germany by Ferdinand Porsche, Jr., and in 1948 the first automobile to wear the Porsche name, the 356 Roadster, was produced. The 911 was introduced in 1963, and is still in production today.

VW started as a dream of Ferdinand Porsche. He had a vision about building a car that everybody could afford. Today, Volkswagen AG also owns Audi, Bentley Motors and Bugatti, among others.