Today there are many brands of cars, each of which has its own logo. Each emblem is unique in its own way and is designed to uniquely highlight the brand, but few people think that they have a symbolic meaning. Few will be able to answer the simple question: "What does the Mercedes emblem mean?" Meanwhile, the answer lies on the surface, as does the meaning of most other brands' logos.
Mercedes
The Mercedes emblem is easily recognizable. It looks like a three-pointed star inscribed in a circle. The circle symbolizes world fame. The number of beams is no coincidence: three beams means that the company produces engines designed for use in three elements - on the ground, in the water and in the air.
Mercedes-Benz is a subsidiary of Daimler, which produced power units not only for cars and buses, but also for airplanes and for water transport.
The history of the appearance of the symbol is quite interesting. When the three founders of the company, Wilhelm Maybach, Gottlieb Daimler and Emil Ellinek thought about what the emblem of their cars should be, a dispute arose that almost turned into a quarrel.
It was proposed to use, among other things, the image of an elephant or an orange as a logo. The end of the dispute was put by the daughter of Emil Ellinek - Mercedes. She asked the co-founders sitting at the table not to quarrel and cross their canes - and this is how the famous three-pointed star appeared.
In 1929, the company merged with the Benz company, and a laurel wreath was added to the star, symbolizing the victory of Benz cars in races.
Opel
The emblem of Opel cars has the appearance of a lightning bolt. In this form, she first appeared in 1964. The logo owes its appearance to the Opel Blitz truck model (in German, blitz - lightning). The Blitz model was launched in 1930. 
A distinctive feature of these cars was their low weight and high speed. Opel Blitz became the most massive military truck of the Third Reich. The modern image of the emblem symbolizes lightning speed.
Audi
To understand the meaning of the four rings on the radiator grilles of Audi cars, it is necessary to turn to the history of the appearance of this emblem, and it is quite interesting. The company is named after its founder August Horch. The word "Horch" is translated from German "listen", and in Latin - audi. It would seem, why not just call the company Horch? 
Initially, the company was called just that, but after 10 years from the moment of opening, the founder of the company survived and was judicially prohibited from using his own surname as the name of the newly founded company. When August Horch was discussing the name of the new company with his business partner Franz Fikentscher, the latter's son, who was studying Latin, suggested the name Audi.
The four rings on the modern Audi emblem symbolize the merger of four companies:
- Audi Verke;
- Wanderer;
- August Horch Automobile Werke.
The original Audi emblem, inside each ring, depicted its own emblems of the enterprises that became part of the Audi union. This logo was originally used to mark only racing cars companies, while the rest were decorated with their own logos of the manufacturers-members of the union.
Volvo
The name of the brand is of Latin origin, and in translation means "I roll." The company logo is a symbol of iron used in ancient times. It is one of the oldest and most famous depictions in Western culture. In ancient Rome, this sign was also identified with the god of war Mars, who always fought with iron weapons. 
The symbol of iron is not accidentally used as the emblem of the Volvo company.
- First of all, there is an association with the achievements of Swedish metallurgy.
- Secondly, this emblem is perceived by motorists as a symbol of reliability, durability and high quality.
The metal strip running diagonally through the entire radiator grille was initially of purely practical importance - a nameplate was mounted on it. Over time, it has become an integral and recognizable part of the company logo.
Skoda
The Skoda emblem appeared in 1926. The logo of the cars of the Czech manufacturer, which to many resembles an Indian with feathers on his head, is actually nothing more than a winged arrow.
The Skoda emblem is made in the best marketing traditions, its elements have the following meaning:
- wing - a wide range of activities;
- eye - high accuracy;
- arrow - striving forward, towards perfection;
- the circle framing the logo - distribution of the company's products around the world;
- the green color of the logo symbolizes the company's respect for the environment.
Toyota
There are several versions of what the Toyota emblem means.
According to one of them, two mutually perpendicular ovals, located inside the third, are a symbolic image of a thread threaded into the eye of a needle. This version is adhered to by those who know that from the moment of its foundation until the thirties of the last century, Toyota was engaged in the production of looms.
According to the second version, three ovals symbolize the unity of three components of success: customers, product and idea. Some even manage to read the name of the company in these ovals. However, in fact, according to the official book on the history of the company, the crossed ovals inside the large one mean close interaction between the company and the customers, and in addition, they form the letter "T". The large oval means endless possibilities.
Subaru
This is the first Japanese company, which took its name in its native language. Translated into Russian, it means "to unite" or "to gather together." In addition, Subaru is the Japanese name for the star cluster in the constellation Taurus, known to us as the Pleiades. 
It is estimated that this cluster includes about three thousand stars, but a person can see no more than fourteen with the naked eye. The most striking are only six, which is reflected in the emblem of Subaru cars. In addition, the Fuji Heavy Industries concern, which produces Subaru cars, was also formed through the merger of six companies.
Chevrolet
One of the most concise emblems is placed on the radiator grilles of Chevrolet cars. His appearance it resembles a bow tie. Co-founder Louis Chevrolet was a racing driver. He won his first race in 1905. Then he set a world record, covering a distance of one mile in 52.8 seconds. Since that time, a continuous series of his victories in races taking place on the American continent began. He won worldwide fame and became a racing star.
William Durant, the second co-founder of the company, inspired by the successes of Louis Chevrolet, proposed to name the company under his name. The logo was invented by Durant himself; there are several versions of his birth, which have not been reliably confirmed by anything. It symbolizes the success of the eminent driver.
The history of the Mercedes emblem dates back to the late 1800s, when Gottlieb Daimler became technical director of the Deutz engine factory. internal combustion... There is a legend that at the beginning of his work there, Gottlieb Daimler decorated his own home with a star and wrote to his wife that the day will come when this star will shine over his own plant and symbolize prosperity.
Already in the early 1900s, when the question of the company's logo was acute, Daimler's sons, Paul and Adolf Daimler, remembered this story and designated the star as their trademark. Gottlieb Daimler himself died in 1900 shortly before the 66th anniversary.
A photo emblem of a Mercedes 1902 will allow you to more clearly imagine what the logo was.
In June 1909, the three-pointed and four-pointed stars were registered as trademarks. But, starting in 1910, the three-pointed star began to adorn cars.
The photo emblem of a Mercedes of 1909 will allow you to more clearly imagine what the logo was.
Photo emblem Benz 1909.
What does the Mercedes emblem mean? The three-pointed star symbolizes the Daimler Group's commitment to universal motorization “on earth, water and air”.
Over time, the emblem has undergone minor changes.
In 1916, the Mercedes emblem was enclosed in a circle. Along the perimeter of the circle itself, there were four more small stars, also the name Mercedes.
Photo emblem Mercedes 1916.
In 1923, a new emblem was patented.
The history of the Mercedes emblem was continued during the Second World War. It was a rather difficult time, which could not but affect sales, especially of such luxurious passenger cars... Only financially independent companies could survive. This was the time when the only way out was to merge Mercedes and Benz.
For a couple of years, separate logos were used, but then a decision was made to merge. The basis was the Mercedes logo, which was ringed with a Benz laurel wreath. So, on February 18, 1925, a new Mercedes emblem was registered - a star in a laurel wreath.
Photo emblem Mercedes after the merger of the two logos
In 1952, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL received a modified type of star, the emblem was not on the hood, as it was before, but on the radiator grille. This change was due to the desire to emphasize the sporty character of the car.
Photo emblem Mercedes 1991.
2008 Mercedes logo.
Recently, some changes have been made to the three-pointed star, now that higher-end vehicles will receive a real shining Mercedes emblem.
Modern version:
Information taken from the site.
Mercedes-Benz is one of the largest and best car manufacturers in the world today. Luxurious cars with a three-pointed star sparkling on the hood attract the attention of everyone, even a person who does not understand cars. But now I would like to talk not about powerful technical characteristics models produced by the concern, but about what the Mercedes sign means.
Let's look into the past
The history of the emblem began back in 1880, and in a very interesting way. Gottlieb Daimler, the founder of the concern, made graffiti on the wall of his house. He depicted the very same three-pointed star. And then he signed it with an interesting phrase. Translated into Russian, it reads like this: "A star will rise over this place and, I hope, bless all of us and our children."
This is how the Mercedes sign was born. True, it was approved as a logo only in 1909. Only then was the concern still known as Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft.
Element reference
In the famous star Gottlieb Daimler put not only a moral meaning. The Mercedes sign, the photo of which is provided above, has a completely logical meaning.
The fact is that the DMG concern produced not only cars. He was also engaged in the manufacture of ships and aircraft engines... So each ray in the symbol represents the element in which the DMG manifested itself: land, air and water.
Interestingly, in the year of the official design of the logo, two stars were registered as TM at the same time. They differed in the number of beams. One had three, according to the canon, and the other had four. The second version may have been registered as a fallback. But, as you know, the “classic” logo model has taken root very well. Moreover, now it will be very difficult to imagine one of the "Mercedes" with a four-pointed star.
Merging brands
As you know, the Mercedes-Benz concern, known in its modern form, was formed as a result of the joining of efforts of two once competing automotive companies. One of them was owned by Karl Benz and the other by Gottlieb Daimler. They competed for a while, but in 1926 they merged, and this was perhaps the best mutual decision in their life.
Naturally, the question arose concerning what will be new sign Mercedes. It was decided to compromise and combine the symbols of both companies. Karl Benz's trading symbol was originally wheel, which he replaced in 1909 with a laurel wreath.
In the end, it was decided to inscribe a three-pointed star in it. The new Mercedes sign has become very harmonious and original. The photo provided above allows you to verify this. This design decision is so successful that even now many models can see a variant of the emblem with a wreath. The most interesting is the star, "standing" on a small round platform, on which the Mercedes-Benz logo is visible in a laurel wreath. Although on the most modern models, there is another option, without a towering star. It is increasingly being placed in the middle of the grille.
By the way, the wreath, which is a symbol of the victory of cars in races, was removed only to make it easier to use the logo in advertising. Everyone knows very well that the fewer elements in the emblem, the better it is remembered, since there is nothing superfluous that provokes additional visual stress.
In 1937, the Mercedes-Benz badge was transformed into its final version - the star was enclosed in a circle. After that, no further rebranding was carried out.
Another version of the origin of the symbol
The sign of the Mercedes car seems quite familiar, but in fact it is shrouded in the most real legends. There is a very romantic version about how this emblem supposedly appeared.
It is believed that the three-pointed star is actually a female figurine inscribed in a circle. If you turn on the imagination, then you can imagine a girl with legs wide apart and arms raised above her head. There is a reference to ancient times, when a female figurine was carved on the prows of ships. She was later considered an idol keeping the ship. Likewise, in a Mercedes - in a stream of fast wind, a beautiful goddess floats on the stern of a land ship, protecting the owners from external adversity of the road and not allowing them to get lost in the stone jungle.
In a dispute ... an emblem is born
It is worth noting another version, according to which the Mercedes sign appeared. This is also a kind of legend.
They say that because of the future logo, the founders of the company (Gottlieb Daimler, Emil Ellinek and Wilhelm Maybach) argued and cursed for a very long time. This is understandable, because everyone wanted to see in the concern's emblem a reflection of his ideas. The "humble" Gottlieb Daimler, for example, suggested making his own portrait a logo.
Maybach insisted on the orange as the emblem. And according to the legend, he did not even substantiate his proposal in any way. Unlike Ellinek, who insisted: "Mercedes is the elephant of the automotive industry!" It's not hard to guess what kind of animal he wanted to see as a logo. But Gottlieb and Wilhelm did not even want to listen to Emil. Their indignation was understandable, because the company itself was named after the daughter of Ellinek. Naturally, they didn’t want Emil to create the Mercedes sign as well.
And then at one point the dispute reached its climax. The men grabbed their canes and crossed them, intending to fight notably. It was at that moment that Emil's daughter ran into the room, hearing the whole skirmish through the wall. It hurt her to hear the three geniuses arguing over a problem that could be solved with a logical approach. The girl fell to her knees, let out a tear and, wringing her hands, shouted: “Please do not quarrel! After all, the fate of the company is in your hands! "
This could not but move the men. They shifted their gaze to their "weapons" to lower them, and suddenly an insight descended on them. In the crossed reeds, they saw the future logo. The decision was made instantly, and the conflict was settled.
Brand price
There was a lot of interesting information about the Mercedes sign. What this emblem means is clear. Now it is worth touching on another, no less entertaining topic. And it concerns the cost of the logo.
It is very expensive. According to data for 2005, Mercedes-Benz is in 11th place in the world in the ranking of brand values. And the value of the rights to the logo is over 16.605 billion euros. The same fact makes the concern the most expensive German brand.
It is worth noting the results of a number of sociological studies, the subject of which was the concern's logo. Hundreds of people were asked the same question - what associations does the Mercedes-Benz emblem evoke in them? The most frequently encountered answers were: the elite segment, high cost, German quality, reliability, prestige, confidence, stability, safety, technical excellence, conservatism.
For luck
The Mercedes badge on the hood looks pretty and many agree. But for some, the love for this logo is manifested too much. The former president of Ukraine, for example, once ordered himself a noble coat of arms. The images are rather complex, but of those elements that are first of all striking, one can note a rose (the symbol of Donbass), a palm branch (the personification of victory) and ... the "Mercedes" emblem. It is difficult to give a logical explanation for its presence in this context. Perhaps the owner of this masterpiece thus decided to attract the blessing of a star of captivating happiness or to personify success, wealth in this world.
Relationship to the emblem
True, some believe that the Mercedes logo symbolizes evil and evil spirits. Semiotics (specialists in signs) assure that a three-rayed swastika is veiled in this emblem, the ends of which simply "bent" and form a circle.
And in some cultures, such a star personifies the desire for spirituality. But the fact that it is outlined in a circle is very bad. He suppresses the desire to be spiritually enlightened and directs towards acquisitiveness.
However, all this is just opinions, versions and guesses. In fact, the three-pointed star is simply an expensive and recognizable trademark belonging to one of the best automobile concerns in the world.
The history of the Daimler-Benz concern, which produces Mercedes cars, began in 1926, after the merger of two companies: Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft and Benz. The symbol of "DMG", which produced cars under the brand "Mercedes", was a three-pointed star, denoting dominance at sea, on land and in water. It was not chosen without reason, since in addition to automobiles, Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft produced engines for the aviation and navy.
In 1912, the company Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft became the official supplier of court of His Imperial Majesty Nicholas II.
Benz's trademark was the stylized steering wheel, which, as now, was a circle with transverse rails. After several victories in competitions and sports competitions, he was replaced by a laurel wreath - a symbol of victory.
After the merger of the companies, a compromise decision was made and both logos merged into one. Over time, the complex emblem with a laurel wreath was simplified to a simpler, laconic circle, and in 1937 the world saw the well-known logo in its modern form.
Mercedes logo: other versions
Some versions more closely associate this badge with aviation, seeing in the three-beam star either an image of an aircraft propeller, or even an aircraft sight. They can hardly be considered convincing, since the production of products for the aviation industry was far from the main profile of the company.
Yet another version States that the star represents the unity of mechanic, engineer and driver.
There is also a very romantic hypothesis telling that the three leaders of the combined companies - Gottlieb Daimler, Wilhelm Maybach and Emil Ellinek - could not come to an unambiguous decision about the new logo for so long that it almost came to assault. And when they crossed their canes in fighting enthusiasm, they suddenly saw in this not a reason for disagreement, but a harmony of forces and settled on this symbol. However, there is no documentary evidence of this version, so it would be more correct to attribute it to fantastic.
