In the automotive world, seven degrees of separation does not apply. If you connect all the major players via their joint ventures, licensing agreements and percentage-stakes of ownership, the degrees of separation should be reduced to something more like two. Visualizing these connections is difficult, but thanks to someone with way too much time on his or her hands, we don't have to. The colorful automotive family tree to the right breaks down the large automotive parental groups and their various children. GM takes up the most space on the chart, dwarfing Toyota. The chart also demonstrates that the split of Chrysler from Daimler broke up a once gigantic tree branch that heavily weighed down the industry. While it doesn't delve into too much detail, it does provide a somewhat manageable outline. Click on the image to view the chart in high resolution. Thanks for the tip, Mike!Gallery: Automotive Family Tree 2008
[Source: Too Many Cars]
New KITT Attack Mode revealed at Comic Con
London 2008: Honda OSM concept roadster says, "Cheerio!"
London 2008: Lotus unveils the Evora
2010 Chevy Camaro - Official Details and Images
2010 Chevy Camaro - LIVE from the reveal
In the Autoblog Garage: Aprilia RSV 1000 R
First Drive: Maserati Quattroporte S in Europe
First Drive: 2008 MINI Cooper S JCW
In the Autoblog Garage:2009 Nissan GT-R
North American Exclusive First Drive: Alfa MiTo
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
stang_fan @ Mar 30th 2008 7:21AM
"...GM takes up most of the space on the chart, dwarfing Toyota"
Do you suppose this is the case because:
1.) GM has been building cars for a longer period of time, and building them in more countries, than Toyota?
2.) GM and its subsidiaries/affliates have no qualms about doing joint ventures with other companies...even competitors?
3.) Both 1 and 2 ?
The only things GM and Toyota have (had?) in common? Both often build very conservative cars for the mass market and both are very top heavy with management.
Frank @ Mar 30th 2008 8:10AM
Actually FIAT takes up almost as much room as GM. The three biggest conglomerates (by number of companies) are GM, FIAT, and Volkswagen.
Now what we need is for someone to put together a time line chart for all the auto companies showing how some were merged into or bought out for others, similar to this one that for computer languages:
http://www.digibarn.com/collections/posters/tongues/ComputerLanguagesChart-med.png
Frank @ Mar 30th 2008 8:12AM
Sorry, that should be "bought out by others, similar to this one for computer languages:"
When are we going to get an editing feature?
why not the LS2LS7? @ Mar 30th 2008 3:20PM
There's one for British Leyland. And since British Leyland owned every significant British marque at one time or another, it functions pretty well as a history of the British portion of the auto industry.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Leyland
What?! @ Mar 30th 2008 10:01AM
Wow, GM owns LADA.
What?! @ Mar 30th 2008 10:02AM
Oops, I mean has a joint venture.
Me @ Mar 30th 2008 10:35AM
If I read this correctly they missed the deal between Lada (Avtovaz) and Renault.
Nacon @ Mar 30th 2008 11:16AM
Uhh... wait, since when Ford owns Volvo? Should be owned by GM.
Draaaainage! @ Mar 30th 2008 2:01PM
Uh, no, Volvo is part of Ford's PAG, as were Aston Martin and Land Rover until last week.
The only Swedish brand GM owns is Saab. (AFAIK)
why not the LS2LS7? @ Mar 30th 2008 3:24PM
GM owned Volvo Heavy Trucks at one time (or perhaps vice-versa).
Lemmiwinks (SSBBFC: 0903-2436-0891) @ Mar 31st 2008 12:25PM
bzzzzt - wrong. Thanks for playing, though. No parting gifts for you.
Joshua @ Mar 30th 2008 11:22AM
I think Soichiro Honda would be proud to see the small footprint his Honda brand leaves on a diagram like this. While budget and knowledge is a large factor, it would also be nice if other brands were more concerned with building on their goals rather than looking for other companies and technologies to buy out. This would help all brands out there.
Stéphane Dumas @ Mar 30th 2008 11:50AM
Honda had once a stake in British Leyland/MG-Rover to the early 1990s before BMW did its takeover, with models like the Triumph Acclain http://www.austin-rover.co.uk/lc9indexf.htm and the Rover Sterling who was based on some Honda models http://www.austin-rover.co.uk/sterlingf.htm and the sales of the 3.5L V6 to Saturn who used it for the VUE in 2005-2006.
Also, the "last" Isuzu cars was rebadged Hondas like the Isuzu Gemini from 1993 to 2000 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isuzu_Gemini
the_duke @ Mar 30th 2008 11:28AM
This chart is incorrect, it shows that Chrysler owns/has majority share of Mitsubishi, but they sold that off in 2005; Mitsubishi Motors is an independent company inside the Mitsubishi conglomerate and as such should have a separate spot for themselves.
the_duke @ Mar 30th 2008 11:30AM
I retract that, they show it as a joint venture with Chrysler. I guess Mitsu isn't big enough to warrant their own square.
Esprit bird @ Mar 30th 2008 11:38AM
Ford owns Volvo for now. Chrysler and Mitsu still have some kind of partnership going and have a few ties like the pick-up trucks.
Joshua @ Mar 30th 2008 12:00PM
I'm well aware of Honda's past as I've been a fan ever since I knew what an automobile was. Overall, compared much of their competition, they have dipped little into partnerships/ventures though, and never straight up bought out a company.
Stéphane Dumas @ Mar 30th 2008 11:58AM
here more family tree trivia like the Rootes/Peugeot-Citroen family tree
http://www.sunbeam.org.au/famtree.htm
and there should be a line connecting GM and Renault since the Opel-Vauxhall Monavo/Vivaro is a joint-venture project with Renault who sold them as the Master/Trafic
cxv @ Mar 30th 2008 3:14PM
TATA and FIAT have a joint venture in India and now are talking into developing Maserattis and Jags together.
tillmanmatthew @ Mar 30th 2008 3:57PM
I think Lotus licenses the Elise engine from Toyota too.