The automotive industry is a crazy centrifuge, full of all kinds of events and constantly changing. However new car companies on the scene are something quite rare, if you except Tesla and Chinese and Indian companies, but in case of the last two, nobody outside their home market really cares about them. New brands? Those come and go more frequently. I can think of 3 such brands, with chances of sticking around.
1. Genesis
It’s Hyundai’s first real attempt at the premium market, some cars are worth a look but they need more models, more marketing and a race car.
The outlook is positive.
2. DS(Dee-Ess)
It’s meant to showcase the best, PSA Group has to offer. Initially started as a trim to invoke Citroën’s famed Dee-Ess of the past, the brand was driven by China’s appetite for premium stuff and PSA’s wish to offer a global premium player(and charge accordingly for the cars). They did better than Genesis with the marketing and they already have racing history.
3. Cupra
This Spanish brand was derived from Seat(where it served as the harder, sporty trim of the brand). It currently offers mostly re-badged Seat models, with sporty trims, modified suspensions and more powerful engines. It recently presented its first standalone model and is planning another one.
It’s some sort of Plan B, in case the VW Group fails to make Seat a winner again.
It also took over Seat’s racing operations.
Other than those 3, I don’t know many new brands, and especially viable new brands.