The global automotive industry is quite vast. It comprises many car brands, car design & engineering corporations, and vehicle tuning companies. There is no other way to list them all than alphabetically. Thus, today, we will explore top auto companies and car brands that start with I. From America to Japan to South Korea to Europe, there are many globally and locally known automakers that every vehicle enthusiast would love to know.
Top companies like Isuzu, Infiniti, and Iveco are the most popular car brands beginning with I. Most people’s knowledge about I-initial auto manufacturers is limited to these names only. So, if you want to increase your knowledge, this is the right place.
1. Infiniti
Infiniti Motor Company is the luxury vehicle division of the popular car brand that starts with N, the Nissan. The company was founded in 1989 and has been selling premium cars in North America since then. This automaker has dealers in over fifty countries, with North America, China, Taiwan, and the Middle East being its main markets.
2. Isuzu
Isuzu Motors Ltd., popularly known as Isuzu, is a Japanese multinational automaker founded in 1916 in Tokyo, Japan. This company primarily builds, markets, and sells commercial vehicles like trucks, buses, and diesel engines. Apart from commercial vehicles, Isuzu also has a few SUVs under its name.
3. Iveco
Iveco S.p.A. is an Italian multinational transport vehicle manufacturing company named Industrial Vehicles Corporation. The company was founded in 1975 and is centered in Turin, Italy. Iveco designs and builds commercial vehicles (bus, truck, van), including light, medium, and heavy
4. International
International Trucks, or International Harvester, is one of the leading manufacturers of commercial rides like trucks, buses, and military vehicles.
The company was founded in 1902, but in 1986, it transitioned into a new name: Navistar. After this change, the brand’s truck product line dropped the “Harvester” portion of the name. Today, you will see a variety of medium-duty, over-the-road, and severe-service trucks featuring the “International” logo.
5. Irizar
Irizar is a Spanish producer of luxury buses and coaches. This firm was established in 1889 and is located in Ormaiztegi in the Basque Country, Spain. Irizar has over 40% of the market share in Spain and is positioned second in Europe for its coach vehicle bodies.
6. IC Bus
IC Bus is an American car brand that manufactures buses beginning with the letter I. The company was founded in 2002 and is completely owned by Navistar International. IC currently produces school buses and commercial-use buses for multiple applications.
7. IKCO
ICKO, or Iran Khodro, is an Iranian automaker headquartered in Tehran. Founded as Iran National in 1962, it sells Iran-assembled French cars and IKCO-built models, such as Samand.
8. Intermeccanica
Intermeccanica is an Italian carmaker founded in 1959 by Frank Reisner. Initially, the company was a tuning kit maker, but later moved to building cars full-time. The Intermeccanica Italia Spyder and the Intermeccanica Indra are the two most notable models made by Intermeccanica.
9. Isdera
Isdera is a German specialty automaker and design service provider established in 1982 by Eberhard Schulz. This brand specializes in building hand-made high-performance sports cars. The 1993 Isdera Commendatore 112i is the most famous car in the company’s history. In addition, the Isdera Spyder and Isdera Imperator 108i are also quite popular.
10. IHI Corporation
IHI Corporation is a Japanese engineering corporation formerly known as Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. The company was formed in 1853 and makes ships, aircraft engines, marine diesel engines, space launch vehicles, gas turbines, gas engines, turbochargers for automobiles, plant engineering, railway systems, industrial machinery, power station boilers, and other facilities, suspension bridges, and other structures.
11. Irmscher
Irmscher is a German car manufacturing and tuning company founded in 1968. This automaker specializes in Opel, Peugeot, and Kia vehicles; however, it also provides engineering services for the entire automobile industry.
12. Isotta Fraschini
Isotta Fraschini is an Italian car maker known for producing luxury cars, trucks, and engines for marine and aviation use. The company has been in business since 1900 but started building its own products in 1904. The first vehicle bearing the Isotta Fraschini marque featured a four-cylinder engine with an output of 24 horsepower (18 kW). Vincenzo Fraschini drove it in several races.
13. ISO
ISO, or ISO Rivolta, is an Italian manufacturer of cars and motorcycles. The company has been in the industry since 1938 and has produced several models since then. Isetta, launched in 1953, is ISO’s most notable product, as it was a crossover between a car and a motorbike.
14. IZh
IZh or Lada Izhevsk is a Russian carmaker and a subsidiary of AvtoVAZ since 2010. The company was founded in 1965 and used to assemble copies of Moskvich models 408 with parts shipped in. Since its acquisition in 2010, IZh has produced Nissan and Lada models.
15. Ioniq
Ioniq is a South Korean automaker and an electric vehicles division of Hyundai Motor Company. This sub-brand was established in 2020 and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. Hyundai launched Ioniq to create fully electric cars.
16. Iceni
Iceni is an automobile brand owned by the iconic British sports car maker Trident. The company’s first sports car, the Iceni Grand Tourer, was unveiled at the 2012 Salon Prive.
17. Impul
Hoshino Impul Co., Ltd., well known as Impul, is a Japanese automotive company founded in 1980 and based in Tokyo, Japan. This brand is the exclusive producer of aftermarket parts for Nissan vehicles, such as engine components, body kits, and wheels.
18. Isdera
Isdera is a German automobile manufacturer and design service provider founded by Eberhard Schulze in 1982. This car brand specializes in making hand-built high-performance sports cars. Its top products are the Isdera Spyder, Isdera Imperator 108i, and Isdera Commendatore 112i.
19. Icons
Icons is an automotive engineering and design company launched in 1986 and headquartered in Turin, Italy. This firm specializes in engineering and designing complete motor vehicles, internal trims, body in white, complete dashboard modules, lighting clusters, external trims, and lightweight component parts. Icons showcased a prototype of a new V12 supercar named Icons Vulcano at the 2013 Auto Shanghai.
20. I.DE.A
I.DE.A is an acronym for Institute of Development in Automotive Engineering. This firm was founded in 1978 in Turin, Italy, by Franco Mantegazza, Renzo Piano, and Peter Rice. In 2002, it was taken over by Rieter Holding Ltd.
21. Imola Racing
Imola Racing is another automobile design and tuning company or brand that starts with the letter I. This company is based in Germany and specializes in redesigning Ferrari cars. One of the most notable works of this firm is the Imola Racing F612 Wide Body, a modified Ferrari 612 Scaglietti.
22. IMSA
IMSA is a Germany-based car tuning company that remodels Lamborghini and Mercedes-Benz vehicles. This maker made its presence felt with their work on IMSA Gallardo GTV. This was the model based on the Lamborghini Gallardo.
23. Innotech
Innotech is another vehicle design and engineering firm on this list. This company is based in the Czech Republic and tailors Corvette cars like Innotech Corvette. This company even developed and designed its own model, the Innotech Mysterro. This build came with a Corvette 5.7-litre V8 engine under its hood.
24. Italdesign
Italdesign Giugiaro S.p.A. is an Italian design and engineering company founded in 1968, in Turin, Italy. Currently, the company is based in Moncalieri, Italy, and is acclaimed for its automobile design. It offers services like product design, styling, project management, packaging, prototyping, engineering, modeling, and testing to different automobile makers worldwide.
25. Indian Motorcycles
Indian Motorcycles is an American motorbike manufacturer. This brand was founded in 1901. The company operated as an independent firm until 1953. It resumed its operations in 1999, and in 2011, it was purchased by American auto manufacturer Polaris Inc.
26. Innocenti
Innocenti was an Italian automobile firm widely known for producing cars, motorcycles, and scooters. The company was founded in 1933 in Milan. Over the years, it produced Lambretta scooters and a wide range of vehicles, mainly of British Leyland origin. Innocenti was acquired by Fiat in 1990 and retired in 1997.
27. IAME
IAME is an abbreviation for Industrias Aeronáuticas y Mecánicas del Estado. It was a state-owned Argentinean automobile company that ran its course between 1951 and 1979. This manufacturer used to build passenger cars, compact rides, tractors, light trucks, and motorcycles.
28. IDA-Opel
IDA-Opel was a Serbian (Yugoslav) automaker based in Kikinda, Serbia. It was a subsidiary of German car company Opel and operated from 1977 to 1992. IDA sold license-built Opel models for the Yugoslav market.
29. IKA
Industrias Kaiser Argentina, or IKA, was an Argentine car maker established in 1956. It was a joint venture between Argentina and Kaiser Motors of the United States. This car brand built many Kaiser Jeep vehicles and American Motors Corporation (AMC) models. One of its most popular models is the Torino. IKA built Torino by partnering with Renault in 1970.
30. Ilinga
Ilinga is another car maker that is now defunct. It was an Australia-based car company that was in business from 1974 to 1975. In such a short span, Ilinga built only two examples of its only model, the AF-2.
31. Imperia Automobiles
Imperia Automobiles was a famous Belgian automaker established in 1906. This company operated until 1948 and produced many praise-worthy models, such as the Imperia 7-25 CV.
32. Imperial
Imperial was a luxury car brand that operated from 1955 to 1975 and 1081 to 1983. It was owned and marketed by Chrysler Corporation. Imperial was formed by Chrysler to compete against its North American rivals, Cadillac and Lincoln, in the luxury car segment. Imperial Newport, Imperial Crown Convertible Coupe, and Imperial limousines are some cars sold under this brand name.
33. Invicta
Invicta was a British car manufacturer that was active periodically from 1925 until 2012. The company changed its headquarters four times. The final attempt to revive this car’s brand name was made when a sports car named Invicta S1 was produced between 2004 and 2012.
34. Itala
Itala was a vehicle maker based in Turin, Italy. The company operated from 1904 to 1934 and mostly built touring and racing cars through its course.
There you have the top car brands that start with the letter I. Some of these companies no longer exist, while others are still making a difference at national and international levels. So, which I-initial auto manufacturer intrigued you the most?
