Top British Car Brands and Their Owners
The UK is home to several iconic British car brands, which have earned a reputation for their excellent craftsmanship, luxury, and performance.
From performance to luxury & classic vehicles, British car brands have played a key role in shaping the automotive industry. Thus, despite changes in ownership, these car brands represent a sense of British heritage and automotive passion.
Top British Car Brands & Their Owners
Below is the fascinating world of British car brands, their iconic models, & owners
Aston Martin
- Founding Date: 1913
- Head Office: Gaydon, Warwickshire, England
- Owner: A consortium led by Prodrive Motorsport Company
- Popular Models: Vantage, DB12, Vanquish, Valiant, DBX707, Valhalla, and Valkyrie
- Manufacturing Plant(s):
- Gaydon, Warwickshire: Aston Martin’s main manufacturing facility that produces models like the Vantage, DB11, and DBS Superleggera.
- St. Athan, Wales: This plant produces the Aston Martin DBX.
As one of the top British car brands, Aston Martin is synonymous with Luxury, Sports, and Grand tourers cars. The brand is incredibly famous for its association with James Bond films. Aston Martin is most famous for being the car that James Bond operates. As a result, it secured its reputation as an authentic British car brand. These cars have often been showcased as sophisticated, technologically advanced, and sleek.
Bentley
- Founding Date: 1919
- Head Office: Crewe, England
- Owner: Volkswagen Group
- Popular Models: Flying Spur, Continental GT, Bentayga, and Mulsanne
- Manufacturing Plant(s):
- Crewe, England: Primary manufacturing plant for Bentley vehicles. All significant models, including the Continental GT, Flying Spur, and Bentayga, are produced at the site.
It is another top British car brand known for its luxury vehicles that ooze luxury and sophistication. Bentley offers a range of cars catering to wealthy elites, from sedans to coupes. Volkswagen owns Bentley, which has further improved its engineering capabilities and global reach.
Read: Top 20 car brands in the Middle East.
Rolls Royce
- Founding Date: 1906
- Head Office: Goodwood, West Sussex, England
- Owner: BMW
- Popular Models: Phantom, Dawn, Spectre, Ghost, Cullinan, and Black Badge
- Manufacturing Plant(s):
- Goodwood, England: Primary manufacturing site for Rolls-Royce vehicles. All models, including the Phantom, Ghost, Cullinan, Dawn, and Wraith, are made at the site.
Rolls Royce is a British car brand that oozes extravagance and sophistication. Founded in 1906, the brand is known for its ultra-high-end cars. In 1998, BMW purchased Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
Jaguar
- Founding Date: 1922
- Head Office: Whitley, Coventry, England
- Owner: Tata Motors
- Popular Models: E-Pace, I-Pace, F-Pace, XE, XF
- Manufacturing Plant(s):
- Castle Bromwich Plant, Birmingham: This plant produces Jaguar sedans and sports cars, such as the XE, XF, and F-Type.
- Solihull Plant, West Midlands: Makes vehicles for Jaguar and Land Rover, including the electric Jaguar I-PACE.
- Halewood Plant, Merseyside, UK): This plant produces some of Jaguar’s crossover models, like the Jaguar E-PACE and some Land Rover models.
With a history dating back to 1922, Jaguar is a well-established British car brand specializing in building premium luxury vehicles and sedans. The brand is part of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), which has been owned by Tata Motors since 2008.
Land Rover
- Founding Date: 1948
- Head Office: Coventry, England
- Owner: Tata Motors
- Popular Models: Range Rover, Discovery, and Defender
- Manufacturing Plant(s):
- The Solihull plant: Produces a variety of models, including the Land Rover Discovery, Range Rover, and Range Rover Sport.
- The Halewood Plant: Makes the Range Rover Evoque and Discovery Sport.
- The Castle Bromwich Plant: Manufactures some Land Rover models.
Land Rover is a British brand known for manufacturing SUVs, special vehicles, and four-wheel-drive vehicles. Initially introduced by the Rover Company in 1948, it has become synonymous with luxury and rugged, off-road capability. Tata purchased Land Rover simultaneously with Jaguar, combining them to form a single company in 2013.
Mini
- Founding Date: 1959
- Head Office: Munich, Germany
- Owner: BMW
- Popular Models: Mini Cooper, Mini Countryman, Mini Clubman, and Mini Electric (Mini SE)
- Manufacturing Plant(s):
- The Oxford Plant, Oxford: Key Mini production facility that produces the Mini Cooper and Mini Clubman.
A globally recognized icon, MINI is famous for its stylish, trendy, nicely packaged small cars. BMW acquired the brand in 1994.
Lotus
- Founding Date: 1948
- Head Office: Hethel, Norfolk, England
- Owner: Geely Holding (51%) & Etika Automotive (49%)
- Popular Models: Lotus Emira, Lotus Evija, Lotus Eletre, and Lotus Emeya
- Manufacturing Plant(s):
- Hethel Plant: Located in Norfolk, Lotus’s Hethel facility is the primary production facility. The plant produces various Lotus models, including the Evora and Emira.
Lotus Cars is a top British car brand known for sportive & racing vehicles. The brand specializes in creating street vehicles and delivering racing autos for clients.
Morgan
- Founding Date: 1910
- Head Office: Malvern, Worcestershire
- Owner: Investindustrial & Morgan family
- Popular Models: Super 3, Plus Four, Plus Six, and Midsummer
- Manufacturing Plant(s):
- Malvern Link Plant: This facility in Worcestershire is Morgan’s primary production site, where they produce their models.
Morgan Motor Company is a British manufacturer of sports cars known for its unique, classic designs. Founded in 1909c, Morgan has maintained its commitment to traditional manufacturing methods while incorporating modern technologies.
Vauxhall
- Founding Date: 1857
- Head Office: Chalton, Bedfordshire, England
- Owner: Stellantis
- Popular Models: Astra, Corsa, Mokka, Insignia, Combo, Movano, Vivaro, and others.
- Manufacturing Plant(s):
- Ellesmere Port, Cheshire: Primarily produces the Vauxhall Astra.
- Luton Plant, Bedfordshire: Vauxhall’s commercial vehicles, including the Vauxhall Vivaro and Movano, are produced there.
Vauxhall Motors is a British car brand that has been producing cars for over 100 years. Founded in 1857, it is known for its range of passenger vehicles and commercial vans. In addition, it is a subsidiary of Stellantis, formed from the merger of PSA Group and FCA in 2021.
McLaren
- Founding Date: 1985
- Head Office: Woking, England, UK
- Owner: McLaren Group
- Popular Models: Supercars, GTS, LT, Ultimate, Legacy
- Manufacturing Plant(s):
- Woking Plant, Surrey: McLaren’s primary manufacturing site responsible for producing all McLaren models.
McLaren is a British car manufacturer that produces high-performance sports cars and supercars. Founded in 1985, McLaren initially gained fame through its involvement in Formula 1 racing, where it continues to compete.
MG Motor
- Founding Date: 1924
- Head Office: Shanghai, China
- Owner: SAIC Motor
- Popular Models: MG Cyberster, MG4 EV XPOWER, MG4 EV, MG ZS EV, MG5 EV Long Range, MG3 Hybrid+, MG ZS Hybrid+
- Manufacturing Plant(s): From 2007 to 2016, the brand produced cars at the Longbridge plant in the UK before shifting to sourcing vehicles directly from China.
MG Motor is a British car brand that produces affordable cars and SUVs. SAIC Motor bought the brand in December 2007. MG’s cars are known for their reliability and affordability, so the company is expanding its presence in the UK and European markets.
Ariel
- Founding Date: 1991
- Head Office: Crewkerne, Somerset, England
- Owner: Ariel Motor Company
- Popular Models: Atom, Nomad, and Dash
- Manufacturing Plant(s):
- Ariel Factory, Somerset: Located in Crewkerne, Somerset, the Ariel factory is the company’s leading production site that produces all Ariel vehicles, including Atom, Nomad, and others.
Situated in Somerset, Ariel is a small car manufacturer. The company primarily focuses on sports cars and track-focused vehicles.
TVR
- Founding Date: 1946
- Head Office: Walliswood, Surrey, England
- Owner: Alliance of British Businessmen & Welsh Government (3%)
- Popular Models: TVR Griffith & TVR Griffith EV
- Manufacturing Plant(s):
- Grevillia Works, Blackpool: TVR’s primary production facility in Blackpool where they assemble their vehicles
TVR is a British manufacturer of lightweight sports cars with powerful engines. Despite its rich history, the company’s future remains uncertain due to intense competition from China.
