The Harlap family's Colmobil is Israel's largest car importer. A Maccabi Haifa soccer club owner runs the Volvo and Honda franchise. Chinese brands now claim a third of the market. The ownership map of who brings cars into Israel.
Colmobil, controlled by the Harlap family, is Israel's largest car importer with about 20% of new-car deliveries. Frisbee (formerly Carasso) follows at 16%, Union Motors (Toyota) at 15%, Champion Motors (Volkswagen Group) at 12% and Talcar (Kia) at 10%, per the Association of Vehicle Importers' data for the first 11 months of 2025. The top five importers control 72% of the market.
Chinese brands now account for about a third of deliveries, and they arrive through the same handful of importers. The result is a market where a few family-owned groups decide which cars Israelis can buy, and at what price.
Who Are Israel's Biggest Car Importers?
The table below maps every importer large enough to appear in the 2025 market-share data, with the brands it sells and the owner named in public sources. Shares are of 283,587 new cars delivered in the first 11 months of 2025.
| Importer | Market share | Main brands | Owner | Revenue (NIS billion) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colmobil | 20% | Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, JAC, Jaecoo, Omoda | Harlap family | 10.6 (2025 rating) |
| Frisbee (ex-Carasso) | 16% | Renault, Nissan, Chery, XPeng | Carasso family | 6.4 (2025 rating) |
| Union Motors | 15% | Toyota, Lexus, Geely, Aion | Horesh family | 4.0 (estimate) |
| Champion Motors | 12% | Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, SEAT | Allied Holdings | 5.4 (estimate) |
| Talcar | 10% | Kia, Seres, KGM | Ungar family | 4.0 |
| Lubinski | 6% | Peugeot, Citroen, Opel, MG | Manor family | Not listed |
| Delek Motors | 5% | Mazda, Ford, BMW, Dongfeng | Gil Agmon | 6.2 |
| Shlomo Motors | 4.5% | BYD | 50% Champion Motors | Not listed |
| Mayer's Cars & Trucks | Not in top eight | Volvo, Honda | Ya'akov Shahar | 7.3 |
Sources: Association of Vehicle Importers data as reported by Ynet; Dun's 100 revenue ratings; BDI Code company listings; Olam research. Revenue is Dun's 100 data in NIS billions, the 2025 rating where noted and the latest rating otherwise. Union Motors and Champion Motors figures are Dun's estimates. Mayer's revenue covers trucks as well as cars.
Who Owns Colmobil, Israel's Largest Importer?
Colmobil is controlled by the Harlap family and holds about 20% of the market. Its brands include Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi and, on the Chinese side, JAC, Jaecoo and Omoda. Dun's 100 ranked it first among Israeli car importers in its 2025 rating, with revenue of about NIS 10.6 billion, down 8.7% from the year before.
Colmobil has also started to export its model. Ynet reported that it secured exclusive rights to distribute Jaecoo and Omoda in Austria, its first step into Europe. The company also has energy and construction-equipment arms and supplies vehicles to Israel's Ministry of Defense, details carried over from Olam's earlier reporting.
Who Owns Frisbee, Formerly Carasso Motors?
Frisbee is the new name of Carasso Motors, a company that BDI Code lists as founded in 1933 and owned by the Carasso family. It holds roughly 16% of the market with Renault, Nissan, Chery and XPeng.
Its 2025 rating placed revenue at about NIS 6.4 billion, up 37.2%, driven by Chery. Frisbee also bought Metro Motor, an importer of two-wheeled vehicles including SYM, Kawasaki and Yamaha. One caution from Ynet: Carasso registered more than 9,000 Chery FX electric cars in 2025, and it is unclear whether demand or a registration push drove them. Importer market share in this market can be inflated by registration timing.
Who Owns Union Motors, the Toyota Importer?
Union Motors imports Toyota, Lexus, Geely and Aion and holds about 15% of the market. BDI Code lists it as owned by the Horesh family, and Globes has identified George Horesh as the Toyota importer. Globes described him as staying out of the spotlight, with most non-auto investments held through his investment company, Union Investments (formerly Ronin Investments).
Toyota is the best-selling single brand in Israel. It lost the Corolla sedan after Turkey's embargo on vehicle exports to Israel, according to Globes, yet still posted growth in 2025.
Who Owns Champion Motors, the Volkswagen Group Importer?
Champion Motors imports Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and SEAT and holds about 12% of the market. Dun's 100 lists its owner as Allied Holdings. Champion also owns 50% of Shlomo Motors, the BYD importer, which added another 4.5% of the market in 2025.
Counting Shlomo, the Champion group is a larger force than its 12% suggests. That is a rare case where one importer group sits behind two very different brand families, German and Chinese.
Who Owns Talcar, the Kia Importer?
Talcar imports Kia, Seres and KGM and holds about 10% of the market. BDI Code lists the owner as the Ungar family. Olam has profiled its owner separately in Rami Ungar: Kia's Israeli Importer and Ship Owner.
Who Owns the Mid-Size Importers?
- Lubinski (6%): Peugeot, Citroen, Opel and MG. BDI Code lists the Manor family as owner. A surge in MG sales offset losses from Peugeot and Citroen, per Ynet's 2024 analysis.
- Delek Motors (5%): Mazda, Ford, BMW and Dongfeng. BDI Code lists Gil Agmon as owner. Ynet reported it fully acquired Eurodrive, expanding into leasing and two-wheeled vehicles.
- Shlomo Motors (4.5%): BYD, half owned by Champion Motors.
- Samelet Motors: Subaru, Jeep, Leapmotor and Alfa Romeo, listed by BDI Code under Lermi B.V.
Who Owns Mayer's Cars & Trucks, the Volvo and Honda Importer?
Mayer's Cars & Trucks imports Volvo and Honda. Its main shareholder, Ya'akov Shahar, is also the principal owner of Maccabi Haifa F.C., linking Israel's car-import business to professional soccer ownership.
Mayer's is not in the 2025 top eight by new-car share, yet Dun's 100 puts its revenue at about NIS 7.3 billion, up 10.1%, which exceeds several importers with larger car shares. The figure includes its trucks business.
How Concentrated Is Israel's Car Import Market?
Very. The five largest importers control 72% of new-car deliveries and the top 10 account for 94%, according to the Association of Vehicle Importers. Ynet's reading of the data is that, despite the rise of Chinese brands, the balance of power among importers is largely unchanged.
The Chinese surge has come through the incumbents. Chinese automakers captured about a third of 283,587 deliveries in the first 11 months of 2025, and more than half of new cars sold had some form of electric power: electric 19.5%, hybrid 25% and plug-in hybrid 11%. Israel's Competition Authority was reviewing the industry, according to Ynet, and some importers delayed launching new brands for fear of raising their market share.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the largest car importer in Israel?
Colmobil, controlled by the Harlap family, with about 20% of new-car deliveries in the first 11 months of 2025. It imports Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, JAC, Jaecoo and Omoda.
Who owns the Toyota importer in Israel?
Union Motors imports Toyota, Lexus, Geely and Aion. BDI Code lists the Horesh family as owner, and Globes identifies George Horesh as the Toyota importer. Union Motors holds about 15% of the market.
Who imports Volkswagen and Audi in Israel?
Champion Motors, which Dun's 100 lists under Allied Holdings, imports Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and SEAT. It also owns 50% of Shlomo Motors, the BYD importer.
Is there a connection between Israeli car importers and sports club ownership?
Yes, in one notable case. Ya'akov Shahar, the main shareholder of Volvo and Honda importer Mayer's Cars & Trucks, is also the principal owner of Maccabi Haifa's football club.
How big is the Chinese car brand presence in Israel?
Chinese automakers captured about a third of new-car deliveries in the first 11 months of 2025. The biggest names arrive through the largest importers: Chery and XPeng through Frisbee, and JAC, Jaecoo and Omoda through Colmobil.
Related Olam Coverage
- Rami Ungar: Kia's Israeli Importer and Ship Owner
- Who Owns Israel's Ports? Haifa, Ashdod, and Eilat Mapped, where imported cars arrive
- Who Owns Israel's Pharmacy Chains?
- Who Owns Israel's Gas Stations? Paz, Delek, Sonol Mapped
- More Israeli Real Economy coverage
Sources
Ynet, Chinese automakers seize a third of Israel's car market (2025); Ynet, Chinese oversupply and Israeli auto importers; Ynet, Colmobil to Austria and Delek Motors acquires Eurodrive; Globes, Chinese cars increase market share in Israel in 2025; Globes, George Horesh and Union; Dun's 100, Car Agency and Import rating 2025; Dun's 100, Car Agency and Import rating 2026; BDI Code, motor vehicle importers; Wikipedia, Ya'akov Shahar.
How we report: Olam stories draw on public filings, company disclosures and named sources, checked by our editors. Read our methodology · Corrections
How we report: Olam stories draw on public filings, company disclosures and named sources, checked by our editors. Read our methodology · Corrections
