Nissan

One of Japan's largest automakers is now a pillar of one of the global powerhouses: the Renault-Nissan Alliance. But Nissan itself dates to 1914. Japan was devastated by the Second World War, so after the war it paired with Austin of the U.K. to build Sevens. Eventually, Nissan built its own cars. By 1966, it was big enough to absorb rival Prince Motor Company, from which it acquired the Skyline that would become the compan's halo car (now known as the GT-R). It has sold cars in the U.S. since 1958, under the Datsun nameplate until 1986. Currently, Nissan's star player is the Rogue crossover, but it's a full-line manufacturer producing everything from the Versa to the Armada.