33 Cars Logos Meaning & History | CarLogos.org 33 Cars Logos Meaning & History 1. Audi Audi Logo Meaning - Audi cars of the four rings logo, representing the four pre-merger company. These companies have a manufacturer of bicycles, motorcycles and small passenger cars. The company was originally a merger of four companies, so each ring is a symbol of one of the company. 2. Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz Logo Meaning - apply for Daimler company registered in June 1909 pointed star as a car flag, symbol of landing on water and air mechanization. Coupled with a circle around it in 1916, set with four small stars in the top of the circle, the following Mercedes "Mercedes" word. "Mercedes" is the meaning of happiness, meaning Daimler production of car owners who will bring happiness. 3. Volkswagen Volkswagen Logo Meaning - Volkswagen automobile company in German the Volks Wagenwerk, intended for public use vehicles, marking the VW for the full name the first letter. Signs such as by three with the middle finger and index finger to make the "V", said the public company and its products win - win - win. 4.

Toyota Toyota Logo Meaning - Toyota's three oval logo is from early 1990. Large oval logo on behalf of the Earth, in the middle by a vertical combination of two ellipses into a T-word, on behalf of Toyota. It is a symbol of Toyota is based on the future, confidence in the future and ambition, but also a symbol of Toyota is based on the customer, the customer guarantees, a symbol of the user's heart and the heart of the automotive manufacturers are linked to a sense of mutual trust, Yu said Toyota's superior technology and innovative potential. 5. Ford Ford Logo Meaning - Ford logo Ford English Ford "blue white. As founder Henry Ford, like small animals, so the logo designers Ford English painting into a pattern of small white rabbit look like. 6. BMW BMW Logo Meaning - BMW logo middle, on behalf of blue sky, white clouds and stop rotating propellers, Yu said a long history of BMW origins, a symbol of the company's leading position in the aero-engine technology, but also a symbol of the company has always The aims and objectives: in the vast space, with advanced technical skills, the latest concept to meet customer wishes, reflecting the vigorous momentum and the new face of the ever-changing. 7.

Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce Logo Meaning - Rolls-Royce Rawls · Luolao, Lewis Automotive logo two "R" overlap, a symbol of you have me, I have you, reflect both harmony and harmonious relationship. lawers Laois logo In addition to the double R, the famous trapeze signs. This flag is an idea taken from the corridors of the Louvre in Paris art statue of the goddess of victory in two thousand years of history, she was dignified and noble figure of the artists to produce a source of passion. When automotive art guru Charles Sykes was invited to the Rolls-Lo Lewis Motor Company design marks, goddess like etched in his mind immediately makes him produce inspiration. So an arms stretched to the Goddess of the body with a veil floating in the air. 8. Ferrari Ferrari Logo Meaning - Ferrari logo is a leaping horse. In the First World War, Italy has a performance very good pilot; his aircraft had this one will bring him good luck in the Yamaha. In the first Ferrari racing after winning the pilot's parents - a pair of Earl couple suggestions: Ferrari should also be in the car printed on this horse, bring good luck in the Yamaha.

The pilot was killed, the horse became a black color; logo background color of Modena canary. 9. Peugeot Peugeot Logo Meaning - Peugeot Automobile Company, the predecessor of the Peugeot family, brothers Pierre in the early 19th century opened a production of the see-saw, spring and other iron tools, small workshops. These iron products, the trademark is a mighty lion, it is a sign of the company is located Frendo repair Kundi province, invincible metaphorical. Reflects the three major advantages: Peugeot see-saw hardened wear-resistant serrated teeth like a lion, saw themselves as the backbone of the Lions flexible, see-saw performance like a lion to the unimpeded. In 1890, a Peugeot car, to show that its high-quality, the company decided to still follow the "lion" trademark. 11. Bentley Bentley Logo Meaning - Walter Owen Bentley in 1919 produced the first one, four-cylinder racing car with a badge, the above is a pair of hawk wings surrounded by Bentley at the beginning of the letter "B" . Four-cylinder car is no longer in production, while "B" word badge is still the symbol of Bentley.

Bentley car logo is based on the company name the first letter of the "B" as the main body to give birth to a pair of wings, like volley soaring eagle, the logo still in use. 12. Lincoln Lincoln Logo Meaning - Lincoln car is owned by Ford Motor Company brands. Mounted at the front of the middle surrounded by the elongated shape of the cross star, a symbol of dignity and solemnity. Lincoln Motor Company is Mr. Henry Leland founded in 1907, acquired by Ford Motor Company in 1922. The initial production of aircraft engines for the industry. Lincoln is a brand named after the president's name, designed for the production of high-end car of the president and head of state. Lincoln cars outstanding performance, elegant styling and unparalleled comfort, since the 1939 U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, has been the White House selected as the presidential limousine. 13. Jaguar Jaguar Logo Meaning - Jaguar name origin can be traced back to 1937. June SS Motor Company officially took over the car companies Sunbeam (Wolverhampton).

Sir Lyons was very much hope that can car called the Sunbeam, Sunbeam had many world racing champions, can be described as a "victory" sign. Unfortunately, within the company there are some problems. Finally, forced to abandon the use of the name of the Sunbeam as a company. Sir Lyons last name-the Jaguar chose a clear pronunciation in various languages, it is named according to the World War I flying machine. Also known as Jaguar Jaguar, Hong Kong people also known as "Jaguar", the reason for the transliteration of the English JAGUAR, it identifies the car is designed as a jaguar jump jump, vivid, concise image of strong, dynamic, contains the power of , rhythm and brave. 14. Chevrolet Chevrolet Logo Meaning - Chevrolet brand, said patterned bow, Chevrolet is a Swiss racing driver, engineer Louis Chevrolet name. 15. Lexus Lexus Logo Meaning - Lexus symbol of English pick up the car the first letter, that is, LEXUS first letter "L". 16. Lamborghini Lamborghini Logo Meaning - Lamborghini company logo is a whole body full of strength, is preparing to launch a fierce attack to the opponent.

Is said to the pigheadedness Lamborghini is this not to be outdone, also reflects the characteristics of the Lamborghini company's products because the company's cars are high-power, high-speed sports car. The trademark on the front and rear eliminating the need for the company's name, only a stubborn cattle. 17. Cadillac Cadillac Logo Meaning - selection of "Cadillac" in the name of the royal nobility to the French explorer, Anthony Simmons, the founder of the U.S. city of Detroit Cadillac to pay tribute to trademark graphics crown and shield composition. The crown symbolizes the Cadillac family coat of arms, seven pearl on the crown metaphor for the royal blue blood. The shield symbolizes the heroic army of Cadillac. The shield is divided into four equal portions. The first and fourth decile is full at the end of the Clemens family coat of arms, dark brown stick to the middle across three of the same Blackbird separate the two, one the next. Three birds mean the shamisen, one of the sacred, and also means daring and enthusiasm of the Christian warrior wisdom, rich, intelligent mind and perfect character.

The second and third decile is due to internal intermarriage, when another piece of territory added to the Clemens family property, these 4 equal to Clemens coat of arms was adopted. 4 and so on since the beginning of the colors that vast land, enriched by the fame of the Clemens family, brave and bold; silver unity, love, virtue and rich red marks action. Across the bars represent the brave knights in the Crusaders war. Cadillac trademark of bravery and honor of the ancestors of the founder of the Detroit City. 18. Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo Logo Meaning - Alfa Romeo logo began in the early 1930s, which is the emblem of the City of Milan City medieval Milan lord Weisikangtai of the Duke family crest, the sign of the cross section from the Crusaders from the Milan out the story of the expedition; the right part of the badge of the Duke of Milan; snake swallowing Sarah fast pattern, according to mythology, one of them saying symbolizes Weisikangtai ancestors had repelled the suffering of the people "Dragon". In short, While the old badge accompanied the Alfa Romeo sports car has been known to become the one of the well-known trademarks.

19. Volvo Volvo Logo Meaning - "Volvo" (Volvo), also translated as "rich". The logo is composed of two parts by the icon and the word mark. Volvo graphic logo is composed by the dual-ring wheel shape, and point to the upper right of the arrow. The middle of the Latin word "Volvo" means rolling forward, signifying the wheel of the Volvo car rolled forward and thrive promising. 20. Mazda Mazda Logo Meaning - Mazda Motor Corporation, formerly known as the Japan Industrial production car named after company founder "Matsuda", because "Matsuda" pinyin MAZDA (Mazda), so people used to call the Mazda . Mazda initially in the oval into the hands holding a sun, meaning Mazda will have tomorrow, Mazda traveled all over the world. Mazda with Ford after using the new logo, the seagulls fly in the oval, and form the "M" word. The "M" is the the MAZDA first uppercase letter indicates that the company will fly to the infinite creativity and sincere service, the new century. 21. Pontiac Pontiac Logo Meaning - Pontiac logo, composed by two parts of the letters and graphics.

The letter "PONTIAC", taken from the name of a place in the U.S. state of Michigan: graphic car marked with a cross mark the arrow. The cross marks, said Pontiac is an important member of the General Motors Corporation, also a symbol of Pontiac car safe and reliable; arrow represents ahead of Pontiac's technology and research spirit, indicates that the Pontiac car traveled global. 22. Lotus Lotus Logo Meaning - Lotus cars marked, in the oval on the floor inlaid with abstract lotus shape, above in addition to the word "Lotus" (LOTUS), also founder of Chapman Name Name (A.C.B CHAPMAN) four letters of the alphabet "A. C. B. C superposition made. Lotus is a British Chapman, founded in 1951, mainly produces sports car, the small scale, in the fierce competition changed hands several times, Lotus is owned by DRB-HICOM through its subsidiary Proton, which acquired it following the bankruptcy of former owner Romano Artioli in 1996. 23. Renault Renault Logo Meaning - 1898, Louis Renault, the three brothers in France, Renault than Yang Ancient create.

It is one of the oldest car company in the world. Renault sedans, official cars and sports car. Renault logo makes up the pattern of four diamond, symbolizing the the Reynold three brothers to blend with the automotive industry, said, "Renault" to compete in the infinite space (4D), survival and development. 24. Buick Buick Logo Meaning - The shape of "sword" pattern Buick trademark for a total of graphical trademarks, are installed in the car radiator grille. Three different color sword (from left to right, respectively, for the three colors of red, white and blue), in order of priority in different height positions, giving a positive, continue to climb the feeling, it said Buick top-level technology, Buick is the courage of the warriors of Dengfeng. Buick cars marked in English comes from the surname of the company's founder David Buick. The whole trademarks are the wings of the eagle is about to fall on the Buick on the letters of the alphabet. It symbolizes the Buick Eagle ideal habitat is to be the old adage: "Families with plane trees, in order to provoke the Golden Phoenix. 25.

Porsche Porsche Logo Meaning - Porsche cars marked in English with German Porsche founder Ferdinand Porsche's surname. Graphic logo company is located in Stuttgart's coat of city emblem. the word "PORSCHE" trademark top, that the trademark is owned by the Porsche design company; the trademark STUTTCART "the words in the top of the horse, the company is headquartered in Stuttgart; trademarks of the middle horse, said Stuttgart a place rich in a valuable species of horse; the upper left and lower right of the trademark pattern of antlers, Stuttgart is a good place for hunting; trademark the top right and bottom left of the yellow stripes represent the mature wheat color, a metaphor for the bumper harvest of the trademark in black on behalf of the fertile land, the trademark red symbolizes the people's wisdom and love of nature, which form a superb deep meaning, delicate and beautiful pastoral landscape, show the insurance McNair brilliant in the past, and foreshadowed a bright future for the Porsche, the Porsche sports car's outstanding! 26. Opel Opel Logo Meaning - Who often watch TV sports channel spectators, will see large-scale international sports competitions circle lightning "emblem, that is, the identity of the German Opel.

Circle lightning ", which means the Opel's strength and speed is unmatched; Opel is always full of vigor and vitality. German Opel company is a subsidiary of General Motors, is a window of the GM in Europe. Founded by Adam Opel, has been one hundred years of history. Opel company's sponsorship of the football World Cup, European Championship, the Davis Cup, League Cup tennis tournament and other major world sports competitions, making the Opel company has a high reputation in sports, no doubt, to bring its good returns. At present, Opel has more than 100 markets throughout the world in over 20 countries. Opel cars for five consecutive years the location of the car's number one brand in Western Europe accounted for 12% of Western European car market share. 27. Fiat Fiat Logo Meaning - Italian Fiat company was founded in July 1899, has been more than 100 years of history. Now Fiat is Italy's most important automobile manufacturing center and the largest private enterprise groups. The early establishment of the Group's only production car, then quickly diversified products in the fields of commercial vehicles, ships, aircraft, trains, farm tractors and construction machinery.

The Fiat (FIAT) Italian Automobile Factory of Turin (Fabbrica Itliana Auto-the dotmobi Ledi Torino) translation abbreviation "fiat" in English the meaning of the word "law", "license" "approval". The company's logo has been used to "FIAT", just different shape and color improvement. Such as 1921, The Scarlet Letter white circular logo; font vertical pull workers trademark in 1931; 1959 the company launched a new car and the logo bigger to do round the corner; 1965 Guizhi wound red and white circular logo as the official emblem; the establishment of a joint-stock companies in 1968 a new logo in the four boxes, each with a letter; factory in 1991, Fiat 600 switch on the front face of the five cable-stayed straight bars, the rear is still the identity of the four boxes. 28. Rover Rover Logo Meaning - Rover is Mascot from the world's most famous homeless family - Vikings pun. The "Rover" the word in English with the meaning of the Rangers, mariners.

Since 1902, this flag will be placed in the position of the middle of a car before. 1920s of the 20th century, the Vikings helmet image and triangle badge attract a generation of young people like Rover car. Later, standing in the Rover is sign the Vikings gradually to his head, but he still took the helmet. Accurate and consistent logic is to let the bow of the National People's Congress ships in Virgin statue. Viking ship bow and sails in 1929, first appeared in the signs of the radiator, as an auspicious symbol of the centuries-old runs through the Rover car. 29. Hyundai Hyundai Logo Meaning - In 1947, Chung Ju Yung create Hyundai Motor Company, through 50 years of development, it has become Korea's largest automobile manufacturers, and enter the ranks of the world-famous car companies. Its trademark is used in the Oval italics H, H is the Hyundai Motor Company English Name HYUNDAI capital letters. Modern first reflects the concept of the "Hyundai Motor Company in the world to take off in 2000; followed by Hyundai Motor Company is also a symbol of development in harmony and stability.

The trademark oval, which represents the car's steering wheel, can be seen as the Earth, during the H together exactly represent the mean of a modern car all over the world. 30. Skoda SkodaLogo Logo Meaning - The meaning of Skoda trademark: a huge ring a symbol of Skoda impeccable product for the world; bird wings symbolizes the technological progress of worldwide product marketing; right flight of the arrow, the symbol of advanced process; the outer ring in the black color symbolizes the Skoda company more than 100 years of tradition; central covered with green, the expression of the Skoda people focus on renewable resources and environmental protection. Skoda Felicia brand car trademarks now production Guizhi of the bottom part of the leaves, said the victory. In addition, the Skoda trademark a legend: It is said, the plant manager from the Americas back to an Indian servant, and this person is very diligent, the mask is also very beautiful, so on the selection of his mask as a trademark, which is now Sri Lanka Kodak Arrow trademark. 31. Chrysler Chrysler Logo Meaning - Chrysler is named after founder Walter Chrysler Motor Company.

Graphic trademark five-pointed star, like a medal, it embodies the Chrysler family and employees their lofty ideals and aspirations, and always the pursuit of endless and win in the competition's spirit of struggle. The five-pointed star of five parts, respectively, on all five continents in Chrysler cars, Chrysler cars all over the world. 32. Suzuki Suzuki Logo Meaning - The Suzuki logo is S is the S in the first SUZAUKI logo SUZUKI's first capital letters, it gives the feeling of infinite power, a symbol of the unlimited development of Suzuki Motor Corporation. Suzuki Loom Manufacturing 1909 Suzuki coast of Shizuoka Prefecture name of the county to create, in 1954 renamed Suzuki Automotive Industry Corporation. Company mainly produces mini-cars, light trucks, motorcycles and so on. Since 1979, the company produced mini-cars in Japan sales in the first place, Suzuki SPORT SWIFTGTI had won the first prize in the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship. In 1983, the Company and Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd.

production Alto mini-cars, already occupies an important position in the field of domestic mini-cars, crazy little mouse said. 33. Citroen Citroen Logo Meaning - In 1900, Andre Citroen, the invention of the herringbone gear. In 1912, Andre Citroen began employing shaped gear as the Citroen product trademarks. Later, Citroen has organized two trips across the continent and across the Asian continent, Citroen car became famous. French life, cheerful, and love fashion, like the novel and beautiful, Citroen car on the performance of the France of this character, all the time exudes the romance of France. Share Alfa Romeo Logo, Alfa Romeo Car Symbol Meaning | Car Brand Names.com Home / Car Logos / Alfa Romeo Logo Alfa Romeo Logo Alfa Romeo Logo Meaning and History There have always been lots of myths and legends around the origin of Alfa Romeo official logo. Though popular Italian automaker was founded in 1910, its badge was changed and evolved numerous times throughout its long history. That is why it is rather hard to speak about the origin of the badge taking into account lots of different versions.

We will try to stick to the facts. It is commonly known that the logo was created on the base of Visconti family coat of arms. At the same time it has a background in form of the Red Cross which is a symbol of Milan. At the same time it is said that cross was used in order to commemorate Giovanni Da Rio who was the first one to erect the cross while climbing the Jerusalem wall during crusade. That is why some people say that the badge is mainly a shield which is reversed over the Castello Sforzesco located in Milan. This is probably the hardest part of the puzzle provided by Alfa Romeo badge. From this point everything is a bit easier and clearer for understanding. A.L.F.A stands for Anomina Lombarda Fabrica Automobili. The first version of the badge appeared in 1915. It had Alfa letters written on the top of the logo. Two figures of eight knots were placed in the middle of the badge and Milano underneath the composition. However it was changed 5 years later depicting Alfa Romeo writing over Mila no red cross which was located at the bottom.

After Alfa models won numerous racing titles and competitions it was decided to mark this fact on the logo of the company which featured gold trim for encompassing the badge. In 1927 it was changed again and trim disappeared from major Italian automaker and later returned. Apart from all changes it still keeps heraldic spirit and looks rather ancient and classy. This is probably why it is in top of the most recognizable badges of all times. In addition it has always attracted auto fans and gourmets with its mysterious and myths related to the origin of the badge. During its history and development it also received several new elements including a giant snake which eats a man. Let’s try to figure out what it means and reveal all secrets of Alfa Romeo logo. Logo Description As we had already mentioned Alfa logo has a very strong historical background featuring heraldic ancient elements. The Red Cross as one of the main elements is supposed to be associated with Milan. This symbol was often used after Crusades. On the other hand Red Cross is widely spread among other Christian symbols. A biscione is one of the most controversial elements in Alfa badge. At the same time logo depicts a man which can be described as a child which is also known as Saracen or Moor.

In other words the whole scene describes crusaders’ defeat which sounds a bit strange. Representatives of the company are not eager to recall those times and give the exact definition of their logo telling it is nothing more but an ancient city. Shape of the Alfa Romeo Symbol Alfa Romeo badge is made in round shape which encloses heraldic red cross, huge snake eating a man and golden Alfa Romeo letters which are located on the top of the circle. Milano writing is underneath. Nothing is known for sure about the fact why the founder chose such shape for his company’s logo. Nevertheless it is still one of the most recognizable badges not only in Italy but also in the rest of the world. Color of the Alfa Romeo Emblem Several colors are used in Alfa logo including white and blue background. Some colors reflect ancient sacred meanings which were used in Christian religion during crusades. The Red Cross is a good example of such symbol which is also associated with Milan and crusaders. Green snake eating a man that can be interpretation of a modern child which symbolizes the defeat of crusades which looks rather strange on the background of Italian history and symbolism. Several logo versions were made with gold trim in order to commemorate numerous racing titles and wins throughout brand’s successful racing history.

However the idea was not very popular and in two years after gold letters were introduced they were removed from the badge. Car Brands Car Logos, History and Origins - autoevolution autoevolution Car Logos, History and Origins / Home / News / Coverstory As we all know, every single car company out there has its very unique history, mostly related to the way it managed to emerge from a tiny entity into a huge conglomerate that sells hundreds of thousands or maybe millions of vehicles a year. And some of these stories are indeed fascinating and captivating and each of us is invited to find them out once the dealers hands us the keys. Basically, the cars' logos are the introduction to the companies' tales, most of them showing symbols or signs that remind us of the thrilling experiences the automaker had to go through to stay alive. Today, we're inviting you to a journey through some of the most important car logos, so keep reading to find the tales hidden behind the emblems we see every time we get behind the wheel. Abarth, which currently serves as Fiat's sport division, saw daylight in 1949 and was founded by Karl Abarth.

Its logo comprises several elements, including the company's name just on top of all the others. The overall shape of the emblem represents a shield and denotes strength and power, thus demonstrating Abarth's capacity to resist over time and become a top player in the automotive world. The three colors underneath the company's name, green, white and red, symbolize Italy's flag, as the company was brought to life in Turin. The scorpion is Karl Abarth's astrological sign – he was born on November 15, 1908 – and is complemented by the two dominating colors, yellow and red, which are indicating the brand's appeal for motor racing.ALFA ROMEO Alfa Romeo, also owned by Fiat but still considered an Italian symbol, is one of the companies whose logo changed a lot over time, but retained the main elements that remind us of the way the brand was brought to life. Alfa Romeo, initially known as Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili (Lombard Automobile Factory, Public Company), got its first logo in 1910, when Romano Cattaneo created a rounded badge consisting of a grass snake with a man in its jaw.

Inspired from the House of Visconti flag, the so-called "biscione" (the Italian term for grass snake) actually represents one's ability to stand against opponents and face competition. Additionally, Cattaneo added the red cross seen in the Milan flag, plus the Alfa Romeo designation separated by two Savoia dynasty knots. Over time, the knots were eliminated from the logo, with each symbol comprising the logo receiving minor "redesigns". AUDI The "brand with the four rings" as Audi is often called is currently one of the world's top automakers and surely a leading German brand. Its logo, seen on millions of cars sold worldwide, is believed to have multiple meanings. First of all, the emblem is seen as a symbol of the merger that took place in 1932 and included four large manufacturers of that time: Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer. On the other hand, some people believe that Audi's logo is a bit older and has a strong connection with the Olympic games.

Either of the two meanings are actually true, the Audi logo underwent a minor makeover in 2009 when the badge got a new font plus a restyled 3D design of the four rings.BMW Bayerische Motoren Werke or Bavarian Motor Company – BMW as most of us know the brand – is, once again, one of the largest carmakers in the whole world. Its roots can be traced back in 1913, with the first activities strongly related to the aviation industry. The company's logo is obviously based on these facts, but there are again multiple interpretations available. One of them claims that the blue and white colors, which are actually the traditional colors of Bavaria, BMW's natal region, are also representing a white propeller on a blue sky, a hint to BMW's aero history. On the other hand, some people believe that the two colors are only used because they also appear on the Bavarian flag and BMW just wanted to honor the area that hosted its headquarters for years.BUICK Buick, an American symbol as some people name it, was founded in 1903 by David Dunbar Buick.

Its history, often connected to General Motors, includes several logo changes that occurred as the company grew bigger. The first logos were actually variations of the Buick designation, but were replaced during the '60s by three shields representing the three models rolled out until that point: LeSabre, Invicta, and Electra. 1975 brought a new change of logo at Buick, with the American icon now adopting a hawk emblem, known at that time as "Happy", that was expected to mark the beginning of a new design era in Buick's history. The moment was celebrated with the introduction of the Skyhawk series. However, the range was discontinued during the '80s, when Buick re-adopted its three-shield badge. CADILLAC Both the name and the logo used by Cadillac were based on the aristocrat the company was named after, Antoine de La Mothe, Seigneur de Cadillac, but the badge suffered several modifications, especially under GM's ownership. The auto manufacturing business received the Cadillac designation in 1902 but during the '90s General Motors brought a few changes as part of an effort to refresh the company's image.

The logo thus dropped the six birds (codenamed merlettes), as well as the crown and the La Mothe family crest, but adopted simpler elements that are still being used nowadays.CITROEN There's nothing fancy or too complicated in Citroen's logo which remained practically unchanged over the time. The two inverted Vs are actually reminding of André Citroen's first area of expertise: mass production of double helically-cut gear teeth.CHEVROLET In case you're wondering where does the Chevrolet "plus" symbol comes from, there are several suppositions behind it. First of all, some people are saying that William C. Durant actually designed the logo after a wallpaper he saw in a French hotel. On the other hand, others are claiming that this badge was first seen in a newspaper and Durant's wife proposed it to be used as Chevrolet's logo. FERRARI Almost every car enthusiast out there knows the "Prancing Horse", especially thanks to the great achievements the Italian carmaker recorded in the past. But the story of its logo is once again related to multiple theories.

First of all, it is believed that the black prancing horse on yellow background was first used by Count Francesco Baracca, the Italian airforce that made a name for itself in World War I. Another theory claims the symbol was actually seen on a German pilot's plane that crashed during the war - the horse is actually the symbol of Stuttgart, which might raise some eyebrows because Porsche uses the same element as source of inspiration for its very own badge. Last but not least, the Ferrari logo might have a different story. It appears that Ferrari founder's family owned lots of horses so the new company adopted the prancing horse as a symbol of power. However, one thing is 100 percent sure: the three colors appearing on Ferrari's logo represent Italy's flag, the company's natal country.FIAT Fiat, currently the largest Italian automaker and one of the new names in the American auto sector, changed its logo several times, especially following the growth the company recorded during the 1900s. The first emblem created by Fiat's designers was only showcasing the company's full name: Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (Italian Automobile Factory of Turin).

As the time passed by however, Fiat modified the logo several times, with the latest change getting into effect in 2006 when the company turned to the red background instead of the blue one.FORD Ford is surely one of the most powerful automakers in the whole world and the fact that it managed to survive the 2009 crisis without government help comes to confirm this. And the origins of its logo are at least as interesting as the company's past: Harold Wills, often considered Henry Ford's main help within the company, had his very own business card printing company before working for Ford. When Henry Ford decided to choose a badge for the company, Wills designed the first sketch of the logo using his printing equipment and a font he used on business cards. HYUNDAI The Hyundai logo is just a regular badge at the first sight. However, there are multiple meanings of the "H" letter you're seeing on every Hyundai out there. First of all, the oval that surrounds the H letter is actually representing Hyundai's continuous expansion that now goes beyond the Asian continent.

And the H is indeed coming from Hyundai but, in addition, it also represents two people shaking hands, probably in an attempt to show Hyundai's appreciation for consumers buying its models.JAGUAR The meaning of the Jaguar logo is quite simple and one could understand it in a second, especially after driving a Jag. Just as we learned in our first school years, the Jaguar is a quick and agile feline, so placing such a badge on a car is actually an effort to underline its vehicles' ability to develop very high performance.KIA The South-Korean brand Kia owns quite a simplistic logo that does nothing than to show the company's name on a (usually) red background. However, if you split the word into two separate parts, the term Kia also has a different meaning. In Korean, KI (the first two letters of the name) stands for "arise" while the A is believed to represent Asia, Kia's natal continent. In this context, the name translates into "arise from Asia", hence matching the company's slogan "The power to surprise". LAMBORGHINI The logo seen on all the Lambos out there (burning or not) isn't surprising at all.

The bull logo actually stands for the founder's, Ferruccio Lamborghini, zodiacal sign (Taurus), and is obviously accompanied by the company's name, Lamborghini. Contrary to other "patriot" Italian carmakers, Lamborghini does not use the Italy's colors on its logo.MAZDA Based in Hiroshima, Japan, Mazda is becoming more powerful in most markets, especially in Europe where its models are getting more powerful thanks to the company's efforts in the fuel consumption and emission areas. Its logo, which suffered several modifications as time passed by, has multiple interpretations. The company's name, which is inspired by the ancient Iranian prophet Zoroaster, seems to serve as source of inspiration for the badge as well: the restyled "M" (which looks like two spanned wings) is believed to represent the company's flight to the future.MERCEDES-BENZ Mercedes-Benz, an iconic premium and luxury, has been around for a long time but the brand "Mercedes" was only registered in September 1902. The three-pointed start logo however saw daylight in 1909 on a Daimler vehicle and represented the company's domination of land, sea and air.

Just as expected, the badge got several "facelifts" as the company grew bigger, but the first interpretation is believed to date back to early 1900 when Gottlieb Daimler drew a star on a picture, adding the following text: "this star would one day shine over own factory to symbolize prosperity." MITSUBISHI The Japanese carmaker Mitsubishi is the subject of several theories when it comes to its logo and although several people are talking about them, there's no official information supposed to put things straight in this matter. According to some sources, the Mitsubishi designation is actually a combination of the words "mitsu" (three) and "hishi" (water chestnut, which could be translated into "diamond"). In other words, the term Mitsubishi could mean "three diamonds", hence the logo of the company. However, there are two interpretations of the logo. Some people consider that the three-diamond logo stands for a mix of the Iwasaki family (who established the business) crest, three stacked diamonds, and the three-leaf crest of the Tosa Clan. On the other hand, the three diamonds could represent the three main attributes describing the company: responsibility, ethics and communication.

Last but not least, the logo could actually represent a ship propeller, reminding us of the beginning of the Mitsubishi business.PORSCHE As we said when talking about Ferrari, Porsche uses as a logo Stuttgart's symbol, which is also accompanied by the antlers and red and black stripes that are all parts of the arms of the Kingdom of Wurttemberg.PEUGEOT From the point of view of its logo, Peugeot surely has one of the most captivating stories. The French lion was officially created in 1847 by Justin Blazer who worked as jeweler and engraver and was based on the Region France-Comte flag. However, the logo appeared on Peugeot cars only years later, receiving a lot of modifications over the years. The last modifications occurred in 1998 and 2002 when the company reworked the look of the lion in an effort to better underline the "message" of the logo: it denotes power and balance, while the blue is believed to represent the company's view of the future. RENAULT Renault, now involved in one of the world's biggest alliances with Nissan, changed its logos for over 10 times since it was founded.

The French carmaker used an entirely different badge, showing the initials of the three Renault brothers (Louis, Ferdinand and Marcek) drawn on a medallion. The diamond badge was only adopted in 1925, while the 3D perspective was added in 1972 by Victor Vaserely. The last "facelift" of the logo was rolled out in 2007 when the company placed the Renault designation just underneath the diamond, on a yellow background - which is believed to stand for quality.SKODA The Czech manufacturer which now exists under VW Group's ownership got its first logo when the company only produced bicycles using the Slavia designation. The badge was thus comprising the Slavia term plus the names of the two owners, Laurin & Klement. The first logo under the Skoda brand came out in 1926 and obviously included the Skoda name surrounded by an oval decorated with laurels. The popular “winged arrow” design was brought to life in the late '20s and was used for a long time, until 1990. It was believed to be the creation of commercial director of Skoda Plzen, T. Maglic.

The current logo was adopted during the '90s and comprises the same winged arrow, now painted in green with black surroundings. The two colors are supposed to represent the company's interest for environment protection and its 100-year history, respectively.SUBARU Subaru's name is actually the Japanese translation of the Pleiades star cluster, which also means "to gather together". The six star logo represents the five companies that joined forces (Fuji Kogyo, Fuji Jidosha Kogyo, Omiya Fuji Kogyo, Utsunomiya Sharyo and Tokyo Fuji Sangyo) to form Fuji Heavy Industries (the biggest star in the logo). SAAB SAAB, the Swedish carmaker now owned by the Dutch company Spyker, uses as a logo the coat of arms of the Count von Skane which also served as symbol for Skane, the Swedish province where Saab was initially based in. As you can see for yourselves, the badge shows a some kind of mythological bird that has the body of a lion but the head and wings of an eagle. It was actually based on Vadis-Scania's logo, the truck manufacturer that joined forces with Saab's parent manufacturer involved in the airplane manufacturing business.

TOYOTA Although some of you would expect it, Toyota's logo has absolutely no connection to the stuck accelerator pedals affecting the Japanese company's models (no pun intended). The company's badge is actually made of three different ovals, two of which are said to stand for Toyota's relation with its customers. Furthermore, these two are also creating a symbolic "T" letter that comes from the brand's name.VOLVO A symbol for safety and passenger protection, Volvo's name is inspired from the Latin word "volvere" which translates into "to roll". The badge however is the old symbol of iron but, according to some people, it also tries to transmit Volvo's "attraction" for safety technologies, which are often described to be as durable as iron.VOLKSWAGEN Volkswagen, one of the top players in Germany and in the whole world, has probably one of the most popular logos out there, seen on millions of cars sold in almost every corner of the Globe.

There are multiple theories related to the the origins of Volkswagen's logo: one of them claims that it was designed by one of Hitler's friends during World War II while another suggests that it was the result of a design competition won by Franz Xavier Reimspiess, an employee of Porsche. Alfa Romeo Toyota Subaru Mazda Abarth Lamborghini cover story 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.

Question: What colour is the snake on the logo of car manufacturer Alfa Romeo?
Answer: Green