The first automobile can be dated all the way back to 1808. It is safe to say that the automobile industry has developed steadily over the past two centuries. With time, car brands, both old and new, have combined function and design to create impressive vehicles that fi t all the needs and expectations of consumers, and even surpass those.

Below is a list of the best luxury car brands in the automobile industry that have proven their mettle over the years. Delve into the history of each brand and look at what sets them apart.

Porsche 

The Germany-based automobile manufacturer Porsche, headquartered in the city of Stuttgart, was founded in 1931 by Ferdinand Porsche. The logo features the coat of arms of the Free People’s State of Württemberg, and the brand specializes in high-performance sports vehicles, sedans, and SUVs. With a rich German history and timeless design, Porsche has maintained a reputation as one of the most recognizable, top luxury brands in the world. Models Cayenne and 911 continue to be the top-selling options in North America and Germany.

Tesla 

Founded in 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning (soon after that, Elon Musk became the chair and largest shareholder of the company), Tesla Motors Inc. has rapidly become one of the most valuable automakers and companies in the world. The luxury car brand focuses on electric vehicles operating on electric batteries fuelled by clean energy. Tesla — named after the inventive engineer Nikola Tesla — has headquarters in Austin, Texas. With a variety of models including Model S, Model X, and The Roadster, Tesla has made an undeniable impact on the electric automobile industry which is also visible in its market capitalization that for a while crossed a trillion dollars last year.

Mercedes-Benz 

With origins tracing all the way back to 1844, Carl Benz made his invention of the first internal combustion engine in what is widely recognized as the world’s first practical automobile, the Benz Patent-Motorwagen. In 1901, Mercedes-Benz was o- icially marketed by Daimler-Motoren-Gesellscha (DMG) and later trademarked in 1902, with the namesake of automobile entrepreneur Emil Jellinek’s daughter, Mercedes. Since then, Mercedes-Benz has maintained its position as one of the world’s top luxury automobile brands, featuring five core models: A, B, C, E, and S series.

BMW

Founded in 1916 by the Munich-based firm Rapp Motorenwerke GmbH, later renamed to Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, the abbreviated BMW features a distinctive emblem of a rotating propeller that honours the company’s roots as an aircraft producer. The iconic logo incorporates the Bavarian state colours, and it has become a true symbol of luxury, with the car brand producing 10 distinct model groupings, with its Series 3 line of compact sedans being the best-selling vehicle of all time for it.

Audi

In 1899, August Horch founded his first automobile company in Cologne, Germany, by the name of August Horch & Cie. Soon a er, this company led to the development of an additional automobile company, Audiwerke AG, which marked the birth of Audi’s modern name. The luxury car brand features a logo of four interlocking rings, which symbolizes the merging of four German-based automobile manufacturers that came together to create Audi Union AG. The Audi brand has become a world-class luxury automobile brand that is known for creating vehicles that combine technology, performance, and high-quality interior design. Its best-selling model is the Audi Q7.

Lexus

Lexus is Japanese car maker Toyota’s luxury division. Eiji Toyoda, the chairman of Toyota, founded Lexus on the principle of wanting to create the world’s best car. In 1983, the Lexus LS 400 Toyota entered the luxury market. Since then, Lexus has produced over 13 different standard models, with hybrid variations. The automaker’s best-selling vehicle remains the Lexus RX luxury SUV model.

Ferrari

Ferrari S.p.A is the Italian luxury sports car maker founded by Enzo Ferrari in Maranello, Italy. The prestigious brand released its first badged luxury vehicle in 1940 and is widely recognized for its impeccable style, design, and participation in Formula One racing. Since its release in 1987, the Ferrari F40 is known to be the one of the best-selling models by the automaker and the last Ferrari personally approved by Enzo himself.

Lamborghini

The ever-luxurious Lamborghini automaker was founded in 1963 in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy, by Ferrucio Lamborghini, after he experienced difficulties with his Ferrari. The brand features a bull, which is a symbol of Lamborghini’s zodiac sign, the Taurus. Since its founding, Lamborghini has established itself as one of the world’s most luxurious car brands with a reputation for prestige and cutting-edge design. The Italian automaker’s best-selling vehicle globally remains to be the Urus SUV since its release in 2017.

Arnav Khosla | Contributing Writer