Dear Sinjon,
I appreciate what you are saying, but I think the only difference is that the name and product is still going strong after all these years, when even greater (& smaller), names have gone or dwindled. My Father was in school with Colin Chapman, and remembers his keen interest - if not obsession - with designing and building cars. His whole business started with a workbench and his Fathers garage... no mean feat then, and damn near impossible to achieve the same thing these days. Granted the others you mentioned did extremely innovative things, but they haven't quite lasted out the same way - if you get my drift.
Regards, Bernard