Month: April 2021

European Car Brands

Written by csadmin on . Posted in European Cars.

European Car Brands

European Car Brands

Europe’s auto industry is the backbone of the EU economy. The turnover generated by the sector factors for 7% of the GDP of the European Union. Vehicles produced in Europe are reliable, sustainable, energy-efficient, and safest in the market. So much so that 80% of the growth of the automobile industry happens outside the Union. This article takes you through the various European brands from Germany, Italy, France, and United Kingdom, sports cars, and finally, the most reliable European cars.

Best European Car Brands

European cars have long been considered to be of high quality and a class above other countries. Even though vehicles from Asia and the US dominate the market, they have maintained their high status, thus becoming an important part of the World Car Heritage. They are the epitome of beauty, aesthetics, performance, and class. Here are the top car brands (in no particular order):

  • Volkswagen
  • Renault
  • Peugeot
  • Mercedes
  • BMW

Major Car Brands from Germany

German automotive industry has given birth to many high-performance sports cars and still does. German designed cars have won some of the prestigious awards, including European Car of the year, the International car of the year, World car of the year, amongst many.

  • Volkswagen – Mass Market

One of the largest car manufacturers globally, Volkswagen owns most of the big automobile names in the country. Founded in the year 1937, Volkswagen’s name amounted to more than half of its sales in 2018.

  • Mercedes-Benz – Luxury

Mercedes-Benz the luxury car brand that has quietly revolutionized the German motoring industry in many ways. The brand is a collaboration between Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler from the Daimler Motor Company.

  • Audi – Luxury

Audi, the luxury car manufacturer, is known for its innovative technologies(Audi’s Virtual Cockpit) and flawless interiors. The brand is recognizable for its emblem, the 4-rings.

  • BMW – Luxury

Famous for its tagline “Ultimate Driving Machine,” BMW is one of the most diverse luxury car brands in just Germany and the continent. It prides itself on providing the best driving experience. Their emblem reflects the colors of Bavaria.

  • Porsche – Luxury

Known for the legendary Porsche 911, the brand is known for its exclusivity and high performance. The vehicle is known for its classic styling and features that do not change much with each model.

Major Car Brands from the United Kingdom

Being the pioneers of the industrial revolution, some of the much-loved ultra-luxury cars and luxury sports cars are from the United Kingdom. Except for Rolls-Royce, all the vehicles are made in the United Kingdom.

  • Aston Martin – Luxury

Long before its fame, the Aston Martin had a legion of fans in the United Kingdom, starting with James Bond. Their current portfolio includes Vantage and the upcoming Rapide.

  • Bentley – Ultra-Luxury

Synonymous with luxury, Bentley was a fixture among the United Kingdom automobile organizations and pioneers for the 70’s saloon cars. It won the prestigious Le Mans race 5 times between the ’20s and the ’30s.

  • Rolls Royce – Ultra-Luxury

Rolls Royce is the epitome of luxury. Their vehicles are huge, extravagant, and are tailored to the demands of the customers.

Major Car Brands from France

Though France has a long history of manufacturing cars, they were never much about mechanical engineering. But still, they have the most beautiful cars in the country.

  • Peugeot – Mass-Market

The France vehicle manufacturers are the longest-standing car companies dating as far back as Napoleon Bonaparte. They come under the parent company PSA group which holds Citroën, Opel, Groupe PSA, ARAMIS SAS, and more under its umbrella.

  • Renault – Mass-Market

Founded over 120 years ago, the France car company Renault has known for its racing cars as well as their family-oriented vehicles. It has a strategic partnership with Nissan and Mitsubishi, making it the world’s largest seller of light vehicles.

  • Bugatti – Luxury Supercars

Bugatti has the reputation of being the oldest vehicle makers in Italy and the continent dating back to 1909. Its portfolio includes the Bugatti Veyron, the fastest production vehicle.

Major Car Brands from Italy

The racing world would not be the same without cars from Italy. They have a history of building some of the best sports cars.

  • Fiat – Small Cars

Famous for its stylish looks and affordable prices, Fiat also has some sports cars, aka roadsters. Though they lost their place in the last few years, the launch of the Fiat 500 has taken it back to the top.

  • Ferrari – Super Luxury Sports Cars

Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1939 Ferrari, the car manufacturers from Italy are an embodiment of style and nicknamed the Italian Stallion. They are well known for their sports cars and their F1 racing team.

  • Maserati – Super Luxury Sports Cars

Though primarily associated with luxury cars, Maserati makes luxury vehicles in executive saloons and grand tourers (SUVs) models.

  • Lamborghini – Super Luxury Sports Cars

Designed by Ferruccio Lamborghini, Lamborghini is relatively new in 1963. Synonymous to supercars, the Italian car companies are the pioneers for the concept of a hyperloop.

Which Is Better: Mercedes Benz, BMW or Audi?

To start with, all three are premium luxury brands based out of Germany. Of the three, Benz has a safety record and is known for being reliable. The other two brands not so much with Audi ranking the lowest but has superior features and technology. BMW, on the other hand, is sporty and offers a superior driving experience.

Which Is Faster: Audi or BMW?

BMW is faster due to its edgy and sporty design. On the other hand, Audi tends to be more conservative. Comparing the speeds of the two vehicles of similar configuration, the former is the fastest.

Biggest Car Manufacturer in Europe

Volkswagen group from Germany has long been the biggest European vehicle manufacturers. It is also the parent company for Porsche, Audi, Škoda, SEAT, Bugatti, Bentley, and Lamborghini.

Top-Selling European Car in 2020

Volkswagen Golf is the top-selling car on the continent. Manufactured by VW German carmakers, they sold 312,000 models in the European continent in 2020 alone.

Sports Cars in Europe

Blue BMW Z4Sports cars may be anything from a two-seater to a track car or even a front-engined grand touring coupé. Here’s a list of the best European sports cars:

  • Porsche Boxster
  • Jaguar F-Type
  • Mercedes SLS AMG
  • Audi R8
  • Ferrari 458 Italia
  • Lamborghini Aventador
  • BMW Z4

Most Popular European Car Brands in the US

As of 2020, Volkswagen was first among the best-selling European car brands in the United States. It was closely followed by Mercedes Benz and BMW, all of which are from Germany.

Top 10 Luxury Car Brands from Europe

Luxury cars are known for their powerful engines and impeccable interiors. Whether it is the speed or the performance, luxury vehicles are a class above the rest.

  • Aston Martin
  • Lotus
  • Bentley
  • Bugatti
  • Ferrari
  • Lamborghini
  • Maserati
  • Mercedes-Benz
  • Porsche
  • Rolls-Royce

Are European Cars Reliable?

European cars are the most dependable and mainly reliable through their innovation, technological advancements, styling, and, most importantly, their interiors’ quality.

Most Reliable European Car Brand

The most reliable European car brand is Mercedes Benz, with its quality build and dependability. Their s-class has earned a reputation for being one the safest cars. Another expected brand in the list is Porsche with its 911. But keep in mind that both these cars rely primarily on technologies and hence would require regular maintenance. The unexpected entry in the list is Peugeot with its new launch, Peugeot 3008.

Why Are European Cars So Expensive?

Expensive European Cars - Wallet with Money on FireEuropean cars, particularly those from Germany, are among the most expensive cars. But they are rightly so and for the below factors:

  • Excellent quality of the materials
  • Expensive and exhaustive engineering
  • Valuable brand name
  • Labor costs
  • Exchange rates

Conclusion

There is no doubt that European cars are some of the most beautiful, stylish, and technologically advanced on this side of the continent. The vehicles listed above are not just the peak of beauty but also luxury in most cases. Moreover, driving such beauties gives you an experience matched by nothing else. However, the countries will also have homegrown brands that are not presented in this article. For over 45 years, Little Germany is a certified Service Center that specializes in full service and repair services for German-made cars. Contact Little Germany for all your auto repair needs (After-Hours form).

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Are German Cars Reliable?

Written by csadmin on . Posted in German Cars.

Are German Cars Reliable?

Logos of German CarsGerman cars are well known for their engineering and technology so much that it has become a benchmark for the manufacturers. Anyway, these factors don’t dictate the reliability of a car. Are german cars reliable? How did this myth of unreliability come into existence?

While there is no blank Yes or No answer to this question, we can safely say that German cars are undoubtedly reliable and dependable. If not, why would they account for one-fifth of the world’s total car production? They are not just reliable but also have the country’s top experts engineering it to perfection.

German cars are gaining popularity worldwide with BMW, Mercedes Benz, Porsche, and Audi, to name a few. On the less pricey front, there is the Volkswagen, Ford-Werke, etc. These are universally loved cars, noted for their performance and technological advancements. But where did this misconception come from? 

Why Are German Cars Considered Unreliable?

Let’s start with the fact that German cars are manufactured with European roads in mind. Europe has long, narrow winding roads compared to that of the US, which has straight and wide roads. The same goes for parking spaces; they are also small, and the cars being bigger doesn’t help with parking. Hence the wheel tends to angle inwards when the steering locks, which the drivers in the country are not accustomed to. 

Apart from this, several other factors also come into consideration, among which the most important is safety and efficacy. We can all agree that German cars don’t lack in either of these aspects. But it’s the running costs that might seem a bit excessive to many. The cars need more care and maintenance than your regular Toyota or Hyundai. Also, they need to be taken care of by the technicians specially trained by the manufacturers. And then there is the cost of the spare parts; most of them are exported from Germany. German cars are sound when it comes to engineering, even if a little over the top. So the simplest of the inconveniences, which don’t affect the performance or reliability, affect the user’s perception of the car. 

What Are the Most Reliable German Car Brands? 

German cars are innovative at their best. They also are reliable, and you can trust them with your family’s safety. As long as the owners follow the maintenance schedule, they should face little to no problem with their cars.  Among the many German cars, here are the top brands that lead the lineup (in no particular order) when it comes to reliability. 

  • Porsche
  • Volkswagen
  • Audi

Are German Cars Reliable? - 1966 Red Porsche 911Porsche

If you have owned or driven Porsche in the past, there is no doubt why the car brand is on this list. The owners face fewer problems compared to other brands. Their engine is also highly efficient and durable, not to mention they are the easiest among German cars to maintain. The Porsche 911 series is synonymous with reliability.

Volkswagen

Not a luxury car, but it has a fan following worldwide due to its reliability and stability. Otherwise called the people’s car, the brand has won the “World Car of the Year” for four years, and that was back in 2012, beating even Porsche 911. Home to the infamous Beetle, Volkswagen strives to protect its occupants in times of an accident with its innovative features like blind-spot detection, crash imminent braking, and more. 

Audi

With a history of having the first crash test conducted around 80 years ago, the Audi screams luxury. The brand also has some reliable cars like A3, A7, and A8, with some not so. The advantage of owning an Audi is its depreciation value, which is much better than any other on this list. 

German Cars vs. Japanese Cars: Which Is Better?

Germany and Japan lead the unending car market with their innovation and technologically advanced cars. However, they cater to different needs, both quite different from the other. The former has an eye for attention to detail and precision, while the latter is synonymous with affordability and reliability. How do they fare when compared to one another? 

German cars are the best in engineering, but sometimes they can overthink and complicate the smallest parts in the name of precision. But Japanese mass-produce their cars; They cater to the Asian mindset aiming at reliability and safety. The spares are easily acquired and long-lasting, which is not the case with the former.  German cars can be expensive. On the contrary, Japanese vehicles are affordable. They both have different approaches to vehicles, but the similarity is that quality-wise, they are impressive.

Frequently Asked QuestionsFAQs

Which Is Better: Audi, BMW or Mercedes?

Audi, BMW, and Mercedes are luxury brands. Their quality and reliability are better than other mainstream brands. But Mercedes provides a level of comfort that stays unbeaten by any other brand in the market. 

Are German Cars Overpriced?

While it may look so to the customers, you need to remember that luxury provided by brands such as Audi, BMW, Porsche, etc., comes with a price tag. Most of the time, it is not affordable for the common man. Currently, BMW, Mercedes, and even Porsche have come up with models priced at much lower rates than its luxury line. 

Conclusion

In short, German cars are reliable as long as you maintain them properly. Have a proper maintenance schedule, and they should last longer without any issues. Brands like Audi have good depreciation values, but contrarily, Mercedes Benz decreases in value.  An example of their perfection is the famous Porsche 911 and Volkswagen Beetle, award-winning cars that still are a preference of many drivers both in Europe and the US. Apart from them, Audi, BMW, and Mercedes Benz also have reliable ones in their bucket.  Do not forget that Audi was the first car to conduct a crash test 80 years ago!

For over 45 years, Little Germany is a certified Service Center that specializes in full service and repair services for German-made cars. Contact Little Germany for all your auto repair needs (After-Hours form).

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