Have You Heard of These Lesser-Known Car Manufacturers?
Audi, Toyota, Honda, GMC, Ford, Volkswagen, BMW, Porsche, etc. — surely you’re at least familiar with these popular car brands that permeate many different countries around the world. While the United States sells millions of models of car brands both foreign and domestic, when you consider the global car market at large, what we commonly see driving around our American roads really only scratches the surface of what’s out there.
Carrying On The Porsche Legacy Through Pasadena Porsche Repair
Perhaps you have seen a specialty-imported vehicle on the road during your day-to-day travels, but even then, those tend to be exceptions. While Porsche is no doubt a German car company with strong roots in German motorsport, we’re fortunate that there are plenty of Porsche enthusiasts like us here at HOUSE Automotive. Why? This means that the Porsche driving experience — second to none, in our biased opinion — is available for everyone in the states to enjoy. Naturally, it is our privilege and honor to help carry on Porsche’s incredible legacy through our expert factory maintenance and generalized Porsche repair services.
If your Porsche needs anything at all, please don’t hesitate to contact our Pasadena Porsche mechanics today with any questions about how we can assist you. You can also schedule an appointment online today.
Read below to check out some of these rather interesting car brands that you may or may not be familiar with.
Citroën
This major French automobile manufacturer is nothing special across the ocean, having been around since 1919. Citroën has produced countless vehicles for the European market, and has also been heavily involved in the rally sport scene. The Traction Avant, originally launched in 1934, was actually the world’s first mass-produced front wheel drive car, as well as the first to utilize a unitary type body (in which there was no actual chassis holding the mechanical components in place).
Lancia
When it comes to manufacturers who really, really have their roots set in the rally sport scene, Lancia really sets the standard. Indeed, the Lancia Rally was a genuine mid-engine sports car that brought the brand total rallying success in the 1980s — so much so, in fact, that within World Rallycross, Lancia is, statistically, the most successful marque to this date.
Unlike other Italian car manufacturers like Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Lamborghini or Ferrari, you won’t find any Lancias driving around the states. In fact, today, they aren’t even sold outside of Italy itself.
Reliant Motors
Reliant was (keyword: was) a British car manufacturer originally based in Tamworth of Staffordshire, England. Chances are, the average American only knows about Reliant Motors because of a particularly quirky model that they made in the 70s and 80s: the Reliant Robin. This is due to the fact that then-BBC’s Top Gear did a hilarious special on the Robin, a notoriously unstable three-wheeled vehicle that featured two wheels in the back and one at the front. This caused a number of…stability issues, shall we say, for the Robin. Right after the first turn, it didn’t go so well for Jeremy Clarkson.
The brand has since been defunct since 2002, but it did make for some quality entertainment, to be sure!
Luxgen
A brand stemming from the Taiwan-based Yulon Motor, the background of the Luxgen utilizes parts from Nissan, GM, Mercedes-Benz, and Mitsubishi — really just a smorgasbord of car manufacturers from around the world. The name “Luxgen” is, apparently, a combination of the words “luxury” and “genius,” though the name really comes off as the name for a fancy oxygen bar (or something like that).
SEAT
A subsidiary of the much-more-popular automotive conglomerate Volkswagen, this Spanish car manufacturer stands for “Sociedad Española de Automóviles de Turismo.” While that’s quite the mouthful for a simple car manufacturer, the company actually shares a fairly extensive history of 67 years. Selling some 536,462 units in 2017, you won’t really see any SEAT vehicles in the states, but the brand does export their vehicles to a rather impressive seventy countries worldwide.
Isuzu Motors
Maybe you’ve seen an Isuzu out on the road, maybe you haven’t — or maybe you just haven’t noticed one before. That could be because the brand has died out in the United States over the years, with a fairly stark decline in popularity in the mid-to-late 2000s. The bread and butter of the Isuzu brand actually lies in commercial vehicle production with an emphasis on diesel engines. Originally founded as a petroleum company, Isuzu has actually been around since 1878. That’s well before the original Ford Model T!
Renault
Another major French automotive manufacturer, Renault is far from new to the scene. Originally established in 1899, Renault has produced everything from cars and vans to trucks, tractors, buses, and even autorail vehicles. Talk about a true transportation-oriented company!
Back in 2016, Renault ranked as the ninth larger automaker in the world in terms of volume. They’re also associated with other major automotive brands including Nissan and Mitsubishi.
Specializing In The Brand You Know And Trust: Porsche!
We’re happy to drive just about anything being the gearheads that we are, but when it comes to something that we’re truly passionate about, nothing compares to the driving experience that a Porsche delivers — and our valued customers agree! Working hard to keep your Porsche in tip-top shape through our independent Porsche repair in Pasadena and the greater Los Angeles area, HOUSE Automotive is committed to you and your vehicle. Learn more about our independent Porsche repair services today!
