Sub-brands are all the hotness in the automotive world these days. As the name would suggest, a sub-brand is a brand within a brand; basically, when research shows customers connect more deeply with a particular trait or model of vehicle rather than the automaker itself, marketers, naturally, decide to lean on what buyers like — and brand products accordingly.
There are no precise parameters for how a sub-brand comes into being. It could be based on a specific car like the Ford Mustang or Bronco that carries more clout with buyers than the Ford badge; it could be a term that signifies high performance or luxury; or, it could be a way to delineate an exciting new line of electric vehicles. What makes it a sub-brand is that an automaker is trying to make it happen — and it resonates with buyers at least a bit more than “fetch.”
Here is our comprehensive list of automotive sub-brands.
The Complete Guide to Automotive Sub-Brands
From Abarth to Wilderness, an exhaustive look at automakers’ built wild attempts to make fetch happen.
Ford
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Audi
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JAMES LIPMAN : JAMESLIPMAN.COM
BMW
Alpina: Alpina is an independent company that designs luxury, high-performance versions of BMW cars that are built and sold by BMW.
i: BMW’s “i” brand encompasses their plug-in and electric vehicles, such as the BMW i3.
M: BMW’s performance division which produces M cars, M performance trims of BMW’s standard models and M Sport accessories.
Uwe Fischer
Buick Enclave Avenir Gear Patrol 4
Buick
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Cadillac
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Chevrolet
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Dodge
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Fiat
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GMC
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Ford
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Hyundai
Kia
EV: EV is Kia’s straightforwardly named branding for its new electric vehicle lineup on the Hyundai Group’s E-GMP platform, which is kicking off with the EV6.
Kia
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Range Rover
Nissan GT-R (304 sold in 2020)
The Nissan colloquially known as “Godzilla” is super-fun to drive. But it’s also super-old, having debuted back in the the 2007 model year. And it’s super-expensive, with an entry price higher than a brand-new Porsche 911.
Nissan
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Mercedes-Benz
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You’ll find them on the outside, as well, where they appear as one of several pieces of orange-accented trim that seems meant to evoke a technical gear look.
That paint color, by the way? It’s a new one called Geyser Blue, and for now, at least, it’s only found on the Outback Wilderness.
Subaru
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Toyota
These 5 Cars Were Named Best in the World in 2021
Huge day for German manufacturers.
VW
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Volvo
Technically, the EQG won’t be the first electric G-wagen
There’s at least one electric G-Class already kicking around. Back in 2017, Arnold Schwarzenegger paid $1 million to Austrian tuners Kreisel Electric for a custom electric-converted Mercedes G-Class. He posed with it.
Kreisel