France’s automotive industry is one of the oldest in the world and ranks among the top three, behind only Germany’s and Spain’s. It cannot be otherwise since the birthplace of steam engines is a potential reference point for the entire global automotive industry. We can say that transportation technology literally “came out” of France.
The proof of its leading position is the presence of many well-known brands abroad, whose cars are coveted status symbols. Renault, Peugeot, Citroën, Valeo, and Bugatti are only a small part of the popular brands whose cars half the world travels in.
What are French car brands?
The most prominent representatives of the French car industry are two companies: Groupe PSA and Renault Group, which own the main brands. However, the former was abolished in 2021 and was merged into Stellantis NV, which is registered in the Netherlands. So now the Citroën, Peugeot, and DS brands are owned by a Dutch manufacturer, although they remain French.
At the same time, there are far fewer French car brands than British ones, as the French are not quantity-oriented. Only two major representatives of the country’s automobile market have taken over the reins of the French car industry. These are PSA Peugeot Citroën, which produces Citroen and Peugeot cars, and Renault, which produces the Dacia and Renault passenger car brands.
Bugatti
The automaker specializes in car production: design, assembly, tuning, production, and sale. The company entered the market in 1909, firmly occupying its niche despite the founder, Ettore Bugatti, a designer with Italian roots. Having passed a difficult path, the brand survived and came into the Volkswagen Group’s possession (in 1998). It practically revived it, breathing a second life into the iron “shell” under which unprecedented power, beauty, and grace are hidden. The brand is currently called Bugatti Automobiles SAS.
DS
Groupe PSA creates the premium brand and is a sub-brand of Citroën. It was formed in 2009 under an abbreviated name that, depending on the source, stands for “Distinctive Series” or “Different Spirit.” Besides, there is another meaning hidden in the dry “DS.” In French, the two letters are pronounced “déesse,” meaning “goddess.” In 2015, the luxury series became an independent entity. Citroën develops the latest cars under the DS brand and is no longer its own line.
Renault
This brand appeared at the end of the 19th century and was founded by three Renault brothers: Louis, Marcel, and Fernand. The first was an engineer, so he actively got involved in business, raising the brand to a high level. Today, it is a giant in the global automotive industry, ranking ninth. It is part of the same name group, which owns several subsidiaries and has established joint production with enterprises in different countries. Renault’s headquarters is located near Paris, in Boulogne-Billancourt.
Peugeot
The roots of this automobile company go back to the beginning of the 19th century and are associated with the steelworks. Its founder was Armand Peugeot, who produced saw blades and then bicycles. It is the largest structure: it ranks second among European automakers, second only to the German concern Volkswagen. In addition, its cars’ quality and impeccable design have been repeatedly recognized, with six European “Car of the Year” awards. Today, the brand belongs to the PSA Peugeot Citroën concern.
Citroën
Citroën cars have been on the roads since the first half of the 20th century, when the company owned by André-Gustave Citroën produced its first products. Today, it is a giant of the French automotive industry and has been part of the Stellantis Group since 2021. The company’s head office is located in the city of St. Ouen-sur-Seine. Beyond manufacturing mass-market cars, the brand is known for its innovative technologies across various models. For example, it invented swiveling headlights to improve road visibility, was the first to use self-leveling hydropneumatic suspension, and much more.
Alpine
The company has been producing sports and racing cars since 1955. It is owned by Renault and its sub-brand and is located in Dieppe, France. From the beginning, Jean Redelé (its founder) has owned a collection of passenger cars. Moreover, the company has been closely associated with Renault throughout its history. It succeeded in motorsports thanks to a sports car produced just after the Second World War. It was the Renault 4CV. In 1976, the French auto giant completely absorbed Alpine, bringing the brand into Renault Sport. The brand ceased to exist in 1995, but in 2017, it was relaunched with its new model, the Alpine A110 sports car.
Dacia
It is a Romanian automobile brand based in Mioveni (Argeș County). It has been in existence since 1966 and produces affordable economy cars. The brand took its name from the historical region of Romania, but was originally known as UAP (Uzina de Autoturisme Pitești). The first car of the Dacia 1300 series appeared in August 1969. It was presented at exhibitions in Paris and Bucharest. In 1970, the passenger car was released in 1300 (standard) and 1300L (luxury class). Four years later, the plant released the next version of the car, the 1301 Lux Super, with exclusive interior trim, a heated rear window, and two-way mirrors. In 2021, Dacia became a division of Renault Dacia-Lada.
Aixam
The French minicar manufacturer is based in Aix-les-Bains (Savoie region), which emerged in 1983 after buying Arola. In 2013, the subcompact car brand came under the control of the American company Polaris Industries, which expressed a desire to acquire Aixam-Mega from Axa Private Equity. The deal took place. Currently, the Aixam A.7XX line of cars and the Smart microcar are produced under this brand. Some models in the brand’s lineup are limited in speed and can accelerate only up to 45 km/h, making them an inexpensive option for urban transport. Moreover, in some countries, they can be driven without a driver’s license because these small cars do not fall into the speed category.
Ligier
The company was founded in 1968 by former racing driver and rugby player Guy Ligier. It specializes in producing mini cars for auto racing. The brand is known for its active participation in the Formula 1 World Championship from 1976 to 1996. The company partnered with Automobiles Martini and produced several prototype sports cars under the joint division Ligier-Martini. The headquarters of the automobile brand are located in Abré (France).
Microcar
This French company has been producing small cars since 1984. In 2000, it moved to a new factory built on a customized project, and eight years later, it became part of Ligier Automobiles. This merger resulted in Europe’s second-largest manufacturer of microcars and minicars that do not require a driver’s license. At the same time, each company (Ligier and Microcar) retained its identity.
PGO
A French automobile brand is operating in the exclusive sports car segment. It was founded by three brothers, Prevost, lovers of everything related to cars. Their names became the basis for the company name: P (Patrick), G (Gilles), and O (Olivier). In 1980, the company specialized in producing replicas but later moved to producing customized models. The first to appear was a two-seat sports car in retro design. It was presented in 2000. Later, more than half of the company’s rights were transferred to the Al-Sayer group, allowing it to revitalize operations, expand the model range, and add the Cévennes roadster.
Venturi
The French luxury electric car manufacturer debuted in 1984, thanks to Claude Poirot and Gérard Godefroy. The company is based in Fontvieille (Monaco). It designs, assembles, and sells its products. In 2001, the brand was acquired by millionaire Gildo Pallanca Pastor, who repositioned the automotive industry to electric motors, resulting in the Fétish model.
Panhard
Panhard & Levassor, named after its founders, was the first company in the world to sell cars with an internal combustion engine. It began operations in 1887 and, two years later, with the support of Armand Peugeot, began producing “self-propelled carts.” The company used internal combustion engines in its design, as it received the right to produce them personally from the creator, the German engineer Gottlieb Wilhelm Daimler.
In 1891, the company switched to mass-producing machines. It constantly modernized them, introducing many new models that won in races. In the post-war period, nothing changed: the company continued to develop in the chosen direction until 1965, when it became part of Citroen. The new owner reoriented the brand to the production of military equipment. The last passenger car, decorated with a round emblem Panhard with a monogram of letters “PL,” came out in 1967
Hommell
The Hommell brand was named in honor of its creator, car shop owner and auto racer Michel Hommell. His first sports car, presented in 1990, was well received by the public, so it was decided to start mass production. Four models with different characteristics were produced, but in 2003 the company closed down due to financial problems. It used an unusual logo for an automaker: three golden rice ears in a blue gradient circle.
Talbot
Talbot is an international company that manufactures cars in France and the UK. The fact is that it was originally intended to sell French-made cars to the British. But the Count, who financed this project, was so inspired by the success that he decided to organize their production at home, in the British Kingdom. Foreign factories stopped producing Talbot cars in 1985. Problems arose in France: the quality of cars was low, and no one wanted to buy them. Passenger cars left the market in the late 1980s. The brand is now discontinued, although PSA Peugeot-Citroèn still owns it. The alliance wanted to revive Talbot, giving it new life, with its famous blue-and-white T logo set against a ring within a red circle. But this project never materialized.
Berliet
The French automobile manufacturing company Berliet was founded in 1899 by automobile designer Marius Berliet, a lover of technical experiments and self-driving cars. At first, the company produced passenger cars, but in the post-war period, it changed its direction, switching to the production of buses and trucks. In 1974, the company became a part of the Citroen truck division. Four years later, the company Berliet was bought out by Renault and closed. Its models became the basis for a new series of Renaults. The Berliet name and logo were no longer used. The brand badge became minimalist. It looked like an arrow piercing a balloon, but was composed of three simple geometric shapes: a triangle, a circle, and a rectangle.
Simca
Simca is an abbreviation of the company’s full name, Société Industrielle de Mécanique et Carrosserie Automobile. The company was founded in 1934 to produce FIAT cars. In 1951, production of models based on its design began. They proved incredibly popular and allowed the company to acquire a new factory. Despite this, 15% of Simca was sold to Chrysler. In 1970, the American concern completely bought the French brand, creating on its basis a division of Chrysler-France. The Simca emblem was a quadrangular shield divided into two segments. At the top, on a blue background, Swift was depicted. The lower segment was red and contained the brand name.
Facel Vega
The Facel Vega automobile company was founded in 1954 based on the FACEL steelworks, which had produced bodies for Ford, Simca, and Panhard models in the past. Car production continued for ten years, but the owner was forced to liquidate the brand due to its bankruptcy. And all because of Pont-a-Mousson engines: they were so unreliable that they ruined the reputation of Facel Vega. It was because of them that the round yellow and black emblem with a big red letter “F,” a small “V,” and a gray ring with six stars, and the inscription “FACEL VEGA PARIS,” did not arouse much confidence among buyers.
Delage
French engineer Louis Delage started his own automobile company in 1905. Delage assembled stylish and fast cars that made strides in motorsports. However, during the financial crisis, demand for them fell dramatically. The owner was forced to sell the brand rights to its competitor, the Delahaye Company. The new management fired Louis, and soon, he died in poverty. The Delage brand existed only until 1954. The only reminder of it is a blue badge with an oval on which its name is written in white letters.
Corre La Licorne
Corre La Licorne was formerly known as Corre. It added the second part of the name, inspired by the achievements of a racer whose family crest was depicted as a mythical animal – a unicorn. It also adorned the automaker’s logo: the designers made it gold and set it inside a red circle, framed by a ring-shaped belt bearing the inscription “LA LICORNE.” The company closed in 1949 as the automobile market underwent global changes related to the “Ponce Plan.”