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Thread: A History Of Car Logos

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    A History Of Car Logos

    Alfa Romeo
    This logo is the official branding of the Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili, which is designed to directly represent the family coat of arms of the Visconti entliehen. It is one of the most influential and respected families out of Milan.

    Audi logo design
    It is believed that the use of the four rings logo is most likely to generate back to the date of Claus Detlof of Oertzen, who described the idea as being something related to Olympia and the Olympiad which fuses the coming together of groups. This is in line with the coming together of the four Audi companies - AUDI, DKW, Horch and Wanderer.


    BMW logo
    The logo that is used by BMW is representative and derived from the Bavarian engine components that first made up the company structure in 1917. It is also in the Bavarian national colors of black, white and blue. The black ring and the internal and external enclosing rings were used to represent the previous company "Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke (BFW)". BMW resulted from this business. While many think that the propeller was in fact designed to represent a rotary propeller which was developed in 1929, in actual fact this interpretation is only promoted for marketing purposes and has no factual basis. The more recent iterations of the BMW logo in fact talk little of the propeller and more about the vehicle itself in an outdoor environment, as is outlined by the Publicity and Advertising Manager Wilhelm Farrenkopf in the BMW work magazine in 1942, where he talked about the shining disk, shades of the engines, two silver divides and bright blue gleams that represent the sky.


    Citroen
    The company logo of the 1919-initiated company, by founder Andr� Citroen, the French automaker, depicts two gear wheels as herring-bone teeth.


    Ferrari logo
    This well known and highly recognizable logo depicts a jumping black horse known as "Rampante Cavallo." This logo is for the world famous Italian sport car manufacturer from Maranello � Ferrari. This company has designed and built quality performance sport and racing cars since 1947. The logo design is based upon the family coat of arms of the Countess Paolina Baracca; and the coloured stripes found in the upper area of the logo are symbolic of the Italian national flag.


    Jaguar logo
    This brand represents the fine quality manufacture of cars PAG that were created and operated by the two founding co-owners Bill Walmsley and William Lyons in the historal and famous English seaside resort of Blackpool, where many cars were initially made to showcase in motorcycle side car parades for friends and family. In 1922 the company created the English expression "Swallow" to represent the Swallow Sidecar company, which manufactured side cars and other small vehicles. Then in 1931, they began to install engines and chassis into sporty type bodies and called these vehicles S.S. which was an abbreviation for "Standard Swallow.� Following on from this in the 1930s, they then began to build engines and chassis. The "Jaguar" image was seen for the very first time in 1935 and was used on the first new style of sedan that was produced at the time � known as the S.S. 100 Jaguar. The SS abbreviation has continued in the naming of the Jaguars through to recent times, as the use of the Jaguar image.
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    Last edited by scottie300z; 03-05-2007 at 09:07 PM.
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    Lada
    This logo represents the coat of arms of the Russian car manufacturer AutoVAZ, the largest in Russia and Eastern Europe and better known to the world as LADA. The company was set up in 1966 in collaboration with Fiat, which is a successful automobile production company including manufacturing Volgas. The company headquarters is in Togliattigrad, town named after an Italian communist and built in 1960s around the factory. The Lada was envisaged as a "people's car" so, the lightweight Fiat 124 was adapted to survive the hazardous Russian driving conditions. Although the Lada models are often thought as 'rough' cars, lacking in most accessories expected in modern cars, they were very successful because of their affordability. Nowadays the Russian factory struggles to survive the tight competition in international automobile industry. Centuries ago, LADA was the name of a small, fast sail boat typical for the river Volga, which were also the favorite boats of river pirates who used them to rob commercial ships. At the same time �lada� in Russian means Lovely, little darling. The little ship in the logo is used to depict the strength and the power of adapting to the rough Russian conditions while the presence of the word lada symbolizes the producer wish of being a popular car.


    Lamborghini logo
    This well recognised logo that today belongs to the Volkswagen organisation was created by Ferrucio Lamborghini. The very first iterations of Lamborghini products began in the form of tractors, burners, heaters and air conditioning systems in 1959. The first cars were produced and sold in 1963. The bull is used in this logo to depict the strength of the company and the vehicles. This logo is still used in this form today.


    Lotus
    This logo was first used in 1952 by the owner of the business - English racing driver Colin Chapman, who formed the automobile engineering company. The word lotus was used to depict the passion and fervour with which the company was developed and run. This logo has continued to be used in the format since that time.


    Maserati
    This logo was first used in 1914 in Bologna and was created by the Societ� Anonima Officine Alfieri Maserati, a key part of the Fiat organisation. The representation of this logo is the image of the rose which is located in the hometown of the founding family � the Maserati family.


    Mitsubishi logo

    The logo for this successful worldwide Japanese automobile manufacturer is made up of three points that symbolise responsibility/trust, probity/integrity/ethics and communication/openness. The logo is based on the merger of two age-old Japanese dynasties who used a coat of arms with three similar diamond patterns. In addition the name Mitsubishi also translates to "three Rhomden" and in line with its link to the dynasties, means �three diamonds�.


    Porsche logo

    This logo is the branding for the famous high quality sports car manufacturer Porsche. In 1952 as Ferry Porsche, the chief designer Komanda was commissioned to sketch a Porsche coat of arms that could be used as the logo. He incorporated a Stuttgart Coat of Arms animal, and other elements from the local area, into the first iteration. Upon registration, the logo was endorsed and then implemented on the bonnets of all vehicles from 1957 onwards.
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    Saab logo
    The logo of this well known car manufacturer depicts a mythological bird which is also used on the official coat of arms of the Count von Skane and was used as the symbol for the Swedish province Skane, where the SAAB company was formed.


    Toyota corporate logo

    Comprising three linked circles, the logo of the famous and highly successful Japanese car manufacturer is directly representative of the three interlocking aspects of the culture of the enterprise including freedom, team spirit and progress.


    Yamaha
    This global Japanese company manufactures and sells a range of products including motorcycles, boats and boat engines, snow mobile and Golf Karts, and music instruments and audio equipment, as well as robots and computers. The business was created in 1887 in Hamamatsu, Japan. When it was first opened, Yamaha initially repaired musical instruments prior to manufacturing its own organs in 1889. Further on from this, the company created �Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha" which literally translated to "Japanese music instruments corporation.� The logo of the company is representative of a light that has three crossed tuning forks. This is indicative of inventor Torakusu Yamaha�s restoration of musical instruments.


    http://www.logoorange.com/logodesign-A.php
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    Pretty cool, I guess people could add to this and we could edit it into one big listing. Maybe even make it a sticky in some subforum or something.

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    Porsche designed the logo on a napkin.
    I'm dropping out to create a company that starts with motorcycles, then cars, and forty years later signs a legendary Brazilian driver who has a public and expensive feud with his French teammate.

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    I can add that the letters that can be seen in Lotus badge are the initials of the founder, Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman. And that the Lotus badge went black (instead of the usual green and yellow) for a month after Jim Clark died in 1968.
    Last edited by Ferrer; 03-02-2007 at 10:02 AM.
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    Mercedes-Benz
    Mercedes-Benz is the brand name applied to the models of one of the premier automotive manufacturers in the world and, because of its tie to Karl Benz, it is also the name of the world's oldest continuously produced automobile line. In 1926 when the new company, Daimler-Benz was established through merger, a new logo also was created that would include a symbol for each and integrate the names of the two former companies. A three-pointed star had been designed by Gottlieb Daimler, to show the ability of his motors for land, air, and sea use. This star first appeared on a DMG model in 1909, so it was chosen for the new logo. However the brand name Daimler had been licensed for use on other automobiles (in France and the United Kingdom), so the name of its seminal Mercedes model was chosen for the DMG portion of the logo. The traditional laurel symbol of Karl Benz was added along with his name to complete the new logo. The logo with a plain ring, as seen today, was not used until 1937.
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    The evolution of the Aston Martin Logo.
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    The evolution of the Lancia logo.
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    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
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    by the way scottie300z lamborghini isn't part of the volkswagen group it' owned by audi
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    Quote Originally Posted by dbr91 View Post
    by the way scottie300z lamborghini isn't part of the volkswagen group it' owned by audi
    Audi is owned by Volkswagen so Lamborghini is part of Volkswagen.
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    That's a nice compilation you have here!

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    Quote Originally Posted by scottie300z View Post
    Ferrari logo
    This well known and highly recognizable logo depicts a jumping black horse known as "Rampante Cavallo." This logo is for the world famous Italian sport car manufacturer from Maranello � Ferrari. This company has designed and built quality performance sport and racing cars since 1847. The logo design is based upon the family coat of arms of the Countess Paolina Baracca; and the coloured stripes found in the upper area of the logo are symbolic of the Italian national flag.
    Typo?
    http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31695
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    Alfa Romeo

    One of the most famous badges in the automotive history.

    The history behind the Snake and the Cross:

    When Alfa was founded in 1910, the chiefs of the Milan based company, created a logo that combined two well-known symbols in Milan; a red cross, which was a part of the city-logo, and "Biscione" , a snake who were a part of the representative logo of the noble Milanese Visconti family. It was two symbols who both in tradition and symbolism stood far apart from each-other, but united into one. The original weapon-shield was used between 1910 and 1915. It was circular shaped and consisted of two segments: The left side had a red cross on a white background, and on the right side, the Visconti-snake who threatened an enemy.

    Two Savoy-dynasty knots was early on used to part the words Alfa and Milano.

    The cross is used in memory of the Lombardia-battalion who went on their first crusade in 1295. Front figure of the crusades towards the Holy Land, was Arch-bishop of Milan, Ottone Visconti, Lord of Invorio and Oleggio Castello, ancestor of the Visconti-family, the family who was to rule Milan for almost 200 years from 1277 to 1447.

    When the Lombardia battalion returned to Milan 5 years later, the city took use of the cross as a city-symbol in honor of the crusaders courage for the Holy.

    The history behind the snake is even more strange. As a symbol it recognizes strength, wisdom and power. It can be dated back to the Germanian tribes who invaded Lombardia and settled down in North Italy in the year 700. They meant that a snake on a blue background was a symbol of luck, and therefore used this symbol on their war-flags. When Matteo Visconti became Count of Milan in 1295, he told his wise-men to adorn a bit on the not-so honorable history of the family in the history-books. He wanted to draw lines to the Germanian invaders of the past and included the snake into his family-symbol. And to strengthen the lines between the Visconties and the Germanians, a myth was created about one of Matteos ancestors , Umberto, the myth told he had ridden on a fierce dragon around the countryside of Milan. And this is how the scene was created. The heraldics at the court crated "Biscione", who had the body of a snake and a dragons head.

    The original Alfa-logo was first modified in 1913, when the copper colored letters became white and strengthened with an outline of gold. The Savoy-knots was made more robust, and the snake was simplified.

    In 1915 Nicola Romeo took over the company, and three years later, after WW1, the word Alfa (Anonima Lombarda Fabbricia Automobilia) was supplied with the word Romeo. It stayed that way until 1925, when Alfa won it's first World Championship, a silver colored laurel-coronary was added around the logo. And in addition the colors around the lettering and the Savoy-knots turned from gold to silver. As a side note: In 1932 all cars who was exported to France, was badged Alfa Romeo Paris.

    In 1946 Italy became a republic and the two Savoy dynasty knots, which was a symbol for the Royal Family who had ruled Italy, was now changed for two wave shaped lines.

    It wasn't until 1971 the last change to the logo was done. The whole was modernized, the snake was even more stylized and the - between Alfa and Romeo was removed. At the same time, most of the exclusive Lombardia-connections was gone, so it was time to exclude the word Milano.



    Link about the Visconti family-tree: House of Visconti

    This is a write-up and is freely translated from Norwegian by me. The original story was found in a Norwegian free-magazine called Motor & Fritid, but held some historic mistakes who is now set straight and cross-checked in history, with different sources.
    Last edited by LotusLocost; 03-05-2007 at 02:06 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pando View Post
    Typo?
    it looks like it, off by hundred years. Ill edit it.
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