RE: RC companies which are like car companies...
I would actually say Thunder Tiger is like Audi... seeing as how they own several brands, including Associated.
Mugen, X-Ray, Serpent... all those are kinda of like the racing sides of Honda, Nissan, and Porsche.
Traxxas would be a domestic, like Ford or Chevy.
Exceed, Redcat, etc. would be Geely, or any other Chinese crap car company.