Automotive industry in Brazil

The Brazilian automotive industry is coordinated by the Associação Nacional dos Fabricantes de Veículos Automotores (Anfavea), created in 1956, which includes automakers (cars, light vehicles, trucks, buses and agriculture machines) with factories in Brazil. Anfavea is part of the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles (OICA), based in Paris. In 2021, the annual production exceeded 2.2 million vehicles, the 8th largest in the world.

Most large global automotive companies are present in Brazil, such as: BMW, BYD, Chery, Fiat, Ford, Geely, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, JAC Motors, Kia, Land Rover, Lexus, Lifan, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan Motors, Renault, Stellantis, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo Trucks, among others, as well as national companies such as Agrale, Marcopolo, Randon, and more. In the past there were national brands such as DKW Vemag, FNM, Gurgel, and Troller. Some traditionally produced modern equipped replicas of older models.

History
The first Brazilian automotive industry was the work of Henry Ford, who started the Brazilian subsidiary of Ford Motor Company in 1919. In 1921 Ford opened its own production facility and was followed by General Motors in 1926. In 1928, Ford established the Fordlândia, an industrial district in the Amazon rainforest. The district is no longer in use but saw a populational growth compared to the early 2000s, when roughly 90 people lived in the town.

In 1956, the Romi-Isetta, an early Brazilian car, was initially produced, with license purchase of Italian Iso. In 1958, Toyota started to produce its famous Bandeirante. In 1959, the first Volkswagen factory was built, it started manufacturing the Type 2, which preceded the famous Beetle. At the same time, a Brazilian entrepreneur, Mr. Sebastiao William Cardoso, started producing an electrical small jeep called Tupi.

In the late 1950s, Chevrolet and Ford started manufacturing pickup trucks, and in the 1960s, automobiles and commercial vehicles, GM also brought buses. In 1967, Puma began selling sports cars. The Italian Fiat established its first factory in the 1970s, and Mercedes-Benz started to produce trucks and buses during the 1950s, and opened an automobile factory in 1998. These companies dominated the Brazilian market until mid-1990s, when the Brazilian market was finally opened to imports. In the 1990s, more auto companies settled and opened factories in Brazil.

The automotive industry in Brazil sells to all over Latin America and the world. In the last few years, the Brazilian auto industry has grown quickly, attracting investments from the main global automakers. In 2007, production grew 14% compared to 2006 figures, reaching more than 4 million vehicles.

In October 2012, the Inovar-Auto Program was approved by decree with the theoretical goals of encouraging automakers to produce more fuel-efficient vehicles and investing in the national automotive industry, by managing taxation exceptions (IPI = Tax over Industrialized Product). However, the program has received criticism, especially of protectionism. The country has recently lost a WTO dispute against tax advantages and illegal practices of protectionism. The Inovar-Auto program ended in December 2017 and was replaced by the Route 2030 Program.

1910s

 * 1911: The first Brazilian automotive magazine, "Revista de Automóveis", was launched in Rio de Janeiro by the Automóvel Clube do Brasil, founded by Santos Dumont; the collection can be observed in the Automotive Press Museum (Miau), in São Paulo.
 * 1908-1913: The first trip by car from Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo was in 1908. The first trip by car from São Paulo to Curitiba was in 1913.
 * 1917: By now, the State of São Paulo had a fleet of 2,600 motor vehicles. In 1918, the first female driver in São Paulo, the wife of the commander of the Port of Santos, operated her automobile under protest from traditional families.
 * 1919: The first automotive industry of Brazil was implemented by Henry Ford. Ford's head office in the United States opens a statewide branch, with initial capital of US$25000 1919. Model T and TT trucks began to be assembled in São Paulo.

1930s

 * 1930: Ford was followed by concurrent General Motors with the assembly of the first Chevrolet cars in São Caetano do Sul, São Paulo, there until today, at Avenida Goiás.

1950s

 * Marcopolo viale brt move metropolitano.jpg bus, made in Brazil, in the city of Belo Horizonte.]]
 * Marcopolo viale brt move metropolitano.jpg bus, made in Brazil, in the city of Belo Horizonte.]]
 * Marcopolo viale brt move metropolitano.jpg bus, made in Brazil, in the city of Belo Horizonte.]]
 * Marcopolo viale brt move metropolitano.jpg bus, made in Brazil, in the city of Belo Horizonte.]]
 * Marcopolo viale brt move metropolitano.jpg bus, made in Brazil, in the city of Belo Horizonte.]]
 * Marcopolo viale brt move metropolitano.jpg bus, made in Brazil, in the city of Belo Horizonte.]]

1970s

 * Onibus articulados no terminal.jpg bus, made in Brazil, in the city of Belém]]
 * Onibus articulados no terminal.jpg bus, made in Brazil, in the city of Belém]]
 * Onibus articulados no terminal.jpg bus, made in Brazil, in the city of Belém]]

Current passenger automobiles

 * Adventures Off Road
 * BMW Group BMW & Mini
 * Bugre
 * BYD
 * GMB, with subsidisiary Chevrolet
 * Great Wall Motors
 * Grupo CAOA with Brands Chery, Exeed, Hyundai and Subaru
 * Grupo Gandini with Brand KIA
 * Honda
 * Jaguar e Land Rover Brasil
 * Mitsubishi
 * Nissan
 * Renault (Produces Dacia Vehicles as well)
 * Stellantis for Brands Citroën, Fiat, Jeep and Peugeot, as well as imported RAM
 * Suzuki
 * Toyota And Brand Lexus
 * Volkswagen aka VWB
 * Volvo

Motorcycle

 * Agrale
 * Amazonas Motos Especiais (AME)
 * Avelloz Motos
 * Brasil & Movimento
 * BMW
 * Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP)
 * Bull Motors
 * CFMoto-KTM
 * Dafra Motos
 * Dayang
 * Ducati do Brasil
 * HaoJue Motos do Brasil
 * Harley-Davidson
 * Honda- Moto Honda da Amazônia
 * Hot Custom Cycles
 * HPE Automotores do Brasil (Suzuki)
 * Iros Motos
 * Suzuki
 * Kawasaki
 * Kymco Motos
 * Motocargo Industria e Comercio de Triciclo (Mtcar)
 * Moto Traxx da Amazônia
 * Royal Enfield Brasil
 * Shineray do Brasil
 * Sousa Motos
 * Triumph Brazil
 * Vespa
 * Voltz Motors
 * Yamaha

Bus & truck

 * Agrale
 * Avibrás (Military Rocketry Truck)
 * BYD Bus
 * Caio Induscar with also Brand Carbuss Indústria Catarinense de Carrocerias (Formerly Busscar Ônibus)
 * Comil Ônibus
 * DAF Trucks
 * Effa Motors
 * Foton
 * FNM, Fábrica Nacional de Mobilidade, participation of Agrale
 * Iveco Trucks & Iveco Bus
 * Marcopolo, with has Brand Neobus too
 * Mercedes-Benz
 * Mascarello
 * Volvo Trucks & Buses
 * Volkswagen do Brasil, as Traton SE (Formerly MAN SE), Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus (Some models are rebadged Man trucks) And Scania

Tractors

 * AGCO
 * Caterpillar Brasil
 * Fundação Romi - Máquinas Agrícolas Romi (Agricultural machinery division)
 * Grupo CNH Industrial - CASE Construction, New Holland Agriculture & New Holland Construction
 * John Deere Brasil
 * Komatsu
 * Massey Ferguson
 * Valtra

Representative importers

 * Audi
 * Ford
 * HPE Automotores do Brasil for Brand Mitsubishi
 * UK Motors – Grupo Eurobike – Stuttgart Sportcar with Brands Aston Martin, McLaren, Pagani And Porsche
 * Via Itália with Brands Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati And Rolls-Royce

Former local and foreign manufacturers

 * Alfa Romeo
 * Athena Auto (Partnership between Fibracar Compósitos and Scherer Automotiva)
 * Athos Cars (Formerly Chamonix Athos)
 * AutoLatina (Former VWB & Ford Joint-Venture)
 * Benelli
 * Bernardini (Military)
 * CBT, Companhia Brasileira de Tratores
 * Companhia Distribuidora Geral Brasmotor (Former manufacturer for Chrysler, Plymouth, Fargo and Volkswagen. Ccurrently owned by Whirlpool, produces since only refrigerators)
 * CBP Indústria, Comércio e Exportação (Closed due to trademark infringement; bought Coyote Indústria e Comércio, a former autocross vehicle manufacturer, in the late 80s)
 * Chrysler & Dodge
 * Distribuidora de Automóveis, Caminhões e Ônibus Nacionais (Dacon) (Volkswagen and Porsche Representative, Custom Builder) Projets d'AvantGarde (PAG DACON)
 * Fabral
 * Emis Indústria e Comércio de Veículos
 * Engenheiros Especializados (Engesa, manufactured Military Vehicles, Trucks And Agricultural Tractors)
 * Farus Indústria de Veículos Esportivos
 * Ford
 * FNM Fábrica Nacional de Motores
 * Busscar Buses
 * Grupo Souza Ramos, aka Ford Souza Ramos Seller, made Custom Vehicles
 * Gurgel Indústria e Comércio de Veículos (Formerly Moplast Moldagem de Plástico)
 * Hofstetter Indústria e Comércio de Veículos
 * Indústria Brasileira de Automóveis Presidente (IBAP)
 * Indústria Brasileira de Veículos (IBV)
 * Indústria de Carrocerias Bugre
 * JAC Motors
 * JPX Indústria e Comércio (Founded by Eike Batista)
 * Karmann-Ghia do Brasil (Subsidiary of Wilhelm Karmann)
 * Kasinski (Currently under Magneti Marelli brand, a Fiat subsidiary), Cofap – Companhia Fabricadora de Peças, Cofave – Sociedade Amazonense Fabricadora de Veículos
 * Kers Tecnologia em Mobilidade Sustentável (Microenterprise supported by Unioeste University and the government of the State of Parana)
 * LHM Indústria Mecânica (Formerly Nurburgring Indústria e Comércio)
 * Lafer (Still producing Furniture)
 * Lifan
 * Little Croc (Amphibious buggy)
 * Lobby Indústria e Comércio (Formerly Matis Indústria e Comércio)
 * L'Auto Craft Montadora de Veículos (Formerly L'Automobile Distribuidora de Veículos)
 * Mahindra (Ceased passenger vehicles production in 2015)
 * Mafersa, Trains & Bus Manufacturer
 * Mercedes-Benz (Ceased passenger vehicles production in 2020, still produce trucks and bus chassis)
 * Miura (Currently owned by Rangel & Lima Indústria de Veículos, Formerly owned by Besson, Gobbi & Cia.)
 * MMC Automotores do Brasil
 * Mobilis (Startup focused in urban mobility solution, produced a small electric vehicle in 2017)
 * Montauto – Montadora Nacional de Automóveis, BRM – Buggy Rodas e Motores (Biggest dune buggy manufacturer in Brazil)
 * Mundeo (Propeller-driven car built "to simulate the feel of an inverted flight", traffic restriction on public roads)
 * Nasser Brasil Motores Indústria e Comércio de Veículos, NBM Indústria, Comércio de Veículos
 * Obvio! Automotoveículos
 * Vrooom! Veículos Elétricos (Currently active and focused on electric vehicles)
 * Pioneira da Indústria Nacional de Automóveis Reunida (Pinar)
 * Plascar – (Formerly Oscar S.A. Indústria de Artefatos de Borracha, still plastic bumper supplier)
 * Polaris
 * Indian Motorcycle
 * Puma Automóveis
 * Py Motors Comércio e Indústria
 * Companhia Industrial Santa Matilde
 * SEED (Small Electric Economic Design) (Formerly MMR Motorsport)
 * Simca do Brasil (Replaced by Chrysler do Brasil in 1967)
 * SR Veículos Especiais
 * TAC (Formerly Tecnologia Automotiva Catarinense (TAC); utility car project sold to the Chinese Zotye)
 * Tarso Marques Concept (TMC) (Founded by Tarso Marques, former Formula 1 pilot; specialized in custom jobs)
 * Troller (Owned By Ford)
 * Vemag-DKW (Vemag was acquired by Volkswagen do Brasil in 1967)
 * Viação Cometa (Currently owned by Auto Viação 1001)
 * Companhia Manufatureira Auxiliar (CMA), Produced Cometa Buses)
 * Viação Itapemirim as Tecnobus – Serviços, Comércio e Indústria (Formerly Tecnobus Implementos Rodoviários)
 * VLEGA Gaucho
 * Willys-Overland do Brasil
 * Wladimir Martins Veículos (WMV) (Sold to Polystilo Indústria e Comércio in 1983 and for Py Motors in 1986)

Educational institutions

 * Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC-USP)
 * Faculdade de Engenharia Industrial (FEI)
 * Instituto Mauá de Tecnologia

Local manufacture encouraged
As of 2024, Brazil has a 35% tariff on imported combustion engine vehicles,  18% on BEVs, 20% on PHEVs and 25% on HEVs.

Passenger vehicles currently offered, manufactured or imported in large scale
Agrale: Marruá

Audi: ; Imported: A3, A4, A5, A6, A8, Q3/Q3 Sportback, Q5, Q7, Q8, RS, e-tron and e-tron GT

BMW: 3 Series, X1, X3, X4, X5; Imported: 1 Series, 2 Series, 4 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series, X2, X6, X7, Z4 and iX

Chery: Tiggo 5x Pro, Tiggo 7 Pro, Tiggo 8; Imported: iCar, Arrizo 6 Pro and Tiggo 8 Pro Plug-in Hybrid

Chevrolet: Onix/Onix Plus, Montana, Spin, Tracker, S10, Trailblazer; Imported: Bolt, Camaro, Cruze, Equinox and Silverado

Citroën: C3, C4 Cactus; Imported: Jumpy, e-Jumpy, Jumper

Fiat: Argo, Mobi, Pulse, Abarth Pulse, Strada, Toro, Fiorino, Fastback; Imported: Cronos, 500e, Scudo, e-Scudo and Ducato

Honda: City (Sedan and Hatchback), HR-V; Imported: Civic e:HEV (Sedan) and Accord

Hyundai: Creta, HB20/HB20S; Imported: Kona Hybrid

Jeep: Commander, Compass, Renegade; Imported: Compass 4xe, Gladiator and Wrangler

Land Rover: Land Rover Discovery, Range Rover Evoque; Imported: Defender and Velar

Mitsubishi: L200 Triton, Eclipse Cross; Imported: Pajero Sport

Nissan: Kicks; Imported: Frontier, Leaf, Sentra and Versa

Peugeot: Partner Rapid; Imported: 208, e-208, 2008, e-2008, 3008, Expert, e-Expert and Boxer

Ram: Rampage; Imported: 1500, 1500 Classic and 2500

Renault: Duster, Kardian, Oroch, Logan, Kwid, Sandero, Master; Imported: Kangoo, Kwid E-Tech, Mégane E-Tech and Zoe

Toyota: Corolla, Corolla Cross, Yaris (Sedan and Hatchback); Imported: Hilux, SW4 and RAV4

Volkswagen: Nivus, Polo Track, Saveiro, T-Cross, Virtus; Imported: Amarok, Jetta GLI, Taos and Tiguan Allspace