World's biggest vehicle manufacturing nations

China

2011: 18,418,876   (18.14 million)
2010: 18,264,667 (18.26 million)

China's automobile industry has been the largest in the world in terms of automobile unit production since 2008.
The annual production of automobiles in China has been higher than United and Japan since 2009.

Of the automobiles produced, 44.3% were local brands (including BYD, Lifan, Chang'an (Chana), Geely, Chery, Hafei, Jianghuai (JAC), Great Wall and Roewe)

Volkswagen, General Motors, Hyundai, Nissan, Honda, Toyota, Mitsubishi are the other car makers in the country.

...

United States        

2011: 8,653,560 (8.6 million) 
2010: 7,761,443 (7.7 million)

The automotive industry in the United States began in the 1890s and rapidly grew to become the largest in the world as a result of mass-production.

The United States was overtaken as the largest automobile producer by Japan in the 1980s and subsequently by China in 2008.

The automobile sector has been dominated by three large companies - General Motors, Ford and Chrysler.

...

Japan

2011: 8,398,654 (8.3 million)
2010: 9,625,940 (9.6 million)

The Japanese automotive industry is one of the most prominent industries in the world. Japanese zaibatsu began building their first automobiles in the middle to late 1910s.

In 1970s, Japan was the pioneer in robotics manufacturing of vehicles.

It is home to a number of companies that produces cars, construction vehicles, motorcycles, ATVs, engines, etc. Japanese automotive manufacturers include Toyota, Honda, Daihatsu, Nissan, Suzuki, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Isuzu, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Mitsuoka.

...

Germany     

2011: 6,311,318 (6.3 million)     
2010:5,905,985 (5.9 million)

The automobile industry in Germany is one of the largest employers in the country. Germany is absolute leader of auto production in Europe since 1960s.

Germany designed cars won in the European Car of the Year, the International Car of the Year, the World Car of the Year annual awards one of the most times among other countries.

Germany is considered to be the birthplace of the automobile since Karl Benz and Nikolaus Otto independently developed four-stroke internal combustion engines in the late 1870s, with Benz fitting his design to a coach in 1887, which led to the modern day motor car.

...

South Korea

2011: 4,657,094 (4.6 million)     
2010: 4,271,941 (4.2 million)

The automotive industry in South Korea is currently the fifth-largest in the world measured by automobile unit production and the sixth-largest by automobile export volume.

While its initial operations were merely the assembling of parts imported from Japan and the United States, Korea is today among the most advanced automobile-producing countries in the world.

..

India

2011: 3,936,448 (3.9 million) 
2010: 3,536,783 (3.5 million)

The automotive industry in India is one of the largest in the world and one of the fastest growing globally.

India's passenger car and commercial vehicle manufacturing industry is the sixth largest in the world, with an annual production of more than 3.9 million units in 2011.

India overtook Brazil and became the sixth largest passenger vehicle producer in the world.

According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, annual vehicle sales are projected to increase to 5 million by 2015 and more than 9 million by 2020.

...

Brazil

2011: 3,406,150 (3.4 million)
2010: 3,381,728 (3.3 million)

The Brazilian automotive industry began with a Chevrolet, which rolled off the assembly line in 1925.

Most of large global companies are present in Brazil; such as Fiat, Volkswagen Group, Ford, General Motors, Nissan Motors, Toyota, MAN SE, Mitsubishi, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Honda, Hyundai and also the emerging national companies such as Troller, Marcopolo S.A., Agrale, Randon S.A., Excalibur.

...

Mexico

2011: 2,680,037 (2.6 million)
2010: 2,345,124 (2.3 million)

The growth of Mexico's economy during the late 90s stimulated car sales in Mexico and, eventually, most of the retired car makers established again in the country.

Makers such as Honda and Porsche arrived for the first time during the last years of the 20th Century, and others such as Peugeot and Mercedes-Benz gave Mexico a 'second chance', both reestablishing in 1997.

The annual passenger vehicle sales in Mexico reached the one million milestone in 2005.

This increasing number of sales encouraged car makers to offer cars with alternative fuels like the Honda Civic Hybrid and the Volkswagen Jetta TDI.

...

Spain

2011: 2,353,682 (2.3 million)
2010: 2,387,900 (2.3 million)

Spain today is the world's eighth largest producer of automobiles and its car market stands among the largest in Europe.

Spain had previously become the fifth country of the world to manufacture cars, but in 2008 and 2009 the production decreased.

SEAT is the sole active Spanish brand with a mass production potential and capability of developing its own models in-house. Today it operates as a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group.

...

France

2011: 2,294,889 (2.2 million)
2010: 2,227,742 (2.2 million)

France was a pioneer in the automotive industry and is the 10th-largest automobile manufacturer in the world by 2011 unit production and the third-largest in Europe (after Germany and Spain).

France is home to two major automaking companies - PSA Peugeot Citroen and Renault S.A. French-designed cars have won the European Car of the Year and World Car of the Year awards numerous times.

...

Canada

2011: 2,134,893 (2.1 million)
2010: 2,071,026 (2 million)

Canada is currently the eleventh largest auto producer in the world, producing 2.1 million cars a year, down from seventh place with 3 million a few years ago.

China, Spain, India, Brazil, Mexico recently surpassed Canadian production for the first time. Magna International is Canada's biggest domestic firm in the sector, and is the world's third-largest auto parts firm.

...

Russia

2011: 1,988,036 (1.9 million)
2010: 1,403,244 (1.4 million)

Automotive production is a significant industry in Russia, directly employing around 600,000 people or 1% of the country's total work force. Russia was the world's 15th largest car producer in 2010, and accounts for about 7% of the worldwide production.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union the industry faced a crisis due to competitive foreign imports.

...

Iran

2011: 1,648,505 (1.6 million)
2010: 1,599,454 (1.5 million)

Iran's automotive industry is the second most active industry of the country, after its oil and gas industry, accounting for 10% of Iran's GDP.

Iran's automobile production crossed the 1 million mark in 2007/2008. Today, Iran is the 13th largest automaker in the world and one of the largest in Asia, with annual production of more than 1.6 million.

The Iranian manufacturers currently produce six different types of vehicle, including passenger cars, 4WD, trucks, buses, minibuses, and pickup trucks.

...

Thailand

2011: 1,478,460 (1.4 million)
2010: 1,644,513 (1.6 million)

The auto industry in Thailand is the largest in South-Asia. The Thai-based automobile manufacturer is ThaiRung or well known as

TR, manufactured by Thai Rung Union Car Public Co. Ltd. (TRU). The company was established in 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand.

...

United Kingdom

2011: 1,463,999 (1.4 million)
2010: 1,393,463 (1.3 million)

The automotive industry in the United Kingdom is now best known for premium and sports car marques including Aston Martin, Bentley,

Daimler, Jaguar, Lagonda, Land Rover, Lotus, McLaren, MG, Mini, Morgan and Rolls-Royce.

Car manufacturers with a major presence in the UK include Ford, Honda, Nissan, Toyota and Vauxhall Motors (owned by General Motors).

...

Czech Republic

2011: 1,199,834 (1.1 million)
2010: 1,076,385 (1 million)

Czechoslovakia restored own auto manufacturing that was the second (after Poland) in Soviet block outside the USSR, producing 250 thousand per year vehicles of all types, including Skoda cars and trolleybuses, Tatra trucks and trams, Karosa buses.

The Czech Republic built a strong auto base with German, French, Japanese, Korean investments.

...

Turkey

2011: 1,189,131 (1.1 million)
2010: 1,094,557 (1 million)

The automotive industry in Turkey plays an important role in the manufacturing sector of the Turkish economy.

With a cluster of car-makers and parts suppliers, the Turkish automotive sector has become an integral part of the global network of production bases. Global car manufacturers with production plants include Fiat/Tofas, Oyak-Renault, Hyundai, Toyota, Honda and Ford/Otosan.

...

Indonesia

2011: 8,37,948
2010: 7,02,508

Indonesia is one of the major auto manufacturing nations in South Asia.

...

Poland

2011: 8,37,132
2010: 8,69,376

Poland became the first in Soviet block outside the USSR, producing all types of vehicles, including Polski FIAT, Polonez, Syrena, Tarpan cars, Yeltch and Sanos trucks and buses.

...

Argentina

2011: 8,28,771
2010: 7,16,540

Argentina has a long history of auto manufacturing, all of foreign designed vehicles.

...

Italy

2011: 7,90,348
2010: 8,38,400

Italy is the one the significant automobile producers in Europe and World. Today the Italian automotive industry is dominated by Fiat Group.

Fiat also owns the upmarket Alfa Romeo and Lancia brands as well as the exotic Ferrari and Maserati.

...

Slovakia

2011: 6,39,763
2010: 5,56,941

Slovakia has become one of the leading car producers in Central Europe, mainly owing to the presence of three world-class automotive companies: Volkswagen Slovakia, Bratislava; PSA Peugeot Citroen Slovakia, Trnava and Kia Motors Slovakia, Zilina.

Slovakia's development into one of the world's most important automotive hubs began in the early 1990s, when Volkswagen decided to establish a factory for car production near Bratislava.

...

Belgium

2011: 5,62,386
2010: 5,55,302

The Belgian car industry with a growth rate of nearly 14 per cent, is one of the fastest growing car markets in Europe.

...

Malaysia

2011: 5,40,050
2010: 5,67,715

Some of leading automakers in Malaysian auto industry are Perodua, Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Bhd. Malaysia's first national car project was Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional or Proton.

...

South Africa

2011: 5,32,545
2010: 4,72,049

South Africa is an African leader in automotive industry and now manufactures nearly half a million of all types of automobiles per year.