The automobile has become an everyday object, entering the life of almost everyone. It isn’t easy to imagine the existence of humanity without it. However, it has not always been so. At the time of the first self-propelled machines, and then during the formation of the very first cars, they were not available to everyone and belonged more to the luxury item. But their history is as interesting as the history of those who invented, developed, and founded car companies, brands. It will allow you to develop your intellectual level and see the relationship between how humanity evolved, and with it, the automotive industry.
What car brands that start with Z?
There are a lot of car brands that start with the letter “Z” among Eastern manufacturers from China and Japan. But even among them, some are widely known, and those who have worked mainly in the domestic market. These are British Zenos Cars and Zenvo Automotive from Denmark, the Soviet ZIS, and the now-defunct Polish Zuk. And many other companies, about which you can find out by visiting the special automotive information resources.
Interestingly, for nearly a century and a half of its development, this form of transport twice began to use electricity. The first electric cars were created at the dawn of the development of self-propelled transport – in parallel with the steam engine and at the beginning of internal combustion engines. But after electricity was superseded by combustible fuel, it was forgotten about for more than a hundred years. And only in the XXI century realized how much more economical and environmentally friendly this method of obtaining energy is. And few people know, except for experts, that the body elements were made in the twenties of metal and fiberglass, which for many today is a revelation.
And all of this is just a small part of what today is gradually receding into the past, getting lost in the depth of the past years, becoming not just a distant history, but in most cases, a lost part of the development of civilization. Much information about the first steps of the automobile industry has already been lost. More and more often, you come across only scrappy mentions of certain car brands or company names. One has to collect everything in bits and pieces from parallel sources – from old newspapers, memoirs, or antique postcards and photos. And a very big and useful work is done by those who find, process, supplement and arrange this material in a convenient alphabetical order, allowing you to quickly find the right brand or information to the letter “Z” or any other, preserving such an important history of the car.
Zagato
The Italian independent car body and car design company Zagato was founded in 1919 in Milan, Italy, by entrepreneur Ugo Zagato. He wanted to introduce the methods of aeronautics in the automobile industry. The first was to reduce weight through lightweight aluminum bodies, which attracted many famous manufacturers – Alfa Romeo, Ansaldo, Bugatti, Diatto, Fiat, Isotta Fraschini, Lancia, Maserati, OM, and even Rolls-Royce. In the 30s, aerodynamics became a hobbyhorse of the brand. During World War II, Ugo Zagato built trucks and military equipment and created Monterosa in Saronno. Today the brand continues to innovate in materials and forms of bodies.
Zender Company
The Italian brand Zender Company has gained fame with its concept sports cars, representing the Zender Fact 4 coupe, created in 1989. The brand was founded in 1969 to modify the ready cars and development, production of the body kits, interior interiors. In 1974, Ford Werke AG and Volkswagen AG became customers of the company. In 1977, the distribution network covered more than 40 countries. Until 2006, the brand maintained a partnership with Opel. The company was developing and opening new divisions in 2005, merging into Zen Tec Automotive GmbH. The offices are located in Osnabruck, Germany, and Caorle, Italy.
Zenos Cars
Zenos Cars is a car manufacturing company headquartered in Wymondham, United Kingdom. It was founded by Ansar Ali and Mark Edwards, former employees of Lotus Cars and Caterham Cars, in 2012. The name was formed from two parts – zen (purity) and os (spine, base). The brand originally designed and produced three hand-assembled Zenos E10 modifications. In 2017, a consortium with Alan Lubinsky’s AC Cars acquired the brand with all of its assets. The reorganization will keep its headquarters in the UK, and production will be moved to South Africa.
Zenvo
One of the more expensive cars in this category was produced by Danish car brand Zenvo Automotive of Presto, founded in 2004. The company is the first company in the country of this type of production. The company’s creation included the beginning of the development and production of unique light sports cars with a limited output while respecting the individual design for each customer. Troels Vollertsen and Christian Brandt founded the company. In 2008, the first Zenvo ST1 prototype was assembled. Production began in 2019 when the car received the title of Supercar of the Year. Fifteen cars were sold at once. In 2015, the production of Zenvo TS1 began.
Zarooq Motors
Zarooq Motors is a car manufacturing company from the United Arab Emirates, whose office is located in Dubai was founded in 2014. The company is the first company in the country’s history to start producing chassis, bodies, and serial production of cars. The brand name was chosen by the fastest snake. The brand focuses on the affluent category of consumers, creating an exclusive line of supercars of the “luxury” category. The main difference between the brand products is the consideration of local conditions. All Zarooq cars can be applied on city roads and in off-road and desert conditions.
Zhi Nuo
A joint German-Chinese car manufacturing venture, Zhi Nuo is a joint venture between BMW and Brilliance Automotive. The new car brand was founded in 2013 to produce luxury cars for the Chinese domestic market. The first line of cars was the Zinoro models, developed by Brilliance Automotive as a premium electric car. They were the first cars on the market that featured a combination of “caring for its owner,” respectful, and contemporary.
Zhongtong
Chinese bus brand Zhongtong Bus Holding Co., Ltd. was founded in 1958 in Liaocheng, China. Today it is the largest manufacturer in the country. At the time of its formation, the brand was engaged in automobile production and repair. In 1971 it was reoriented to the production of buses. The current name – Zhongtong Bus – was approved in 1998. The company’s product line includes lightweight 6-meter buses, medium-sized general-purpose buses, and deluxe models of 18 meters, represented by various modifications. Now the production line has been supplemented with trolleybuses. In 2021 a modern prototype LCK6126E was presented.
ZAZ
ZAZ (Zaporizhia Automobile Building Plant) – known in Soviet times as AvtoZAZ producer of the “people’s” compact car Zaporozhets. Today the enterprise, founded in 1923 in USSR, is situated in the same city and on the same facilities – in Zaporizhia, but only in the state of Ukraine. Before the crisis in the country, the company produced buses, trucks, and Chevy cars. Now the production exists due to assembling Russian-made cars from the supplied components. By 2022 it is planned to produce Mercedes buses under the contract with the brand.
Zotye Auto
Zotye Auto, a privately owned Chinese automobile manufacturer, was founded in 2005 by Ying Jianren in Yongkang, Zhejiang, China. The brand is part of the Zotye Holding Group. The company has gained fame by mass copying the best car models of the world’s leading brands, producing them under different brands of its design. Initially, the company produced auto parts and gradually shifted to complete cars. The first was the off-road Zotye RX6400, after receiving a license from Daihatsu, which became the Zotye Nomad. In 2021, the brand declared bankruptcy proceedings.
Zastava
In 1953, the Yugoslav automobile brand Zastava was founded in Kragujevac, Serbia. Today it is a joint venture between the state of Serbia and Fiat. Based on Fiat, the brand has created its cars since 1955, distributing them to the European market. In the 1970s, the market has grown to North-South America. In 2008 the company was reoriented to the production of weapons – combat, and sports, as the car production in the country did not meet the needs of the EU.
Zagross Khodro
Zagross Khodro, founded in Borujerd in 1996, is the Iranian automobile manufacturer for the domestic market. The brand is headquartered in Teheran, Iran. In close cooperation with the New Zealand company Proton, the Proton Wira and Proton Gen-2 were created in different versions – sedans and hatchbacks. Today, the brand’s capacity allows the production of up to 50,000 cars per year. The company is looking for joint ventures to produce cars that it is ready to offer for assembly in its facilities in the future.
Zbrojovka Brno
The Czech manufacturer Zbrojovka Brno was founded in the 19th century in Austro-Hungarian as the defense factory ‘Austro-Hungarian Artillery Factory,’ which produced artillery pieces. In 1918, after nationalization, the company was renamed the Czechoslovak arms factory in Brno. Today the brand is known for its variety of products – firearms, agricultural machinery, computing equipment, and office equipment. After constructing a new factory in 1924, the production of passenger cars Zbrojovka Z 5 and light trucks Z 18 began. After the war, the production of tractors Zetor Z-25 was started. Today the defense part is closed.
Zedel
Zédel was a Swiss automobile manufacturer from 1901 to 1908. Founded in Ernest Zürcher and Herman Lüthi as Zürcher & Lüthi & Cie SA in Saint-Aubin-Sauges. The company was engaged in the manufacture of motorcycle engines. In 1903, a new production facility was opened in Pontarlier on the French side. Having gained unlimited access to French automotive developers and facilities, the founder closes the Swiss branch. During this period, the brand produced cars under the brand name Zedels. Having ceased development in 1908, the brand sold its cars until 1919.
ZiL
The ZiL automobile company was the heir to the Russian government’s program to establish automobile production in the country in 1916. The plant was known as ZiS in 1933, and in 1954 it was named after its first Soviet leader, becoming the Likhachev Plant, acquiring the acronym ZiL, whose line of trucks is now known throughout the world.
Zimmer
Zimmer, an American automaker from Syracuse, New York, was founded in 1978 by Paul Zimmer as Zimmer Motorcars Corporation. On its base were created non-classical cars. During its ten years of existence, the brand produced 1500 cars. To create the famous Golden Spirit used the chassis and transmission from the Ford Mustang. In 1984, the two-seat luxury car Pontiac Fiero Quicksilver was released. The company was closed in 1988. In 1996, Art Zimmer’s namesake founded a new Zimmer Motorcars, buying the name. In 1997 the brand became known as Zimmer Motor Car Company, with an office in Jamesville, New York.
ZIS
Under the brand name ZIS, for some time, cars were produced in the USSR, which had the name of Stalin – the then leader of the state. Founded in the Russian Empire in 1916 as a joint Russian-foreign venture, it was focused on the defense industry. After the civil war, it started producing light trucks AMO. In 1933, the plant was reorganized and named after Stalin, and its products acquired the abbreviation “ZIS .”After Stalin died in 1954, the plant was renamed after Likhachev – its first leader. The logo became the name “ZIL.”
Zundapp
Zundapp is a German manufacturing company from Nuremberg, Germany, founded in 1917 by Fritz Neumeier. The brand is one of the leading manufacturers of motorcycles, scooters, and sewing machines in the country. It gained its place in the ranks of German automakers thanks to the Zündapp Janus, a small-capacity mini-car produced in 1957 for a year. It became the company’s only product in this type of production. Its production was driven by the search for new areas after the war. A Dornier Delta prototype was used to develop the model.
Zust
Zust is an Italian car company originally called Züst, as it was founded by Italian of Swiss descent Roberto Züst in 1905. The founder began creating experimental cars in 1900 in Milan. The basis was his factory of high-precision tools in Intra. The first machines were different bulky and high price. Three years later, less heavy 5-liter cars were created, such as Zust 28/45 HP. In 1906 a parallel company Brixia-Zust was opened, which closed in 1912. The main plant in Milan was sold. In 1917 the company was bought by Officine Meccaniche, which produces the brand’s model S305 under its name.
Zyrus Engineering
A small Norwegian car manufacturing and engineering company, Zyrus Engineering brand is located in Oslo, Norway. It became famous thanks to high-speed cars Huracan Super Trofeo and Performante and participation in the most extreme racing series. The company’s first practical experience was the Huracan LP640-4 Performante. The brand’s first car was the prototype Super Trofeo Zyrus LP1200 Strada. The tuning division, established later, which provided point-to-point revisions, allowed the unique design of each developed or modified model.
Zeekr Logo
Zero Motorcycles Logo
Zeta Logo
Zhonghua Logo
Zuk Logo
ZX Auto
What supercar starts with Z?
Among the supercars that have been produced by car companies whose names begin with the letter “Z,” the first model Zenvo ST1, created by the British brand Zenos Cars, is particularly famous.
What is the car with the Z logo?
The letter “Z” in its various versions – classic, stylized, or reminiscent of its symbol is found in many logos of different brands. And even those whose name does not begin with it. This and Nissan Z sports car, and Opel, not related to this group of brands. And also from this category car of Chinese Zotye and Serbian Zastava, brand Z-Motors and others. You can find more detailed information on special reference sites.
What expensive cars start with the letter Z?
In this group of brands, there are no industry leaders in any direction. Including cars of brands starting with the letter, Z is not included in any of the ratings of the most expensive cars in the world. However, it is possible to identify brands whose products are valued above the rest within this group. It is the car of the company Zenvo, futuristic lines of Zender, and a line of expensive cars from Zarooq Motors. Here we can add luxury models – Zinoro from BMW Brilliance, sports car Zeekr 001, although its manufacturer is Geely’s Chinese brand.
