COMPANYHISTORIES
NAIC 532112

Passenger Cars Leasing

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

12companies1916–1998founding years12still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedGeneral Motors Corporation
1916
FoundedFord Motor Company
1919
FoundedNissan Motor Co., Ltd.
1933
FoundedArriva PLCFoundedVolkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
1938
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedPHH Arval
1953
FoundedEnterprise Rent-A-Car Company
1957
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedLarry H. Miller Group
1979
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedBudget Group, Inc.
1987
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
FoundedSaab Automobile AB
1990
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
FoundedThe Major Automotive Companies, Inc.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
FoundedDaimlerChrysler AG
1998
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

General Motors Corporation →
Active · founded 1916
General Motors Corporation (GM) is the world's largest full-line vehicle manufacturer and marketer.
Ford Motor Company →
Active · founded 1919
As the second-largest automobile company in the world, Ford Motor Company represents a $164 billion multinational…
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1933 · Japan
Early 1940s:During World War II, the company makes military trucks and engines for airplanes and torpedo boats.
Arriva PLC →
Active · founded 1938 · United Kingdom
Arriva PLC is one of Europe's leading and fastest-growing publicly traded transportation companies.
Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft →
Active · founded 1938 · Germany
Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, a company born in the shadow of Nazism, rose to become the world's third largest…
PHH Arval →
Active · founded 1953
PHH Arval, formerly PHH Vehicle Management Services, operates as the second-largest fleet management company in the…
Enterprise Rent-A-Car Company →
Active · founded 1957
Early 1970s:A branch manager in Orlando begins offering customers a free ride to the rental office, beginning the…
Larry H. Miller Group →
Active · founded 1979
The Larry H.
Budget Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1987 · www.teamrental.com
Budget Group, Inc., is a holding company that, through subsidiary companies and their franchisees, operates Budget Car…
Saab Automobile AB →
Active · founded 1990 · Sweden
Saab Automobile AB is a Swedish maker of passenger automobiles in the premium sector of the market.
The Major Automotive Companies, Inc. →
Active · founded 1995
The Major Automotive Companies, Inc.
DaimlerChrysler AG →
Active · founded 1998 · Germany
DaimlerChrysler AG--the third-largest car maker in the world--is the product of the November 1998 merger of…
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