Which Car Company Best Represents Each Olympic Winter Sport?
The Winter Olympics are going on right now and it seems everyone is trying to cash in on the Olympic fever, us included. But what about auto makers? Some sponsor teams from various countries, while others sponsor the Olympics as a whole. But we have a better idea.
What if an automaker sponsored a specific event? The 2026 Winter Games in Italy feature a wide variety of snow and ice sports. Each event and discipline has its own nuances and personality, which got us thinking. What if an automotive brand sponsored an event that had a lot in common with that particular manufacturer?
It’s the question we’re sure is burning at the back of everyone’s mind, and it's the kind of high-quality, hard-hitting journalism we at AutoGuide offer you, our devoted readers. Below ,we broke the various events into 15 main categories, listed alphabetically. And to the automakers: you can have these ideas for free. No need to thank us.
Alpine Skiing: Ferrari
Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing as it’s commonly referred to, requires speed, agility, and strength. It’s all about getting down the hill as quickly and cleanly as possible. When it comes to control, speed, and beauty, not many manufacturers can match Ferrari.
Biathlon: Land Rover
Biathlon is an old-school, traditional sport. One for the sophisticated crowd. It involves crossing the countryside and then shooting targets at specified stops. What better representation than the posh, British off-road brand that offers comfort and luxury while traversing unpleasant terrains? Plus, it can easily carry those rifles.
Bobsleigh: McLaren
Fast, smooth, and in control. That’s the secret to being successful at Bobsled, much like it is on the racetrack. There are plenty of manufacturers that could qualify here, and many that have actually built bobsleds in the past, like BMW. Heck, Subaru actually chucked a WRX STI down a bobsled track once.
But we think the brand that had success at the highest level (Formula 1) this year, McLaren, could work some sort of cross-promotion angle here.
Cross-Country Skiing: Volvo
Yes, Scandinavia loves cross-country skiing, so going with the Swedish brand here seems like a cop-out. It probably is, but Volvos are also at home travelling across the countryside, visiting scenic locations along the way. It’s a no-brainer, really.
Curling: Lexus
On the surface, Curling may look like a slow-paced, less-than-invigorating sport. But get to know the sport, and the strategy, skill, finesse, and intricacies really separate the best in the business from the merely decent. Much like Lexus.
Figure Skating: Aston Martin
Style, finesse, and surprising power. That’s figure skating in a nutshell. Many may not realize the strength required to hurl oneself high up in the air while spinning around four times before landing. Aston Martin fits the bill here with some of the most stylish vehicles on the road, packing potent powerplants and fantastic responses.
Hockey: Ford
Yes, Ford already does hockey campaigns. So, sue us (no wait, please don’t). In North America, hockey is easily the most popular sport in the Olympics. It’s a tough, gritty competition that rewards hard work and determination. The easy choice to represent hockey is the most popular passenger vehicle on sale in North America, the Ford F-150 workhorse.
Luge: Bugatti
Of the icy track sports, nothing achieves speeds as high as Luge. Coming in just shy of 100 mph, the car brand known for smashing top speed records, Bugatti, is the straightforward choice here.
Skeleton: Ariel
Skeleton is essentially Luge, just headfirst. Incredible speeds are achieved with the athlete’s body fully exposed to all the elements. This sounds a lot like the Ariel Atom. A compact, highspeed rocket that allows drivers to really feel everything that’s going on around them.
Ski Ariels: Porsche
Ski Ariels, the sport where an athlete hits a big jump and does numerous twists and flips in the air, is all about precision and control. Porsche has built the brand’s reputation on making some of the best handling, most agile vehicles ever created. They're even fantastic on the snow.
Ski Jumping: BYD
Ski jumping involves travelling great distances in the air. Although the BYD Yangwang U9 can’t quite achieve the same hangtime, it is capable of launching itself into the air at speed.
Ski Mountaineering: Jeep
This may be one of the lesser-known sports, but essentially it involves climbing up over a mountain and coming down the other side. Sounds like what Jeeps have been doing for over 80 years.
Speed Skating – Long Track: Lamborghini
Accelerate hard, achieve high velocities, sustain for long periods of time, add in the importance of aerodynamics. Long track speed skating has a lot in common with super cars. When we think high-speed supercars, Lamborghini always comes to mind.
Speed Skating – Short Track: Chevrolet
Some say Short Track Speed Skating is the NASCAR of the Winter Olympics and we can’t really argue. It’s a short oval where contact is all but ensured each race. So, what brand to better represent Short Track Speed Skating than the winningest manufacture in NASCAR history.
Snowboarding: Subaru
There are many different disciplines in Snowboarding, but all utilize a main component: the snowboard itself. Subaru builds plenty of differing vehicles, from the track-ready BRZ to the family-hauling Ascent to the off-road-ready Wilderness lineup. But at the core, every Subaru has a flat-four BOXER engine. Plus, much like Subaru, snowboarding is becoming a bit less wild and increasingly mainstream. The two seem like a perfect marriage.
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A 20+ year industry veteran, Mike rejoins the AutoGuide team as the Managing Editor. He started his career at a young age working at dealerships, car rentals, and used car advertisers. He then found his true passion, automotive writing. After contributing to multiple websites for several years, he spent the next six years working at the head office of an automotive OEM, before returning back to the field he loves. He is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), and Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA). He's the recipient of a feature writing of the year award and multiple video of the year awards.
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