History of Yamaha Logotype - About Us - Yamaha Corporation Brand and History History of Yamaha Logotype In 1898, one year after the establishment of Nippon Gakki Co., Ltd., forerunner of today's Yamaha Corporation, the Company decided to use a tuning fork as the corporate mark, and a design featuring a “Chinese phoenix holding a tuning fork in its mouth” as the trademark. After undergoing a variety of changes paralleling the growth of the Company, the tuning fork mark and the Yamaha logo was finally standardized in 1966. About the Tuning Fork Mark A tuning fork is a tool for tuning musical instruments. It was invented by a trumpet player named John Shore (1662-1751). The tuning fork is composed of a handle attached to the center of a U-shaped steel rod. By striking the rod, sound is created, and the frequency of the resulting vibrations per second is used as a standard for tuning a musical instrument. The three tuning forks of the Yamaha logo mark represent the cooperative relationship that links the three pillars of our business -- technology, production, and sales.

They also evoke the robust vitality that has forged our reputation for sound and music the world over, a territory signified by the enclosing circle. The mark also symbolizes the three essential musical elements: melody, harmony, and rhythm. Changes in the Tuning Fork Mark 1898 This is the design with a "Ho-oh" (Chinese phoenix) holding a tuning fork in its mouth, which was established as the trademark in 1898, one year after Nippon Gakki Co., Ltd. was established. The mark was known for being used on top quality organs, which illustrates how the Founder always aimed to create world-class products. 1916 The 10 Ten Biker Logos | SpellBrand® The 10 Ten Biker Logos 0 Symbolism on Wheels: The Top Ten Biker Logos Motorcycle riders tend to be very brand loyal when it comes to their bikes. Many enthusiasts have a favorite brand and simply will not deviate from it. While some of this loyalty is due to the quality of the various brands and the type of ride that is offered, the effect of branding on a motorcycle manufacturer’s success cannot be overestimated.

The following motorcycle motor logos portray an image that draws people in and convinces them not just to be a customer, but to become lifelong customers. 1. Harley Davidson Biker Logo Design This is the brand that many people think of when they think of a motorcycle. The Harley is not just a bike, but a brand, with a sizeable percentage of annual profits coming from licensed products such as clothing and toys. A shield shape implies history and tradition, while the rectangular shape in the middle adds a solid, dependable image. The lettering is solid and thick, without serifs or details. The recognizable orange and black color palette makes it easy to identify licensed items at a distance. 2. Orange County Choppers Biker Logo Design This auto logo is nothing short of ingenious, an example both of what a professional graphic designer can do and how good branding can elevate a company to national fame. The initials of the company, ‘OCC’, are transformed into a large motorcycle. The writing is ornate and very similar to that used in a tattoo. The outlaw biker image that this company is trying to project cannot be mistaken. The branding of this company as well as its placement in a popular national television show are a key part of its success. 3.

Bombardier Biker Logo Design This Canadian motorcycle company rejects the tough guy image used by many other motorcycle companies and instead sends a message about the products themselves. The circular shape of the logo gives a more customer-friendly image, while the cog-like graphic speaks to the mechanical quality of the bikes. This logo is a winner because it expresses that this company is different from the others. 4. Yamaha Biker Logo Design This motorcycle company is known not so much for their tough street machines, but for their racing bikes. It’s only appropriate that their logo express this difference from other large motorcycle companies. It includes an inclusive circle, like Bombardier, but the pattern inside the circle uses overlapped tuning forks. The message is that Yamaha motorcycles are well tuned machines that just about anyone can use to explore the sport of motorcycle racing. 5. Zanella Biker Logo Design This motorcycle brand has reached enormous acclaim in its home country of Argentina, and the logo may be part of that success. The logo is in a circular shape with a stylized ‘Z’ in the center. The letter is stylized to resemble a lightning bolt, the symbol of rapid movement and electricity.

This logo not only ties into the maker’s name, it also ties into its history; the background of the logo is in the same red used in the logo of its parent company, Italian motorcycle maker Ceccato. 6. Falcon Biker Logo Design This motorcycle company uses its namesake, the fast and agile falcon, as the central image of its logo. However, it also ties in other elements. The bird’s chest is a shield, with an ‘f’ for its name on one side and the British flag on the other half. The shield is a common symbol connoting tradition, while the owner’s girlfriend and co-owner are British, making these appropriate shapes for this logo. The bird’s outstretched wings give it a roughly triangular shape, one associated with strength. 7. Fisher Biker Logo Design Fischer is another manufacturer of primarily sports motorcycles. The company logo features the company’s sole initial in both forward and backward orientations to create a triangular shape to show the strength of the corporation and its products. Red and blue are used to show that this is an American brand. The company’s name is under the triangle in a slanted font that implies movement and speed. 8.

Victory Biker Logo Design This motorcycle company aims to compete with Harley Davidson and the ‘big boys’ of the American biker movement, and their logo shows it. The ‘V’ for Victory prominently displayed in the logo in a familiar triangular shape. The letter is surrounded by wings, which usually symbolize freedom and speed. A globe in the background both ties into the semicircular shape of the logo and shows the global branding aspirations of the company. The message is that this tough bike is strong, fast, and poised to take over the world motorcycle industry, which is exactly what Victory is trying to say. 9. Ducati Biker Logo Design Ducati is perhaps the most recognized European motorcycle on the planet, and its easy to see why with this distinctive logo. The red is an attention-getting color, while the triangular shape inspires thoughts of strength. The swoosh through the middle is not just a familiar symbol of movement, but also resembles a curving road. The company name is central to the logo, in bold thick letters without serifs or details. This gives the impression of solidity and strength. The silver color of the accents is reminiscent of metal and an appropriate secondary color for this logo. 10.

West Coast Choppers Biker Logo Design As with Orange County Choppers, the word ‘Choppers’ invokes an outlaw image with the use of a gothic, tattoo-like font. The shape is recognizable and symmetrical, in a rough approximation of a business-like square. This logo is controversial and has even been banned in some schools due to its use of an iron cross, but this too was chosen because of its use in tattoos. In all, this logo portrays a tough guy machine with solid, dependable power. As you can see, these motorcycle companies use common logo symbols and shapes to express information about their product and brand to enthusiasts and prospective customers. These logos are all winners because they portray exactly what the company has to offer. The motorcycle industry is truly a branding success story, with brand-loyal riders and company reputations that are recognized even by non-riders. Yamaha Logo - FAMOUS LOGOS FAMOUS LOGOS 28 Jul 2010 | Famous Logos While many think of motorcycles and electronics when they think of Yamaha , the company was actually founded by Torakusu Yamaha for his ability to create high quality pianos!

While Yamaha still creates top of the line pianos, it was not until about 1954 that Yamaha began entering the motorcycle and electronic markets. It was not until 1967 that the first logo was created. Yamaha’s logo has an interesting history, the symbol used for their logo is actually a tuning fork. This was created at the time in the 60’s when a common tuning fork was established. The tuning fork was used to represent their presence in the piano market. Still to this day the Logo has remained almost unchanged from the original. There was a period in the late eighties and early nineties when the famous tuning fork was removed in order to bring more attention the name itself. However, in 1998 the tuning fork was added on and is now a symbol which denotes quality. The Yamaha Logo is a good representation of how powerful branding and design can be. The Yamaha logo is only slightly different for Yamaha Co. and the Yamaha Motor Co., showing its universal character, being able to represent pianos, motorcycles, drums and electronics. It was designed nearly fifty years ago and has remained nearly unchanged to this date, proving to be a timeless design.

Design Elements of the Yamaha logo The Tuning Forks The Yamaha logo is comprised of three tuning forks overlapping one another. They are to represent technology, production and sales. However I suspect the majority of users do not see it as three tuning forks but simply as a creative pattern. The Fonts of the Yamaha logo The font and symbol used in the Yamaha logo are timeless designs. While the font is blocky and square it still shows a sort of strength, having a robust feel to it. Still today it is a sign of quality and craftsmanship to have the logo on a product. One comment on “Yamaha Logo” The font shown is not the correct Yamaha font – refer to the shape of the M. Cheers Leave a Reply All Pages Page 1 of 8 Dear readers, this will probably be a long series and I will add also larger pictures to this file when time permits. That will be informed on the Homepage. Yamaha chose the DKW RT125 as guideline for their first motorcycle. This was not only a management decision but also an engineering instinct to take this model. The RT125 was one of the best motorcycles of its time and the Yamaha engineers learned a lot from its design.

Within their limited possibilities the engineers made some subtle changes to the original bike. The painted parts were even hand-rubbed down by craftsmen from Nippon Gakki's piano division! The tuning-fork emblem on the fuel tank was executed in cloissonne and very expensive to make. The YA1 was produced at the rate of 300 per month and in the 3 years of its production reached a total of 11.088. Yamaha's entry into the very competitive Japanese Motorcycle market was with this German DKW RT125 inspired model. The YA1 had a 123 cc two-stroke engine with 5,6 hp and had already a 4-speed gearbox, while the DKW had a 3-speeder. The weight was only 95 kg, tyre size was 2.75-19. Colour was a nice maroon with creme fueltank sidepanels. Later a slightly larger version with 127 cc was introduced, the YB1. 65-1 Yamaha YA1, Feb.

'55 The second machine was also German inspired, now from the DKW RT175, but the engineers got already more freedom in their design. The 175 cc engine developed 10,3 hp @ 5500 rpm, tyres were 3.00-19, length 2040 mm and weight was 118 kg. Colour was a reddish grey, nicknamed "Champs Elysees in the rain"! From the sketches you can see that the model evoluated from the original DKW design to the final YC1 which had much more flair. 68-2 Yamaha YC1, Feb. '56 The Yamaha YD1 250 cc twin was a giant leap forward for the company. Yamaha studied the German Adler MB250 as also Honda did (they took the leading link front suspension). But Yamaha wanted more and the engineers got free hand from President Kawakami. Together with GK designers they created this motorcycle and only the crankcase construction remained as Adler influence.

The machine measured 1935 mm long, wheelbase 1270 mm, weight 140 kg and the engine developed 14,5 hp @ 6.000 rpm. It had a 4-speed gearbox and tyres were 3.25 - 16, at that time a very popular dimension for this class of motorcycle. In July '57 a 260 cc version was added (tax-reason). On the bottom-r.h. picture you see President Kawakami trying out the first prototype of the YD1. 69-3 Yamaha YD1, Apr. '57 Here are the only 2 YD1 "official" pictures that I have. The "beach" picture has been published in several Yamaha and other Japanese publications. Yamaha YD1, April '57 Yamaha YD1, April '57 The successor of the YA1, the (you guessed it already!) YA2, appeared in November 1957. Its construction had not much to do with the YA1 anymore. It was a quick transformation from a DKW replica to a Yamaha original.

Teh design with a pressed steel frame was easier and cheaper to produce than the old tubular design of the YA1. It also had a bootm link front suspension and a normal rear swinging arm. It was a slim motorcycle with a weight 0f 103.5 kg. Length was 1870 mm with a wheelbase of 1245 mm. The 123 cc engine developed 6.8 hp. The colour was reddish metallic silver with chrome tank panels. It was also the first Yamaha with an electric starter, The second picture from the top left shows the YA3, introduced in December 1959. Colour was now black and the toolboxes were protruding from the frame now. Yamaha received a Government Good Design Award for this motorcycle, which was also Yamaha's first volume model. 70-4 Yamaha YA2, Nov. '57 Yamaha was now already a volume production brand and the second generation of the 250 cc model had to be more modern. It received a pressed steel frame, like the YA2.

What you can see from the sketches is that because of the "volume" of the frame there is little space between the cylinders, but for the battery and other electrics there is enough space. Lower left is the production version of the YD2 , which appeared in December 1958. Neatly in black with a chromed fueltank it also had a downtube to the crankcases. It measured 1900 mm long, the wheelbase was 1270 mm and weight was 140 kg. Reasonably light in comparison with its competitors. The engine developed 14,5 hp and the YD2 was the first Yamaha to be exported to the USA. It was also sold in Mexico (CKD manufacture) and in Europe 40 were sold to the Netherlands (and a few to France). The YD3 (lower right) was similar to the YD2, but slightly more luxurious with larger brakedrums, whitewall tyres, 17 hp (!) and it was the first Yamaha with the 3 tuning forks proudly on the fueltank. (You can "click" on YD2 and YD3 to see my bikes.

71-5 Yamaha YD2, Feb. '59; YD3, Nov. '61 72-6 Yamaha YA5, Apr. '61; YDS1, Jul. '59 On the left side you see above the YA5 from April 1961 and thereunder the YA6 Deluxe model from November 1962. This new 125 cc bike was very important for Yamaha. it followed the same design route as the YD range. The YA5 was 1870 mm long, on a 1250 mm wheelbase and had a short-stroke (56 x 50 mm ) engine producing 10 hp at 6.500 rpm. Leg-shields were popular accessories at that time. The YA5 had to carry Yamaha over the difficult period with the failures of the MF1 and SC1 until the newer generation models arrived. The YDS1 arrived in July 1959. In 1957 the second Asama Volcano race was held on the newly opened Asama Automotive Testing Ground and this was the scene of a direct confrontation between the giant Honda and the upcoming Yamaha.

Yamaha defeated Honda convincingly in both the 125 cc class and the 250 cc class. The 250 cc machine was Yamaha's YD-A/B works racer. 5 of these machines, further developed, were later sent to the Catalina G.P. in the USA in 1958, where Fumio Ito scored a sixth place. While transforming the YD2 into a more sedate roadster, Yamaha catered for the sporting set by introducing an entirely new sporting model which was a derivative of the Asama-Catalina racer, This was the YDS1, initially introduced as 250S, featuring a new tubular duplex cradle frame. it was a purposeful machine with such mecahnical elements as carburetors, battery, electrical equipment all exposed. Overall length was1990 mm, wheelbase 1285 mm, weight 151 kg, with 3.00-18 tyres.

The 2-stroke parallel twin had the same bore/stroke of 56 x 50 mm as the Asama B type racer for a total of 246 cc capacity, from which it produced 18 hp at 7.500 rpm and it was mated to the first Japanese 5-speed gearbox. Yamaha separated sports from utility, but they intended the YDS1 to be a versatile sportster and prepared conversion kits for dirt racing (like Asama and Catalina) and enduro type competition. An interesting side-note is that the company displayed a promising 125 cc prototype sportsmodel, called Sports 125, at the 1959 Tokyo Motor Show, featuring a six speed gearbox. But this machine did not go into production. The YDS1 and its 260 cc sister model YE1 were commercially successful, and led the the later RD series of sports roadsters. The SC1 was Yamaha's entry into the scooter segment. At that time the most succesful brands were Mitsubishi with their "Silver Pigeon" scooter and Fuji heavy Industries with the "Rabbit".

The SC1 had a 175 cc engine (10,3 hp) which drove the rear wheel through a torque converter and shaft drive, too complicated as it turned out to be. The body was full monocoque construction as well. Today, with the oils we have now, most probably the machine would have been a very good one. But the SC1 was ahead of its time, as so many other motorcycles were.......! 73-7 Yamaha SC1, Mar. '60 The small picture 2# shows a scaled-down clay model with a saddle type seat. Today you see this on modern 50 cc scooters! Picture 3# is a full-size clay model and the other pictures show further development to the final model. The last sketch show the monocoque body panels. The MF1 was Yamaha's answer to the rapidly growing Moped Market. Yamaha wanted to have a sportier design (like with the SC1 scooter) Front and rear suspension were made by a clever rubber torsion spring and rubber coil spring. The bike had a 3.5 hp electric start engine with a 3-speed gearbox.

Length was 1685 mm, wheelbase 1130 mm and weight was 67 kg. On the pictures you see the mock-up model and finally with the Chief Designer Kenji Ekuan of G.K. Design. The technical details show the suspension parts as well. 74-8 Motorcycle News 2013: Yamaha 950 Bolt - Bikes Catalog Bikes Catalog Home / News • Yamaha / Motorcycle News 2013: Yamaha 950 Bolt Motorcycle News 2013: Yamaha 950 Bolt Eisner March 11, 2013 News , Yamaha No Comments Rate this post Clearer of trends and pioneer of Japanese custom vagueness, Yamaha returns to the sources with a modern incarnation of the 535 Virago: Yamaha 950 Bolt. A sporting custom in the Yamaha range, one had not seen that since not regretted 1700 Warrior.

But this time, it is more on the gauge and the weight that the engineer’s house worked that on the cubic capacity and the fire power… Yamaha the USA benefited from the opening from Daytona Bike Week, Friday, March 9, to introduce new Star Yamaha 950 Bolt. For recall, Star is division custom of the three tuning forks in North America, whose catalog counts a large score of models. Yamaha Bolt, as it will thus be called on our premises, is a custom intended openly to go on the flowerbeds of Harley-Davidson 883 Iron. The Yamaha Bolt again takes the twin-cylinder out of V of 942 Cm3, injected and cooled by air, of the XVS 950 Midnight Star. But this engine, torque than powerful – 7.68 daN.m with 3,000 tr/min for 54 ch. with 6,000 tr/min – comes to be placed within a framework doubles cradle equipped with two classical shock absorbers. The transmission remains as for it faithful to the secondary belt: large more for the fans of the kind, generally refractory with the maintenance generated by a chain.

Thus rigged, Yamaha 950 Bolt invests a crenel forsaken by the manufacturer’s general practitioners: that of the light, sporting and accessible custom. To allure amateurs of the nervous and handy twins, the Bolt will be able to hope on a weight contained (247 kg in functioning order, are about thirty least that Midnight Star and a fortnight less than one 883 Iron) and a compact gauge, well far from the “Conceited Servant boy Replica” to which accustomed us the Japanese since the Nineties. Side look, one forgets chromium foil and one greets the effort of sobriety of the designers Star. Here thus which should fill the last fans of late the XV535 Virago? In the United States, Star 950 Bolt is announced 7,990 $ (net of tax) that is to say approximately 6,150 €. A version “R-Spec” equipped with Ohlin’s shock absorbers to separate bottle is also available to the catalog against 8,290 $ (approximately 6300 €).

Questioned on the subject, Yamaha France did not wish to come to a conclusion about the availability of the Bolt in the Hexagon. But considering the current destitution of the range custom of the brand, however pioneer of the kind, one frankly hopes to see unloading this pretty innovation with the French catalog… 22 Corporate Brand Logo Evolution of Automobile Groups | InstantShift 22 Corporate Brand Logo Evolution of Automobile Groups Posted in Inspiration , Showcases February 25th, 2010 By MsaNkadI 62 Comments Advertisement Did you know that many of the biggest automobile companies started as bicycle manufacturers? Have you ever wondered why the Audi has four interlocked rings as its logo? Or why the Alfa Romeo has such a romantic company name? Logos represent the brand image, traditions and origins of a company. It is not just a visual badge on the car’s bonnet but represents what people think about the brand and the cars themselves. Somebody driving a Mercedes is perceived as prosperous, mature and of course rich. On the other hand, somebody with an Aston Martin is likely to be a more flamboyant personality. All of these perceptions, just from a small logo of the car manufacturer!

So it is not surprising, that the logos undergo historic evolution along with the company’s products, origins and customers. You may be interested in the following related articles as well. Don’t forget to subscribe to our RSS-feed and follow us on Twitter — for recent updates. Corporate Brand Logo Evolution Of Automobile Groups A company’s brand is its most important asset. A brand is a leadership tool. A brand defines your business, products and services you offer. It is a guarantee of quality. Your brand helps your business establish a relationship with customers and define your position in the market. The brand makes a promise to customers and key stakeholders that must be delivered at every touchpoint. There are a lot of fascinating stories associated with companies’ logo histories. Below we share logo stories of some of the biggest automobile companies today. Be sure to let us know if I have missed anything! 01. Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo, the Italian car manufacturer, traces its beginnings to France. The company was initially founded as Società Anonima Italiana Darracq (SAID) in 1906 by the French automobile firm of Alexandre Darracq, with some Italian investors.

After the partnership failed, one of the investors, Cavaliere Ugo Stella, moved the company and renamed it as Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili (Lombard Automobile Factory, Public Company) or A.L.F.A. The first logo of ALFA was designed in 1910 by Romano Cattaneo, and has an interesting story. He was once waiting for a tram at the Piazza Castello station in Milan, when he was inspired by the Red Cross on the Milan Flag and the Coat of Arms of the Noble House of Visconti (the coat of arms featured a grass snake, biscione, with a man in its jaws, symbolizing “[to the] Visconti’s enemies that the snake [was] always ready to destroy”). The words ALFA and MILANO were written around the two symbols separated by two Savoia Dynasty Knots, to honor the kingdom of Italy. In 1916, Neapolitan businessman Nicola Romeo bought the company and converted its factories to produce munitions and machineries for World War I.

In 1918, the badge was redesigned by Giuseppe Merosi, to include the words ALFA and ROMEO (after the name of the owner Nicola Romeo). Post war, the company went back to producing car and was named after its owner as Alfa Romeo. 02. Aston Martin Aston Martin is a British manufacturer of luxury sports car, which was found by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford in 1913. Initially, the duo started to sell sports car made by Singer but later decided to make their own vehicles. Their first car was named Aston Martin, after the name of the owner Lionel Martin and the Aston Clinton Hill Climb Racing Course (one of their Singer cars, they sold earlier had won a race there). In 1959 James Bond happened, and frankly the Aston Martin story cannot be told without Mr. Bond. In 1959, Ian Fleming put the super spy James Bond in an Aston Martin DB Mark III.

When the movie was released in 1964, James Bond drove the upgraded supersleek silver Aston Martin DB5 in Goldfinger (1964) and Thunderball (1965) (complete with machine gun, passenger ejector seat, and revolving number plates!). 03. Audi Audi is a German brand which produces cars and is a part of the Volkswagen Group. The company was founded as A. Horch & Cie by August Horch in 1899, and its origin has a very interesting story. August Horch, a German Engineer, was forced out of his own company in 1909, after which he continued to use the old brand name of Horch. However, his partner sued him for trademark infringement, and Horch was forced to look for a new name. During a meeting at his business partner Franz Fikentscher’s apartment, Franz’s son came up with the name Audi (which is a Latin translation of Hoch, which means listen): During this meeting Franz’s son was quietly studying Latin in a corner of the room.

Several times he looked like he was on the verge of saying something but would just swallow his words and continue working, until he finally blurted out, “Father – audiatur et altera pars… wouldn’t it be a good idea to call it audi instead of horch?”. “Horch!” in German means “Hark!” or “listen”, which is “Audi” in Latin. The idea was enthusiastically accepted by everyone attending the meeting. (Source: Wikipedia, A History of Progress (1996) – Chronicle of the Audi AG) After this the company was named as Audiwerke GmbH in 1910. In 1932, four car makers Audi, Horch, DKW, and Wanderer merged to form Auto Union. The four interlinked rings that would later become the modern Audi logo, was originally the logo of the Auto Union. Initially the Auto Union logo was used only for racing cars and the four companies continued to produce cars under their own brands. Finally in 1985, the Auto Union became the Audi company we know today. in 2009, Audi introduced new logo which is also the current one.

The modern Audi logo shows a three-dimensional texture and shadowing, resulting in a polished chrome look. The Audi name is now smaller, has moved away from the center to the bottom left corner, while the font has changed as well. 04. BMW BMW or Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (Bavarian Motor Works) was originally founded as an aircraft company. The aircrafts manufactured were painted with the colors of the Bavarian flag, which is the color of BMW logo. Another explanation is that when the pilot used to sit in the plane he would see alternating segments of white and blue due to rotation the plane propeller (blue being the sky). The major business of BMW was to supply planes to the German army during World War I. But after the war they were forced to change their business. It made railway brakes, before making motorized bicycle, motorcycles and cars. The logo itself hasn’t changed a lot during the years, but now has a more stylish look due to the different gradients. The unchanged logo has made it easier for people to remember and has given the company more recognition. 05.

Buick Buick Motor Company, which would later become the world’s largest auto company General Motors, was founded in 1903 by David Dunbar Buick, a high school dropout! Buick had dropped out of school at 15, to work for a plumbing fixture manufacturer. Buick and his friend took over the business, after the last owner decided to shut down the failed business. Buick sold his share in the company after an argument with his partner because he used to spend most of his time tinkering with car engines. With this money, Buick founded the Buick Motor Company and within a few years he ran it to the ground. Around 1904, James H Whiting took over the company and brought in William Durant to manage his acquisition. Buick was kicked out of the company by Durant and had to sell his share for just $ 100,000. Buick’s share would be worth more than $ 100 Million today. Later Buick held low paying jobs, and died penniless as an inspector at the Detroit School of Trades. Ironically, Durant himself was kicked out of the company years later and denied him pension. He too died penniless.

Before 1937, the company’s logo was a variation of the cursive word “Buick”. In 1930s, Ralph Pew, a General Motor’s Styling Researcher, found the Scottish “Buick” family’s crest and the company used that as its logo. In 1959, the company logo incorporated three such shields, one each for its three models at that time (LeSabre, Invicta, and Electra). In 1975, the company launched its Skyhawk line, and the company logo was changed to include a hawk named “Happy”. The familiar tri-shield logo returned in late 1980s when the company stopped manufacturing the Skyhawk car. 06. Cadillac When Henry Ford left Henry Ford Company, the financial backers wanted to sell the company’s assets. Cadillac was found in 1902, when an engineer, Henry M Leland, convinced the financial backers to hold on to the company assets.

Cadillac was named after a minor aristocrat Antoine de La Mothe, Seigneur de Cadillac (Sir of Cadillac), and the family crest of de La Mothe was used as the first company logo back in 1906. Antoine de La Mothe, born in France, was forced to move to America, (some say he had committed a crime, others say he had a debt which he was unable to pay) where he assumed a new identity and formed his family crest by borrowing from different crests. In 1998, the company started redesigning its logo under the design philosophy called “Art & Science”. The new logo finally unveiled in 2002, didn’t have the six birds (merlettes), crown and the crest resemblance, and looked like it was made by Piet Mondrian. in 2009, As part of the new marketing vice president Bob Lutz’s campaign to revive and spin the GM image around, Cadillac’s general manager, Bryan Nesbitt, revealed the brand’s new logo, in fact a very minor-tweaked version of the old one. 07.

Chrysler The Company was formed by Walter Percy Chrysler on June 6, 1925, with the remaining assets of Maxwell Motor Company. The original Chrysler logo, which vanished after 1954 from all but 1955-1956 Windsors, C300s, and 300Bs with manual transmissions*, and reappeared in 1994, is a rendition of a wax seal complete with ribbon affixed at the lower right. The thunderbolts above and below the name are actually “Z”s, a tribute to the prototype built before Chrysler took over Maxwell, which took the name “Zeder” from chief engineer Fred Zeder. (At the time, Chrysler was trying to keep development of the new car and his involvement in it a secret, probably still upset about the loss of the car that was supposed to be the first Chrysler. This car design was sold to Billy Durant as a liquidated asset in the Willys-Overland bankruptcy; Durant eventually built this car under the Flint name.) Starting in the 1980s, Chrysler adopted “modernistic” logos in print materials and on some car nameplates.

During the “rebirth” of Chrysler in the late 1990s, the Chrysler “seal” logo was installed in wings. After Cerberus bought Chrysler, Trevor Creed was let loose on the traditional pentastar. Shortly after the Fiat takeover, Chrysler trademarked another new logo, based on a modernized wing design. [ Read More.. ] In 2009, Chrysler redesigned it’s logo for their adorn cars, The look is sleeker and clearly more modern than the previous winged logo, which incorporated the old Chrysler seal. The new one has an almost Aston-esque (Aston Martin) vibe to it, featuring “Chrysler” embossed in a blue emblem centered between the outstretched wing. 08. Citroen Citroen double arrow that is found in every logo Citroen has a fascinating history. Brand founder, André Citroën, was fascinated by wooden gears with spiral teeth, produced by a Polish inventor and business partner’s André Citroën, he decides to produce steel, bought a license and open a factory in St Denis, France. This business, ENGRENAGES Citroën brings profits, of mention is that these gears, Citroen products were used on the Titanic.

Logo factory and later the Citroen brand is stylized and two teeth “cut” on the clutch. In 1919, Company start production of cars, the first model is Type A, we observed first logo Citroen, octagonal with arrows logo on a blue background with silver or gold, on top of the radiator. After been many ups and downs, In 2009, The new company logo is shown in the time she was born founder, André Citroën. Belongs design firm Landor and presents new trends in automotive three-dimensional logos. Citroen change appearance. Arrows (chevroanele) out in relief, gained strength. Writing Citroen keeps its traditional red color, as a bridge between history and future. Both, together, represent brand identity, Citroen subliniand restore confidence in the values and ambitions. 09. Fiat Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (FIAT) was founded in Turin (1899) by a group of investors including Giovanni Angelli who later became the Managing Director of the company.

At this time a poster was created to celebrate the event, and the company name in the top left corner of the poster became the company’s first logo. In 1901, the company changed its logo to a brass plate with the name FIAT in the centre. The logo had a characteristic ‘A’ which has remained unchanged till date. In 1925, the FIAT logo became circular, from an oval shape in 1904. The laurel wreath around the circle was to celebrate the company’s victory in first competitive car races. The shape of the logo kept changing from square to shield, and returned to a circular logo in 1999, with the characteristic ‘A’ and a modern stylish laurel wreath around the circle. The current FIAT logo was launched in 2006, and was first seen on Bravo. 10. Ford Henry Ford used to work for Thomas Edison. He founded two companies before settling on Ford. His first company went bankrupt after just two years, and he left the second company after just one year. However, the second company became Cadillac later on. His third company, founded in 1902, was called Ford & Malcomson, Ltd.

He was unable to pay the bills for parts in his third company, but some investors agreed to put money in the company, and it was renamed as Ford Motor Co. This is the company name in the first logo of 1903. The 1909 logo, which has a similar font as today’s logo was borrowed from Childe Harold Wills, who had made this font for his business card. In 1912, the Ford logo was given a complete makeover, as compared to the earlier simplistic design. When a car was launched in 1927, called Model A, the famous blue oval was introduced in the logo. This was the shape and color, on which all future Ford logos have been made. The Company has experimented with different shape going from ellipse to circle, and even a diamond like shape in 1957. The 1976 logo was essentially, the last major change in the symbol, and is very similar to their current logo. Finally, in 2003, the company released a new logo, which came to be known as “Centennial Blue Oval”. 11.

Mazda The company derives its name from a West Asian God named Ahura Mazda, the God of wisdom, intelligence and harmony. The company was setup in 1920 as Toyo Cork Kogyo Co. in Hiroshima, Japan. The company was setup to produce a cork substitute because there was a shortage of real cork in Japan during World War I. However, after the war when real cork was again available, the company failed. In 1927, Jujiro Matsuda joined the company, and it started manufacturing tools, three-wheeled trucks and finally cars. After World War II, the company registered its trademark under the Mazda brand, and the first logo was launched. The curved “M” in the logo was inspired from the Hiroshima city emblem. The 1936 logo had a combination of the curved M from the city emblem, and wings that represented the “company’s agility, speed and capability to soar to new heights”. The current company logo was designed by Rei Yoshimara in 1997, and was nicknamed as the “owl” logo.

According to the company, the new logo has the following significance : Capturing the spirit of Mazda, the stylised “M” evokes an image of wings in flight and symbolises the Mazda’s flight toward the future. The “V” in the centre of the “M” spreads out like an opening fan, representing the creativity, vitalty, flexibilty and passion that is Mazda. The symbol as a whole expresses the sharp, solid feeling that Mazda will be seeking in all of its products. The dynamic circle symbolises our readiness to spread our wings as we enter the 21st century. Some people saw a stylized Tulip instead of the stretched wings. 12. Mercedes-Benz The Mercedes-Benz was formed by the merger of two car companies – DMG (Daimler-Motored-Gesellschaft, founded by Gottlieb Daimler) and Benz & Cie, founded by Karl Benz. Both the companies were similar in their work and were situated in close proximity. It was after the World War I, when the German economy was shattered, that both these companies decided to from a syndicate in 1924, and then finally merge in 1926, called Diamler-Benz.

In 1902, the logo for Mercedes was nothing more than the simple company name. However, it was changed to a 3 pointed star in 1909. The origin of this star came from a postcard by Diamler, where he had drawn a 3 pointed star which represented ‘making vehicles in land water and sky’. After 1926, a new symbol for Mercedes-Benz came into picture, where the original logo of both the companies was merged into one. It combined the 3 pointed star of Mercedes and the laurel wreath of Benz. Over the years, the symbol has been improved vastly in design and simplicity. It has been recognized as a symbol representing luxury and top tier cars. 13. Mitsubishi The Iwasaki family, who started the Mitsubishi brand, lived in 1854 feudal Japan, and had to go through very tough times. When Yataro Iwasaki was in school he was called home one day because his father was injured during a dispute with the village leader. He asked a local magistrate to hear his father’s case, and when the magistrate refused, he accused the man of corruption. Yataro was promptly jailed for 7 months.

After abolition of Japan’s feudal clan system, Yataro, acquired Tosa Clan’s shipping business in 1873 and named his shipping business as Mitsubishi. Later, a fourth generation Iwasaki, Kayota, turned this company into a giant corporate group, with an automobile manufacturing company called Mitsubishi Motors. The Mitsubishi logo was a combination of the Iwasaki family crest, the Tosa Clan three-leaf crest (see origin of shipping business above), and three stacked diamonds. The official translation of the logo itself is “three diamonds”. 14. Opel Opel is a so important historically and currently, to a large class of people, representing the quality for a mid-price category. We thought so to present to those who still not a history facts in a circle logo used by the company of great importance in Europe. The founder of the Opel factory sewing machines, Adam Opel died in 1895. His sons bought Lutzmann company and produced the first Opel car in 1898. On the right you see first company logo Adam Opel, a manufacturer of sewing machines. In 1900 they began to import and Renault cars and Darracq, which purchased and a production license.

During the company has adapted a logo Art Deco since 1906. After 1906, there are many version of opal logo introduced and from 2002 to today is just a bit modernized version of 1987, complying with the 3D design style of this era. With the introduction in 2008 of the Insignia which reached the 2009 Car of the Year worldwide, the company introduced a new logo to strengthen brand image. The new logo received in addition to the previous logo, OPEL inscription in the upper part of the circle. 15. Peugeot Peugeot, a major French car brand was started by two brothers Jean-Pierre and Jean-Frédéric Peugeot in 1812. The company was a steel mill for decades, making different products like machine tools, crinoline dresses, umbrellas, wire wheels, irons, sewing machines, kitchen gadgets. In 1855, the company started making bicycles and was one of the largest bicycle manufacturers in France. The company entered the automobile industry due to its bicycle manufacturing business.

In 1889, Armand Peugeot created the company’s first car which was run by a steam powered engine. After meeting Gottlieb Daimler, the company replaced the steam engine with a gas powered internal combustion engine. The Peugeot “lion” logo was based on the flag of the Région Franche-Comté, designed by a jeweler Justin Blazer in 1847. Earlier, the logo was used on the company’s kitchen gadgets, to denote the signature quality of their steel, and was introduced on cars only after Armand could convince his family, that cars could be a profitable business. 16. Porsche Porsche, a German manufacturer of luxury high performance automobiles, was started as a company called “Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche GmbH” by Ferdinand Porsche. Initially the company didn’t build any cars under its own name and offered consultancy for motor vehicle development. This company is known for designing the first Volkswagen car, Volkswagen Beetle. Ferdinand turned this company into Porsche in 1931, but the first Porsche car wasn’t introduced till 1939. In 1950s Dr.

Ferdinand, set about developing a company logo to denote their location in Stuttgart and a dynamic, powerful image. After several draft versions, a logo created by Porsche engineer Franz Xaver Reimspiess was decided as the company emblem and has become the trademark of the company. The rampant house in the centre was derived from the city seal of Stuttgart, and was a symbol of forward thrusting power. Unfortunately, Ferdinand died in 1951, before the company shield first appeared on the Porsche 356 model in 1952. The logo first appeared in the centre of the steering, and started appearing on the bonnet of 356 from 1955. In 1959, the shield appeared on the wheel-caps too, allowing the sports car to be recognized from the sides to. The Porsche shield has remain unchanged over the years, and still appears on the steering, bonnet and the wheel-caps. 17. Renault Louis Renault, the founder of Renault, produced his first car in his own backyard when he was 21 years old.

When he started receiving orders from companies to build more cars, he started the Société Renault Frères Company with his brothers and friends in France (1898). Renault’s first logo introduced in 1900 featured the initials of the Renault brothers: Louis, Ferdinand and Marcel. In 1906, the logo was changed to a front end of a car, enclosed in a gear wheel. During the First World War, Renault produced light tanks for the Allies. Renault changed its logo to a tank after the war due to the popularity of its tank, Renault FT-17. The diamond shape, which appears in the company logo till date was first introduced in 1925. Victor Vasarely designed the modern Renault logo in 1972. 18. Rolls Royce Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce founded the Rolls Royce Limited in Britain (1906). The company manufactured automobiles and aircraft engines. In 1973, the Rolls Royce Motor Company was separated from the parent company, which was nationalized following a huge crisis in 1971.

In 1884, Henry Royce, One of the founders of Rolls Royce, started an electrical and mechanical business. He made his first car, a two-cylinder Royce 10, in his Manchester factory in 1904, and was introduced to Charles Rolls at the Midland Hotel in Manchester on 4 May of that year. They both agreed to create a company that would later go on to manufacture the ‘best car in the world’. The name of the company “Rolls Royce” derives from the surnames of the company founders, Henry Royce and Charles Rolls. In 1971, the company and subsequently the brand were split. Rolls-Royce plc, the owner of the famous Rolls-Royce trademarks, initially granted permission for use to a newly formed entity, Rolls-Royce and Bentley Motors Ltd. In 1998, this license was withdrawn when the motorcar trademarks were sold by Rolls-Royce plc to a BMW company, now known as Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd. This company today manufactures luxury automobiles and accessories in the name of Rolls-Royce from its headquarters in Goodwood, England.

Its identity system and brand are consistent with the original principles of the company founded over 100 years ago. 19. Saab Saab, the automobile manufacturer, started as an aircraft company back in 1937. In 1937, to meet the needs of the Swedish Air Force, Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget (“Swedish Aeroplane Limited” or simply SAAB) was created. After the Second World War, SAAB company started manufacturing automobiles to diversify its business. In 1947, the SAAB Automobile Company was incorporated, and the first manufactured car was named as SAAB 92 (because it was the company’s 92nd design, all previous designs were aircrafts). The griffen logo, featuring the head of a mythological beast that had a body of a lion and head and wings of an eagle, came from Vadis-Scania, a truck manufacturer that merged with SAAB (airplane) company. The griffen was a coat of arms of the province Scania.

In 2000, SAAB Automobile Company was acquired by General Motors (100% stake) and just a week ago (Feb 23, 2010) GM announced that it has completed the sale of Saab to Spyker Cars NV . Simply put, from the of announcement, Saab is part of Spyker and the new life for the troubled Swedish brand begins. To make things even clearer, GM announced the wind down of Saab operations has ended. 20. Skoda Skoda, is an automobile manufacturer based in Czech Republic. It became a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group in 1991. The company was started as a bicycle manufacturing company back in 1890s. Vaclav Laurin and Václav Klement started a bicycle repair shop in Mladá Boleslav (1895), and later they started a bicycle and motorcycle manufacturing factory in 1898. The company’s first logo was based on the Slavia brand, with lime leaves, to represent the Slav nations. The logo also included the owners’ names which later became the main foundation for future logos.

In 1905, “L&K” logo (initials of the owners) was designed and was influenced by Art Nouveau, an artistic style at the beginning of the 20th century. From 1926, the cars were produced under the brand name Skoda, which is reflected in the oval shaped logo of the company. The laurels enclosing the brand name were retained in the new logo as well. The famous “winged arrow” logo was first introduced in 1926, but its origin and designer is unknown. This was merged with the Skoda brand logo and the new logo was used on cars from 1994. The black and green logo, gives the Skoda brand a great degree of originality. The black color symbolizes the company’s 100 years tradition, and green color signifies the environment friendly production of Skoda cars. 21. Volkswagen Volkswagen means ‘People’s car’ in German. The history of the company is tied with Adolf Hitler. Before the rise of Hitler, the German economy was in a very bad shape; as a result people couldn’t afford to buy cars.

In 1933, Hitler raised the idea of an inexpensive car in the Auto show. In 1934, Ferdinand Porsche met with Hitler to design the car. Hitler gave him all the specifications of the car and Porsche promised to deliver the design. In 1937, the Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH was created (it became simply Volkswagenwerk GmbH a year later). In 1938, Hitler opened a state funded Volkswagen factory in Walburg. It was suppose to produce commercial cars, but it was used to churn out military cars. It was only later found that Hitler had intended to use the Porsche car as a military vehicle only, which could carry 3 men and a machine gun. After the WWII, Britishers took over the company. They renamed the car as Beetle. Surprisingly all the car makers like Fiat and Ford declined to take ‘free control’ of the Volkswagen factory. So, it was returned to the German government, and went on to become one of the world’s bestselling cars ever. The first logo was designed by Franz Xavier Reimspiess, a Porsche employee during an office logo design competition.

The main part of the logo hasn’t changed much, but understandably after the WWII, they got rid of the design around the circle which seems to be inspired from the Nazi flag. I love the colors that were added in 2000, to the logo which was built after WWII, it depicts a positive change in the company and the ability to adapt to the new millennium. 22. Yamaha Yamaha’s logotype, featuring the combination of the tuning fork mark and the Yamaha logo, was established in 1967 when the tuning fork mark was standardized. Following a period in which the tuning fork mark was not used, the company unified the logotype to the one used today. The Yamaha brand has its roots in the name of our founder, Torakusu Yamaha. Familiar with western science and technology from his youth, Yamaha initially found employment repairing medical equipment. This led to a request to repair a organ, a project that resulted in the birth of the Yamaha brand. The three tuning forks of the Yamaha logo mark represent the cooperative relationship that links the three pillars of our business — technology, production, and sales. They also evoke the robust vitality that has forged a reputation for sound and music the world over, a territory indicated by the enclosing circle.

The mark also symbolizes the three essential musical elements: melody, harmony, and rhythm. In 1967, The Yamaha logotype was established but in 1980 The Yamaha logotype was revised. A design using simple lines (the current special version of the logo) was established as the standard version of the logo. Then in end of 1987, The Company changed its name to Yamaha Corporation to mark the 100th anniversary of its founding. To emphasize the Yamaha name, the tuning fork mark was eliminated but again in 1998 the tuning fork mark comes into picture. The current standard version of the Yamaha logotype (upper line) and special version (bottom line) were established. There is a slight differences between the Yamaha logotype and that of Yamaha Motor. Yamaha Corporation uses a Yamaha Logomark with the tips of the tuning forks contained within a circle. And an “M” with a middle column shorter than the outer legs, and features “YAMAHA” printed in an asymmetric font. The logo of Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. is printed in a symmetrical font and uses red as its corporate color, while Yamaha Corporation uses violet.

There are many talking about why Yamaha changed its color from blue to red. The one which we believes that Yamaha motors want to match the logo color with Yamaha Japan’s corporate color. Further References for Detailed Logo History! If you like to read some detailed information about above automobiles logo evolutions then refer the following list. By Cycle World posted Dec 20th, 2012 at 5:00pm Yamaha First of the Japanese manufacturers to race internationally, Yamaha has helped push the performance market forward ever since. Competing today in MotoGP and AMA Superbike, Motocross and Supercross, the “crossed tuning-forks” company (Yamaha’s logo honors a musical heritage) remains a vigorous force in racing worldwide. The Yamaha motorcycle product range is broad, from the swift FJR1300ES sport tourer and fiery YZF-R1 superbike down to the diminutive PW50 beginner’s dirtbike. In between is virtually every kind of machine, such as the new FZ-09, an affordable three-cylinder naked bike that delivers sizzling performance and style, and the versatile twin-cylinder Super Ténéré adventure bike .

Others include a trio of lightweight dual-sport bikes led by the WR250R, a handful of easy-to-ride scooters like the fuel-injected Zuma 50FX, and nearly a dozen powerfully addictive YZ motocross, WR enduro and TT-R playbikes. A Mark-Olsen-refurbished museum piece finds a home in the canyons Search by Category

Question: Which motor-cycle company has three tuning forks as its badge?
Answer: YAMAHA