Counted among the largest automotive markets, France has quite a few famous car manufacturers to its name. From supercars and fast sports vehicles to vans and buses, these French brands have produced some of the most popular models in the automotive industry.
Have a look at 5 of the most popular French auto brands.
Top French Car Brands List
Here is a list of the most famous French car manufacturers along with their specialties:
1. Bugatti
Bugatti is one of the oldest supercar manufacturers preceding the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren and Porsche. The French brand was founded in 1990 by the Italian-born, Ettore Bugatti under the name, Automobile E. Bugatti.
Ettore worked with his son, Jean Bugatti who designed the cars and test-drove them for him. They also designed the Bugatti logo. Together they established the brand’s reputation as a racing car manufacturer with Bugatti cars participating in such competitions as Grand Prix.
However, Jean died in 1939 at the age of 30 and so did the Bugatti business, which was sold in 1963. It regained popularity in 1998 when Volkswagen purchased it and returned it to the market with the launch of Bugatti Veyron, named after Pierre Veyron, the well-known test driver of Bugatti. Veyron gained tremendous popularity for offering a speed of 253 mph and 1000 mph power for the first time. In fact, you will find a Veyron in the Dubai Police fleet too.
To this day, the brand is known for its super-fast supercars offering a thrilling driving experience. You can check out and buy used Bugatti cars, such as these second-hand Bugatti Veyrons on sale.
2. Renault
Launched over a hundred years ago in the 1890s, Renault was the brainchild of three brothers, Marcel, Fernand and Louis Renault. Also the owner of Lada and Dacia, the brand is recognised worldwide by its diamond logo. Moreover, Renault sells cars in South Korea under the brand name, Samsung Motors.
The company was a result of Louis’ passion for cars. He requested his brothers to start a business so he could pursue his love for automobiles. He stayed an employee in the company busy experimenting and creating car designs while Fernand and Marcel managed the business. They decided to name the business Renault Frères Trois, which means Three Renault Brothers in English.
Marcel and Louis then teamed up in 1899 to race their cars and the company thus got associated with motorsports and won the F1 Champions and the Le Mans 24 Hours.
The brand offers a variety of vehicles including vans and buses in the affordable category. Some of the most popular Renault car models are Clio, Captur, Megane and Talisman. In 1945, Renault was nationalised but was again privatised in 1990. Since then the company has been in partnership with other brands such as Nissan and Mitsubishi to stay in the competition. Moreover, it is among the cars you can drive in Dubai Autodrome tracks.
Check out these popular used Renault cars for sale:
3. Peugeot
Peugeot was founded in 1810 by Jean-Pierre and Jean-Frédéric Peugeot brothers as a family business and is among the top brands to come up with some of the most famous French cars. Originally, it was a steel factory with products ranging from band saws to coffee grinders.
However, in 1889, they manufactured their first car, which makes them the second-oldest car maker in the world. Ever since then, Peugeot has been established as a name synonymous with car manufacturing.
Peugeot cars showcase a lion badge as their logo, which sits well with their roaring engines. The logo was introduced in 1947 while in 1929, the company started naming their cars on number. These have become quite popular with 308 and 208 Peugeots recognised the world over.
Have a look at these used Peugeot 308 cars for sale or buy a secondhand 208 Peugeot.
The company works under the flagship of PSA Groupe with other car brands such as DS, Citroen and Vauxhall-Opel. Furthermore, just like Renault, they also succeeded tremendously in motorsports and compete in Rally and Le Mans to this day.
4. Citroën
Andre-Gustave Citroën founded the car brand in 1919. His claim to fame is his decision to buy the patent for chevron-shaped gear, used in milling. He had seen it on a trip to Poland and used it to quickly design several cars of different sizes and ranges. Naturally, the gear was then used for creating the brand logo, which is used to this day.
Furthermore, the French businessman, knowing the power of marketing, used the Eiffel Tower for advertising their products. The campaign won Citroën recognition the world over. One of the most renowned models from this brand is cult-classic 2CV with fans to this day despite production stopping in 1988.
If you are planning to buy a used Citroen in the UAE, check out these second-hand Citroën for sale for more options.
5. Alpine
Alpine came into existence in 1955, when Jean Rédélé, among the youngest Renault dealers in France decided to have his own company. However, Alpine was bought by Renault in 1973 after Rédélé raced in 4CV and the two companies developed a close relationship.
From 1973 to 1995, Alpine remained a subsidiary brand and continued manufacturing vehicles. However, from then on until 2017, the production ceased. It was in 2017 that Renault relaunched Alpine cars with the A110 model which turned out to be a huge success.
This concludes our guide on the most famous French car brands. While these cars from France have a lot to offer, you can check out the most famous Italian brands and most famous German car brands for more options. In case you are not particular about any brand, have a look at these used cars for sale to buy the one that suits your needs.
Stay tuned to the UAE’s top auto blog for more information on car brands and their histories.
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