26 Car Brands That Start With L (Origins, Owners & History)

Car brands that start with L include one founded out of a personal grudge, one built entirely around making things lighter, and the London taxi. Lamborghini, Lexus, Land Rover, Lancia, Lotus, Lincoln and Lada cover the established names — alongside a cluster of Chinese manufacturers now expanding into Europe.

This guide covers 26 car brands beginning with L, with country of origin, founding year, current ownership and what each is known for.

Car Brands Starting With L: Complete List

Performance and Luxury

Lamborghini

Ferruccio Lamborghini built tractors, owned Ferraris, and complained to Enzo Ferrari about the clutch. Ferrari reportedly told him to stick to tractors. Lamborghini began building cars in 1963 in direct response, and the Miura of 1966 — mid-engined, low, and faster than anything Ferrari sold — effectively created the modern supercar. The company is now part of the Volkswagen Group, under Audi. The tractor business still exists separately.

Lotus

Founded by Colin Chapman in 1948 on a single principle: “Simplify, then add lightness.” Lotus won seven Formula One constructors’ titles and introduced ideas the whole grid copied — the fully stressed monocoque, and ground-effect aerodynamics. Its road cars followed the same logic, prioritising weight and handling over power. Lotus is now owned by China’s Geely, which also owns Volvo and Polestar, and has moved into heavy electric SUVs — a considerable departure from Chapman’s founding idea.

Lexus

Toyota created Lexus in 1989 after concluding it could not sell a genuine luxury car under the Toyota badge in America. The original LS 400 was built to a standard of refinement and build quality that forced Mercedes and BMW to respond, and Lexus established a reputation for reliability and dealer service that remains its main differentiator.

Lancia

A serious engineering company for most of its history — the Lambda of 1922 had a unitary body and independent front suspension when almost nothing else did — and one of the most successful rally marques ever, with the Stratos, 037 and Delta Integrale. It has since contracted severely and now sits within Stellantis selling a very narrow range, mostly in Italy.

Lincoln

Founded in 1917 by Henry Leland, who had previously founded Cadillac, and bought by Ford in 1922. Lincoln built the presidential state cars for decades, including the one in which President Kennedy was assassinated. The Continental’s rear-hinged “suicide doors” on the 1961 model remain among the most recognisable design features in American motoring.

Lagonda

A British marque founded in 1906 by an American, and owned by Aston Martin since 1947. Its most notable car is the 1976 Lagonda — a wedge-shaped saloon with an all-digital dashboard that was wildly ambitious and famously unreliable, reportedly costing more to develop electronically than the entire rest of the car.

4x4s, Taxis and Utility

Land Rover

Conceived in 1948 as a stopgap agricultural vehicle to keep Rover’s factory busy, using aluminium because steel was rationed post-war — which is why early Land Rovers resist corrosion so well. The stopgap outsold the cars it was meant to subsidise and defined the go-anywhere 4×4. It now sits within Jaguar Land Rover, owned by India’s Tata Motors.

LEVC

The London Electric Vehicle Company, descended from the manufacturer that has built London’s black cabs for over a century. Its vehicles must meet the famously strict Conditions of Fitness, including a turning circle of 7.6 metres — a requirement that shapes the entire design. It is owned by Geely and now builds range-extended electric taxis.

Lada

AvtoVAZ was established in 1966 with Fiat’s help, and the Lada Niva launched in 1977 as one of the first mass-produced unibody 4x4s with independent front suspension — a genuinely advanced layout for its time that anticipated the modern crossover. It remained in production in recognisable form for more than four decades, making it one of the longest-running designs in the industry.

Electric and Chinese Manufacturers

Lucid

Founded in 2007 as Atieva, initially building battery packs — including for the entire Formula E grid — before moving into complete cars. The Lucid Air achieved range and efficiency figures at the top of the industry, largely through in-house motor and battery engineering. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund holds a majority stake of roughly 58%, having invested since 2018.

Lynk & Co

Launched by Geely in 2016 with an unusual proposition: sell cars primarily through subscription rather than purchase, with membership including the option to share the vehicle with others. It shares platforms with Volvo. The subscription-first model has had mixed traction, but it is one of the more genuinely different attempts at rethinking car ownership.

Leapmotor

A Chinese EV maker founded in 2015, and now significant chiefly because of its European route to market: Stellantis paid around €1.5 billion in 2023 for a 20% stake, and the two formed Leapmotor International — in which Stellantis holds 51% — with exclusive rights to sell Leapmotor vehicles outside China. It is a template other Chinese manufacturers are watching closely.

Li Auto

Founded in 2015 and built around range-extender electric vehicles — a battery-electric drivetrain with a small petrol generator that never drives the wheels directly. That approach sidesteps charging anxiety in a market where long-distance infrastructure is uneven, and it made Li Auto profitable earlier than most Chinese EV startups.

Specialists and Historic Marques

Lanchester

Frederick Lanchester built what is generally recognised as the first British production motor car in 1895–99, and he was a genuine engineering original — he devised the disc brake, and his work on aerodynamics and lift preceded much of the formal theory. The company was absorbed by Daimler and the name eventually disappeared, which is a poor return for that much invention.

Laurin & Klement

Founded in 1895 in Bohemia making bicycles, then motorcycles, then cars. It merged with the Škoda works in 1925 and the name was retained for decades as Škoda’s top trim level — so the badge survives even though the company does not.

Locomobile

Began in 1899 building steam cars in large numbers, then abandoned steam entirely for petrol and repositioned as one of America’s most expensive luxury manufacturers. A Locomobile won the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup, the first major American win over European cars. It did not survive the Depression.

Lozier

One of the most expensive American cars of the pre-war era, costing several times a Cadillac, and built to a standard that reflected the price. The company had a strong racing record but priced itself into too small a market and folded in 1918.

Lister

A Cambridge engineering firm that built Jaguar-engined sports racers in the 1950s, most famously the “Knobbly” — named for its bulging bodywork, shaped that way to clear the engine while sitting as low as possible. The company has been revived several times and now produces modified Jaguars.

Ligier

Guy Ligier ran a Formula One team from 1976 that scored nine Grand Prix wins, then the company moved into an entirely different market: small microcars that can be driven without a full licence in France. It is an unusual trajectory for a name with a genuine F1 record, and it also builds LMP prototypes.

Laraki

Founded in 1999 by Moroccan designer Abdeslam Laraki, and notable simply for existing — Morocco has no other supercar manufacturer. Its cars have used Mercedes V12 power, and production has been extremely limited.

Lamborghini Trattori

Worth separating from the car company. Ferruccio Lamborghini built tractors from 1948, made his fortune there, and it was that success that funded the car business. The tractor company was sold separately and continues today under SAME Deutz-Fahr — so both Lamborghinis still exist, independently of each other.

Other Marques in This Group

Laboratorio

Early in the new millennium, Clas Müller established a Swedish company in Stockholm to build sports automobiles, riding the wave of widespread interest in these vehicles. His creation, the Quercianella, one of the most cutting-edge supercars, had a body composed of carbon fiber that significantly lowered the vehicle’s weight. The car’s V8 engine helped it to be lighter. The model was able to speed to 60 miles per hour in 3 seconds because of this.

Lancia Automobiles S.p.A

One of the top spots in the global automotive sector is held by Italy. Lancia Automobiles S.p.A., an automobile manufacturer, is a prominent example of it. Vincenzo Lancia, an Italian racing driver, and his partner Claudio Foggolin founded the company in Turin, Italy, in 1906. Within a year, the company had already produced its first Lancia 18-24 HP, which ultimately gained the moniker Alpha. Since then, the model lines have been given Greek alphabet names. Consistent use of innovation and leadership in the sports industry contributed to the brand’s success.

Lanchester Motor Company

Frederick William Lanchester established the British automaker Lanchester Motor Company in Birmingham, UK, in 1895. It made an important contribution to the history of the automobile as one of the first businesses to see the car as more than just a technical instrument and turn it into a work of art that could effectively convey elegance, perfection, and style. The brand and the Daimler Motor Company merged in 1931, opening up new production possibilities. But Jaguar Cars bought the company in 1955, and Indian Tata Motors took over ownership in 2008.

Laraki Automobiles SA

The global automobile industry has benefited from the contributions of Moroccan automakers. Abdesslam Laraki, a businessman and designer, established the Laraki Automobiles SA brand in 1999 and opened an office there. Abdesslam Laraki turned his love of automobiles into a business by importing them into his nation. But the Laraki Fulgura, which was shown in 2002 at the Geneva Motor Show, was the result of his desire to have an automobile made to his specifications. It looked to have undergone minor body version design changes three years later. Three sports vehicle models have been developed and released by the company: the Laraki Fulgura, the Borac from 2005, and the Epitome from 2013.

Lea Francis

In Coventry, England, in 1895, the British automaker Lea-Francis began making bicycles and motorbikes. The singer received permission to use the first automobiles. However, a line was established in 1919 to create and put its automobiles together, using parts from several manufacturers. The Hyper Supercharged Ace of Spades was one of its models. In 1925, the company started making sports models. The facility began to operate under military directives in 1939. In 1946, auto manufacturing was resumed. Production was halted in 1954.

Leblanc

Leblanc, a Zurich-based Swiss automaker, made their maiden participation at the LeMans races in 1999 with a sports vehicle. It had a forced engine and closed structure. The new company’s initial declaration of its intent to enter the ranks of American producers of limited-edition race vehicles was this model. Following full certification, the Leblanc Caroline and Leblanc Mirabeau for open street racing were accepted as legitimate models for competition.

Lightning Car Company

The British company Lightning Car Company, established in 2007 in Fulham, London, England, is a symbol of contemporary accomplishments in automobile engineering. The development of cars with electric traction was made possible by its orientation, which was focused on the use of electricity, a modern, ecologically benign technology. The company specializes in building powerful electric sports cars. The original Lightning GT design, was awarded Car of the Show honors at the 2008 Excel London Motor Show.

Frequently Asked Questions

What car brands start with the letter L?

Twenty-six are covered here, including Lamborghini, Lexus, Land Rover, Lancia, Lotus, Lincoln, Lada, Lucid, Lynk & Co, Leapmotor, Li Auto, Lagonda, LEVC, Lister, Ligier, Laraki, Lanchester, Laurin & Klement, Lea-Francis, Locomobile, Lozier, Lifan, Leblanc and Lightning Car Company.

Who owns Lotus now?

China’s Geely, which also owns Volvo, Polestar and LEVC. Geely acquired control in 2017 and has repositioned Lotus around electric performance SUVs — a significant departure from Colin Chapman’s lightweight philosophy.

Why was Lamborghini founded?

Ferruccio Lamborghini, a successful tractor manufacturer and Ferrari owner, complained to Enzo Ferrari about his car’s clutch and was reportedly told to stick to tractors. He began building cars in 1963 in response, and the Miura of 1966 outperformed anything Ferrari offered.

Who owns Lucid Motors?

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund holds a majority stake of roughly 58%, having first invested in 2018. Lucid remains publicly listed, but PIF is the controlling shareholder.

What is Stellantis’ connection to Leapmotor?

Stellantis paid around €1.5 billion in 2023 for a 20% stake in the Chinese EV maker, and the two created Leapmotor International — 51% Stellantis-owned — which holds exclusive rights to build and sell Leapmotor vehicles outside China.

Why is the London black cab designed the way it is?

Because of the Conditions of Fitness, which include a maximum turning circle of 7.6 metres so a cab can turn within the width of a London street. That single requirement drives much of the vehicle’s unusual proportions, and LEVC builds to it.

Sources

Stellantis–Leapmotor stake and joint-venture structure, and PIF’s shareholding in Lucid: company announcements and automotive trade reporting. Geely ownership of Lotus, Volvo, Polestar and LEVC: Geely corporate information. Founding dates follow manufacturer corporate histories and marque records.

Ownership stakes in the motor industry change frequently — check current corporate filings before relying on any ownership detail for business purposes.

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