Every car that drives down the street proudly carries its “heraldic coat of arms” on its grille. Or the logo of the manufacturer. By the way, some emblems are indeed borrowed from the family coats of arms of those who are related to the creation of a particular brand. And some emblems were created "without further ado." Recognizable? Concisely? Informative? That's good.
Of course, it is unlikely that it will be possible to consider the icons of absolutely all car brands in this article, but about the origin and meaning of the “brand” on the hood of the most popular cars among the people - why not? History is always interesting and educational!
For convenience, the list of car brands in pictures can be viewed alphabetically.
So, each icon is a small digression into history…
The emblem of this Italian brand is a combination of images of two coats of arms. One image in the form of a red cross on a white background was part of the coat of arms of the city of Milan. The second image in the form of a bloodthirsty serpent devouring a person was borrowed from the heraldic coat of arms of the Visconti dynasty. Over time, the Alfa Romeo emblem has been slightly changed, but these two elements have been preserved in their original form.
Who is not familiar with the four famous rings intertwined with each other? In 1932, this symbol signaled to the whole world about the cooperation of four companies that merged into one automobile concern, Auto Union. The war ceased to exist for almost all of its participants, but the “sign of four” remained. After the revival of Audi in 1965, it became the emblem of Audi cars.
The circle, divided into four equal sectors and resembling a target, tells of the times when the BMW concern was engaged in aircraft construction. So this logo is nothing more than the rotating blades of an aircraft propeller. And the colors of the emblem are the main colors of the flag of Bavaria.
Among the emblems of American car brands, this one has the most interesting origin. At first, only one name was present in the logo: "Buick". Simple and tasteful. And then the Scottish automaker David Buick modestly added three shields from his family coat of arms to the inscription. Together with the inscription, they adorn the hoods of all Buicks to this day.
This cross, familiar to everyone, has nothing to do with coats of arms. According to rumors, the founder of the automobile company, William Durant, either saw a similar pattern on the wallpaper of a hotel room, or drew it on a napkin during lunch. And the car itself was named after the engineer Louis Chevrolet.
People like to call this brand “double chevrons”, which actually reflects the essence of the emblem: the teeth of a chevron wheel. Because Andre Citroen began his career as an automaker with them.
The appearance of this emblem was not accompanied by mysterious and family stories, so the designers depicted a sea shell as a logo. True, some see it as a lily.
These four companies preferred not to bother with ornate car brand badges, but depicted the main thing on the hoods of their brainchildren: just the names of cars. And if in the first two the background and font periodically changed, then the emblems of Jeep and Hammer were initially unchanged and simple. Severe military guys - nothing more!
The creator of this brand, Soichiro Honda, did not even begin to write the name. He simply took the initial letter of his last name and enclosed it in a geometric figure. Today, this logo symbolizes quality, reliability and everything for which Japanese cars are so loved.
The emblem of these imposing travelers looks rather unassuming. Rumor has it that the oval with the name of the company inscribed in it is nothing more than the imprint of a tin can. A rough logo, but this does not prevent the car itself from being one of the favorites of the automotive market.
Lexus followed the same path: a capital "L" inscribed in an oval. The emblem is simple, but many people like it. Style, design, speed and high quality are not a complete list of the advantages of this car.
It is assumed that the three-pointed star on the Mercedes Benz logo was invented by Gottlieb Daimler as a child. The kid already then dreamed of success and mentally drew in his imagination that such an asterisk would decorate the roof of his own factory. A less romantic version claims that the three ends of the star symbolize the three founders of the Mercedes company. Or maybe both versions are true. Why not?
Until now, opinions also differ about the birth of the emblem of Mazda passenger cars. Some believe that the logo depicts the coat of arms of Hiroshima. Someone sees on it the image of a tulip, personifying grace and softness.
"Mitsubishi" translates as "three diamonds", which symbolizes the logo. As a result of the combination of the coats of arms of two Japanese dynasties, three red rhombuses flaunt on the grille of Mitsubishi cars.
The emblem of this Japanese concern is now quite simple and concise. Initially, the circle personified the sun and was red. And the rectangle with the name of the company symbolically meant the sky, and the color had the corresponding one.
The lightning enclosed in a circle is dedicated to the compact truck of the Blitz brand. In translation - "lightning". For many years it sold very briskly on the market, which contributed to the further prosperity of the Opel company. By the way, the first products of this plant were not cars at all, but sewing machines and bicycles. And the cars came later.
Among the logos of French car brands, the most recognizable is the rearing lion. The Peugeot company looked after it on the flag of one of the French provinces. By the way, she also started with bicycles. And the logo itself was repeatedly modified until it acquired the form that is known now.
Both concerns, without saying a word, chose the letters "S" as their emblems. True, the execution is different. This is probably why neither one nor the other is worried about the fact that someone can confuse them. But by the way, the letter in the Suzuki logo also resembles a hieroglyph. So, the Japanese are calm for the uniqueness of their emblem.
That's really whose emblem has undergone a lot of changes! The rhombus, symbolizing the diamond, at first was not a rhombus at all, but the initials of the three brothers. By the way, you will never guess what exactly Renault produced at the beginning of the twentieth century. Not bicycles or even sewing machines... but tanks! The tank was an intermediate version of the company logo.
The symbol of masculinity on the hood of Volvo cars was first mistakenly associated by many with the god of war, Mars. Turns out it wasn't about him at all. It's just that Sweden has always been known for the quality of its steel. A circle with an arrow coming out of it also denoted the chemical element "iron". Thus, the Swedes decided to show that Volvo cars are in no way inferior in quality to vaunted Swedish steel. In general, then many agreed with this.
World car icons are also a separate world. Consisting of legends, facts, versions and, in fact, the symbols themselves, which are bizarrely arranged in various combinations. Some brands of cars are gone, and there are also many who are at the beginning of the journey.
It remains sometimes only to guess what this or that emblem means. After all, behind each of them is a whole philosophy.
The main criterion when choosing a car is often the brand. The founders of corporations attach paramount importance to the name and development of the corporate logo so that motorists can easily navigate the belonging of the vehicle to a particular brand. This section presents the most complete list of the most famous car brands in the world with badges and a brief description of the history and features of each of them.
Each logo carries a semantic load and has a specific designation that expresses the aspirations and main views of manufacturers. The most popular brands of Japanese, German, American, French and domestic cars need no introduction.
In recent years, the Chinese auto industry has made a rapid breakthrough in the production and production of high-quality and high-tech cars that are not inferior in their parameters and characteristics to more eminent counterparts. Unfortunately, most brands of Chinese and Korean automakers are little known to the end consumer.
In order not to get confused in trendy brands and recognize the car in person at first glance, check out the list of all brands of cars in the world.
Car brands alphabetically
This section is devoted to the history of creating logos for all available car brands. For convenience, brands are listed alphabetically.
Logos of foreign car brands A-F
The logo of the Italian company, made in the form of a shield, depicts a black scorpion. It was under this sign that the founder of the company, Karl Abarth, was born. The background colors used are yellow and red, symbolizing the focus on the production of sports cars.
AC. Under this brand, English engineers produce sports cars with high dynamic parameters. Literally, the brand abbreviation stands for Auto Carriers. The letters AC are placed in a blue circle with a white border. The inscription is made in the same color.
Acura. Honda division executives created a simple and memorable badge. Above the name of the company is a circle, inside which is the letter H at an angle. Some see it as an allusion to a straight line, which symbolizes the absence of problems on the roads.
The founders of the renowned Italian premium car brand have crafted an intricate badge. In a blue circle with a white name of the enterprise, two coats of arms are enclosed along the contour. The first is the symbol of the city of Milan, and the second belongs to the Visconti dynasty.
Alpina. The German entrepreneur Burkard Bovinsipen founded his own brand in 1964 on the basis of the BMW concern. The badge also consists of two parts, designed in the form of a coat of arms, and enclosed in a black steering wheel with the inscription "Alpina". The symbol contains images of auto parts.
The first approved logo was the intertwining letters AM against the background of wings spread in flight. The wide scope symbolized the desire for success. After a while, the founders decided to complicate the emblem and deciphered the abbreviation.
Audi. One of the most popular and most recognizable brands of foreign-made cars. The logo of the German automaker shows 4 closed rings arranged in a single line, symbolizing the unity of the founding companies. In free translation, the name of luxury cars means "listen". And, indeed, the motors are so quiet that you can only hear them by listening.
BAIC. This brand of cars is the pride of the Chinese car industry. The emblem depicts a non-traditional steel steering wheel, without a bridge in the center.
The logo of the German company is concise. The badge is a stylized image of the name of the auto concern, made in gold color.
BAW. The logo of the second-largest company in China is made in the form of a steel-colored steering wheel with the abbreviated name of Beijing Automobile Works Corporation.
Bentley. As a logo, the founders of the automaker chose the spread wings of the fastest bird in the world. The image of an eagle personifies high speed, power and independence. The center of the emblem is decorated with a white letter B. The background behind can be made in one of three colors, since the color indicates that the cars belong to a certain type. Racing cars are decorated with a green badge, sophisticated luxury cars with a red one, and crossovers and SUVs with a black one.
bmw. The recognizable logo of the German automakers visually resembles the Bavarian flag. According to another version, the icon depicts a rotating aircraft propeller. This is due to the fact that the main profile at the time of the creation of the concern was the production of aircraft. The abbreviation BMW stands for "Bayerrische Motoren Werke".
The original badge of the Ukrainian brand of cars was decorated with a sailboat with developing sails, stylized as the letter B. But over time, it was decided to change the badge, so now it shows a colorful mace enclosed in a ring. The emblem visually refers to stability and balance.
Relatively young Chinese car company. Under the trademark, high quality cars are produced at an optimally low price. the round badge resembles a silver-coloured diamond-studded ring. According to the founders of the company, these are intertwined hieroglyphs, meaning the desire for success in all corners of the world.
Exclusive luxury cars are decorated with an oval red logo, in the center of which are the initials and surname of Ettore Bugatti, the founder of the company. The edges of the oval are inlaid with 60 pearl stones.
Buick. The emblem of the Buick family, which founded companies for the production and production of cars in Scotland, is taken as the basis of the British brand of luxury cars. The badge depicts three shields in red, white and blue, arranged diagonally in the center of a dark blue circle with a silver border.
BYD. Traditionally, Chinese specialists borrow other people's ideas. BYD designers were no exception, so the trademark of the company that produces copies of world-famous cars often changed under pressure from large automakers that claimed their rights to use the logo. Unfortunately, the latter option is also a plagiarism and outwardly resembles the BMW logo in a simplified form.
Detroit is rightfully considered the capital of the American automotive industry. The company for the production of cars was named after the Frenchman who founded the industrial city - Antoine de La Mothe Cadillac. The family coat of arms of the legendary figure, decorated with a silvery wreath of ears, was also used as a trademark.
The emblem is made in three colors: silver, yellow and green. The name of the concern is imprinted in the upper part of the circle, and in the center is the most famous model of the sports car brand - Super 7. The word Sprint is embossed along the bottom edge, meaning the high speed capabilities of racing cars. The new cars are adorned with a square Caterham Fi Team logo set against an unusual green and white British flag.
One of the oldest Chinese auto companies is known to car owners thanks to its laconic emblem: the English letter V on a blue background is enclosed in a silver ring. The central symbol means victory and the pursuit of excellence, and the blue color inside, according to the founders, is the planet Earth.
The oldest French brand for the production of cars and armored vehicles. The shape of the trademark resembles a blue eye with a gold border around the edges. Inside is the name of the corporation, written in large gold letters.
Chery. The logo of a well-known Chinese car brand is depicted in the form of intertwining letters. They are an abbreviation of the full name of the concern Chery Automobile Corporation. Two Cs form a circle, in the center of which is the letter A. Some believe that the ring symbol represents two perfectly smooth roads that go beyond the horizon.
The trademark was registered in 1911 and named after the famous driver Louis Chevrolet, who became the face and symbol of the company. The cruciform emblem is made in 2 colors: gold - in the center and steel - on the edging. There are several versions of the origin of the badge, up to the version of the ornament on the wallpaper of the hotel where the founder of General Motors, Durant, lived.
The first sports car produced in America received its own logo. Visually, the trademark icon resembles the wings of a butterfly, symbolizing peace and aspiration to the sky. One side is shaped like a checkerboard, while the other side features the Chevrolet trademark.
Chrysler. A large corporation was formed in 1924 as a result of Walter Percy Chrysler's takeover of a number of small businesses. Today, the concern includes several world giants in the production of machines. For many years, the logo was a pentagon with a star inside. But over time, the designers changed the emblem, replacing the geometric one with the outlines of a bird or an airplane soaring in the sky with a branded wax seal in the center, which means the highest quality of the products.
The French industrialist of the last century Andre Citroen named the company after himself. The badge depicts two silver teeth of a chevron wheel pointing upwards, which symbolizes the concern's commitment to success.
Dacia. The company is a division of Renault, so blue and silver colors were used for the logo. Until 2014, cars of this brand were decorated with a shield with dragon scales. Later, the designers took the English letter D as a basis and turned it on its side, putting the brand name on a smooth edge.
The grille of Korean cars is decorated with a silver lily. In heraldry, this symbol means greatness and purity. Cars of this brand are distinguished by high technical characteristics, refined lines and smooth running.
DAF. Dutch car brand. Brothers Hubert Josef and Bill Vincent van Doorn founded a truck manufacturing company. They used as a badge the laconic name of the company - DAF, written in blue letters and underlined with a red stripe below.
The icon of the Japanese car brand is a combination of two hieroglyphs that form the basis of the name of the corporation - Dai and Hatsu. Manufacturers specialize in the production of engines and compact cars, which is why the emblem looks so concise. The logo is stylized as intertwining English red letters I and D.
Daimler. Luxury cars are made by Jaguar. On the grille of vehicles, you can see a concise inscription with the name of the brand, made in a brilliant silver color.
DODGE. Founded in 1990 by the Dodge brothers, the logo of the company originally featured a bighorn head, symbolizing power and assertiveness. A few years later, manufacturers of trucks, pickups and cars, as well as parts for them, simplified the logo, leaving two red stripes at an angle with the name above them.
The trademark was registered by the brothers Marcelo and Adriano Ducati in the first half of the last century. The logo has changed several times over the years. Modern cars are adorned with a triangular red badge with the last name on the top edge. The center of the emblem is crossed by a silver road.
Edsel. The company was founded by the son of Henry Ford - Edsel. as an emblem, the young man chose the capital letter of his name in white on a green background, enclosing it in a circle that visually resembles a car tire.
Eagle. It is symbolic that the logo of a subsidiary of the Chrysler concern depicts the head of a proud eagle in profile on a black background. The top of the badge is decorated with the name of the enterprise.
FAW. The automaker was created as the main car manufacturer in China, so the emblem shows the number 1. The badge is in the shape of a blue oval with a snow-white border around the edge. Six stripes around the unit symbolize the spread wings of a proud eagle.
The logo of the eminent Italian car assembly factory is adorned with a proud black horse rearing up. Enzo The idol of Enzo Ferrari was fighter pilot Francesco Baraka, whose plane was emblazoned with a similar emblem. Somewhat later, the background of the recognizable trademark acquired a yellow background, and the top was crowned with the colors of the national flag of Italy.
FIAT. Literally, the abbreviation of the world-favorite Italian car brand means "Italian car factory from Torino." The emblem consists of an abbreviation on a red background, enclosed in a silver edging with recesses and elevations. Facets testify to the rethinking of previous experience with the possibility of dynamic development in the future.
Fisker. A young company engaged in the production of environmentally friendly cars with minimal emissions of harmful substances into the air. It was the direction of the company's activities that was the basis of the logo. The badge depicts a sunset on the Pacific coast, around which there is a silver border with the name of the founder Henrik Fisker. Additionally, the icon is decorated with two vertical lines of metallic color.
Ford. The legendary company was founded in 1926 by Henry Ford. It is noteworthy that the recognizable laconic logo has not changed over the years. Cars manufactured by Ford Corporation are decorated with a blue oblong oval badge, in the center of which the name of the creator flaunts. The inscriptions and edging are painted in silver.
FSO. The Polish car plant received a second boost in 2010, despite the fact that the company had been producing cars since 1952 under the Daewoo brand. At the moment, FSO vehicle grilles are equipped with a two-part red badge. On the left, inside a small square, is the outline of the steering wheel, and in the right rectangle is the name of the factory. The letters and graphics are printed in white.
Emblems and logos of global automakers and car brands G-M
Geely. On the first logo of one of the largest Chinese auto companies, there was a white wing on a blue background, enclosed in a circle. Visually, the icon also resembled a snow-capped peak. This was due to the fact that the headquarters of the enterprise was in close proximity to the mountains. The brand's new trademark is reminiscent of Emgrand's solid badge depicting a radiator grille, but in blue and silver.
GMC. The well-known corporation General Motors was founded in 1901. It is distinguished by a laconic logo, which is three capital letters in red in a silver frame, which is an abbreviation of the company name.
Goliath. Passenger cars and trucks came out under the trademark in the middle of the 20th century. The trade mark of the enterprise was the name of the brand, written at an angle in golden letters.
Great Wall. The manufacturer called his enterprise "The Great Wall", so the emblem is decorated with a stylized prong depicting a famous Chinese landmark. the steel color logo is made in the shape of a circle and visually resembles an irregularly shaped steering wheel.
hafei. An independent Chinese auto holding was formed in 1998 to assemble cars under a Japanese license. This is reflected in the creation of the logo. The ancient shield depicts silver waves framed in black and purple. Geometric lines symbolize the Songhua River, which originates near the city of Harbin.
Haima. Initially, the company was created to produce simplified Mazda models intended for consumers from South Asia. The company got its name from the merger of the first letters of the name of the island HAInan, where the production is located, and the corporation MAzda. Even the badge is visually similar to the symbols of a well-known brand with a schematic image of the god of wisdom, life and light, Ahura. Some see in the logo a bird soaring in the sky, behind which one can see the contour of the Earth, which directly indicates the company's desire to break into the leaders of automakers.
Higer. The company for the production of city and tourist buses was founded in 1998. The emblem is similar to the badge of the South Korean corporation Hyundai, but the letter H is made with a slightly more bias. It is noteworthy that heavy-duty transport is in high demand all over the world. The management of the Swedish concern Scania monitors the quality control of products.
Honda. Soichiro Honda, the founder of the trademark, did not be wiser, and chose the capital letter of his last name as a logo, enclosing it in a square frame with rounded edges. Today, a recognizable silver badge adorns quality cars from a well-known brand.
The name of the brand is an abbreviation of a complex sentence, which literally translates as "Highly mobile, multi-purpose wheeled vehicle." The company initially planned to produce high-capacity and cross-country vehicles for military purposes, but after the end of the war, powerful cars won the respect of drivers. The management decided to produce civilian models with high technical performance. The laconic emblem is not intricate. The jeep's grille is adorned with the company's name in simple black font.
The auto concern appeared in South Korea back in 1967 and is still a representative of the Motor Company. A symbolic handshake was chosen as the logo of the trademark, outwardly resembling a silver letter H at an angle, enclosed in an oval. Thus, the management positions itself as a reliable partner and manufacturer of quality cars.
Literally, the name of the Japanese company means "Infinity". Thus, the automaker wanted to emphasize the unlimited possibilities of the cars produced. Initially, the sloping figure-eight logo was considered, but after some thought, the designer depicted a road going beyond the horizon on the silver badge.
Isuzu. One of the oldest companies in Japan, existing since 1889, got its modern name at the beginning of the 20th century. The brand is named after the Isuzu River. The simple logo consists of the company's name in red. The Japanese claim that the capital letter symbolizes the desire for growth.
Iveco. The Italian concern produces industrial machines, which are decorated with a stylish black logo. The name of the company is written at the bottom, and above it is a silhouette of a horse in a jump, enclosed in a ring.
JAC. One of the largest automakers started manufacturing cars in 1999. The logo consists of 3 parts. The central line is occupied by the abbreviation JAC in red letters. The word "Motors" is printed on the bottom stripe. The emblem is crowned with a silver five-pointed thin star in a ring.
A distinctive feature of the world-famous car brand is a silver jumping jaguar figurine attached to the hood of the car. This is one of the few companies that did not put the badge on the grille, but installed it higher. But after numerous complaints, in some countries it was forbidden to decorate the hood in this way. Therefore, many modern models of luxury cars are decorated with a badge with an underlined inscription "Jaguar" and the famous predator jumping over letters.
Jeep. Another brand based on the Chrysler concern. Initially, the name of the company sounded like General Purpose veihicle (general purpose machine). Impressive in size and comfortable cars fell in love with the drivers, and among themselves they began to be called simply a jeep. It was the popular name that was subsequently transferred to the recognizable green logo. The emblem also features round headlights and a grille.
KIA. The founders of the South Korean company chose the abbreviation of the company name enclosed in an oval as a logo. Main colors: silver and red. Literally, the name of the corporation is translated as "Enter the world from Asia."
Christian von Koenigsegg from Sweden founded the exclusive sports car company in 1994 and gave it his name. He decided to emphasize the status of the car by using the family coat of arms as an emblem. It features orange diamonds in a mirror image on a yellow background. A blue stripe with a gold heraldic symbol is launched along the upper edge.
KRAZ. Famous Ukrainian civilian trucks are adorned with an oval badge with a white highway ribbon in the center on a turquoise background. Under the emblem are four company letters in the same beautiful delicate color.
LADA. The famous proverb "On full sail" is reflected in the brand name of the most famous Russian car manufacturer. The hood of cars of this brand is decorated with a white sailboat on a blue background. In the updated version, the badge has acquired a three-dimensional look, and the element is made in silver.
Italian luxury car brand. The logo is made in noble colors: a golden bull in combat readiness and the name of the head of the company, Ferruccio Lamborghini, on a black shield in a golden frame. Thus, the company positions itself as a manufacturer of powerful and luxurious cars. On the other hand, it was under the sign of the calf that the founder of the company was born. It is noteworthy that many cars were named after cities where bullfights were held and famous bulls.
Currently, Lancia cars can be recognized by the brand name written in silver letters in the center of the steering wheel, inside a blue shield. The name means "spear" in Italian. In previous versions, the badge was additionally painted with this silver weapon, the point of which was directed upwards.
The founders of the company for the production of off-road vehicles use a laconic green badge in the shape of an oval in a silver border. In the center is the brand name in white letters, separated by quotation marks of a strict geometric shape. The main color represents the company's commitment to the production of environmentally friendly vehicles.
The Chinese brand specializes in the production of pickups and powerful SUVs. The logo is made in the form of a red shiny rhombus with a metallic sheen, enclosed in a steel ring. This is one of the few companies from the Celestial Empire, the badge of which is made according to an exclusive design.
Lexus. Literally, "Luxury" is translated as "luxury." The emblem of the prestigious Japanese luxury car brand features the capital letter of the brand's name inside a silver circle. Such a laconic execution in a noble color is designed to subtly emphasize the high status of cars without unnecessary pretentiousness.
Lifan. Almost the only private company in the production of cars, motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and buses from China has taken the principle of moving only forward as a basis. This is reflected in the design of the round badge. It depicts three blue sailboats on a white background.
The Ford Motors division is focused on the production of prestigious luxury cars. On the badge you can see an elongated rectangular metal compass. It symbolizes the company's desire to gain fame and recognition around the world.
Marussia. The well-known showman in Russia, Nikolai Fomenko, with the support of Yefim Ostrovsky, decided to found a company for the production of premium sports cars. The brand badge is reminiscent of an "M", stylized as a sleeveless jacket, made in the classic colors of the Russian flag. At the moment, the enterprise is closed, but the cars are still popular among racers and collectors of automotive equipment.
Maserati. The Maserati brothers chose the traditional oval as the basis for the icon, but arranged the main elements vertically, dividing the composition into 2 parts. A blue strip with the name of the founders is launched along the bottom. The top is decorated with a red trident of Neptune on a white background. This choice was a tribute to the city of Bologna, where the owners of the brand were born.
Wilhelm Maybach and his son Carl have been assembling custom-made machines from wealthy clients since 1909. A year later, the triangular-shaped emblem chosen by them with two intersecting green letters M on an orange background began to decorate production models of exclusive vehicles. The symbol literally means the full name of the brand - Maybach-Manufactura.
Mazda. The icon of the famous Japanese car brand is based on a deep meaning. The silver logo features two intersecting lines in a "V" shape. Some are inclined to believe that the curved outline symbolizes a bird in flight. Others see the head of an owl or a rosebud in the badge. The corporation itself was named after the deity revered in Japan - Ahura Mazda, who is the creator of the sky.
McLaren. Sports cars of this brand entered the market in 1989. The company produced racing cars and high-speed passenger supercars using sports technologies. The grille of all models manufactured by the McLaren Group is adorned with a concise logo with the brand name, embellished with a red apostrophe on the right edge.
mercedes benz. Seeing a round badge with a three-pointed star in the center on the front of the car, consumers immediately understand that they have a high-quality build car from a world famous German manufacturer. The emblem emphasizes the status of the company and testifies to the conquest of three peaks by it: sea, air and land. This is not surprising, because automobile, sea and air transport is produced under the Mercedes-Benz trade.
Mercury. The designers approached the development of the corporate logo of the Ford subsidiary in a peculiar way. The brand got its name in honor of the god Mercury, whose symbol is considered a cat. The badge features three gray curved lines visually reminiscent of a small capital "m" or three roads on a mountainside. The main element is enclosed in two circles of different diameters.
At the beginning of the last century, the Englishman William Morris began producing sports cars under the Morris Garages brand. Over the years, machines have rolled off production sites adorned with the company's signature red and gold octagonal badge with smoothed corners. Inside it is the abbreviation "MG", which later became the name of the brand. Today, the company is owned by the Chinese corporation Nanjing Automobile.
Mini. Small-sized cars that consume a minimum amount of fuel are produced by a subsidiary of the BMW concern, whose head office is located in the UK. Inexpensive compact cars are decorated with an original logo that visually resembles an airplane. In the center of the emblem is a black circle with a silver "Mini" lettering, and on the sides are silver wings.
Solid Japanese cars can be recognized by the triangular logo, divided into 6 parts of white and red. Many believe that the image looks like a diamond, thus trying to justify the name of the company, which means "emerald" in Japanese. But in fact, the logo symbolically combines the family coats of arms of representatives of two ancient families - Iwasaki and Tosa (three rhombuses and an oak trefoil).
All car brands of the world and badges N-Z
The first cars of the legendary brand were decorated with an emblem in the form of a circle with a bar installed in the center, on which the name of the brand was written in black letters. The badge was made in traditional Japanese colors (red, blue and white), representing the sky, the rising sun and the purity of thoughts. Later, it was decided to slightly modify the logo, making it monophonic (steel) and voluminous.
Noble. Sports cars of this brand are recognizable all over the world. The logo visually resembles a license plate with the brand name. The laconic inscription is made in black letters at an angle on a yellow background.
Over the hundred years of its existence, the company has produced more than 35 million units of high-speed luxury vehicles. Exclusive cars can be recognized by an unusual badge. The steel logo is made in the form of an oval, divided by two parallel lines, visually resembling the lanes of one road going beyond the horizon.
Opel. Over the course of a century, the logos of a well-known brand have been constantly changing. Initially, the initials of the company's founder Adam Opel flaunted on the emblem, but since 1890 it was decided to change the badge. In 1964, the trademark acquired its recognizable logo, on which you can see a lightning bolt enclosed in a circle. In the 2000s the emblem has undergone minor changes, becoming more voluminous and embossed.
American prestigious cars of this brand ceased to be produced in 1958. But the cars of the famous brand can still be recognized by the unique logo, in the center of which is the Packard family coat of arms. But the representative of the ancient English family decorated the models of their cars with different badges. The most famous are a girl trying to hold the wheel, a pelican figurine and the silhouette of the ancient Greek god Adonis.
Pagani. Cars of the Italian brand are distinguished not only by high build quality and original design, but also by a brand name on the hood. The steel-colored oval emblem visually resembles a disk, the center of which is crossed by a strip with a three-dimensional brand name. In the upper left corner there is an interspersing of an irregular geometric shape of blue color, which enhances the overall composition.
Panoz. A modern manufacturer of high-tech passenger cars has chosen as a logo for its trademark an icon in the form of an inverted drop, in the center of which is a green clover leaf in a whirlpool of red, blue and white, symbolizing yin and yang. The top element adorns the brand name.
French cars of this brand can be easily recognized by the badge with the image of a lion. From 1950 to 2010, the figure of the predator changed several times. At the moment, the square badge is decorated with a three-dimensional figurine of a ferocious lion standing on its hind legs. Thus, the company emphasizes the high status of produced cars, purposefulness and development.
Plymouth. Autonomous division of the Chrysler concern, specializing in the production of passenger cars and minivans. The name of the company is applied on the round logo, and in the center of the circle there is a golden sailboat on a red background.
At the time of registration of the trademark, the legendary cars were decorated with a logo stylized as a traditional dress with feathers of the representatives of the Indian tribe. But over time, management changed the emblem. Manufacturers began to attach a red arrow in a silver border with a sparkling silver star in the center to the grille of luxury cars.
German brand cars are produced in the city of Stuttgart, the symbol of which is a rearing horse. It was she who was placed in the center of the logo. The brand badge is made in the form of a coat of arms in the colors traditional for the people of Baden-Württemberg: gold, red and black. The upper part of the emblem is decorated with the name of the company.
Proton. The trademark of the Malaysian automobile company is made in the Asian style. The emblem in the form of a shield depicts the head of a ferocious tiger in profile against a green background, enclosed in a ring. The main color of the shield is blue with gold edging.
The badge of a famous French car brand looks like an elongated rhombus with three-dimensional edges and a hollow center. According to the designers, such a solution is designed to emphasize optimism, prosperity and faith in success. Some are inclined to believe that such a geometric figure cannot exist in reality. In response, the management of Renault has stated several times that it can bring even the most impossible and fantastic ideas to life.
A distinctive feature of the trademark is the presence of two official emblems. Women's models are traditionally decorated with a figurine of the fair sex, called the "Flying Lady". But the general public is more familiar with the logo with two "R" letters in chrome steel, superimposed on each other, on a blue or black background.
Rover. English luxury cars are decorated with a stylish brand badge depicting a Viking battle boat under sail. The contrast is emphasized by the successful combination of gold and black colors on the shield. To date, the company has been bought out by Ford Corporation, but the Viking theme still continues to be present in the design of badges.
Saab. On the trademark badge you can see a red griffin in profile, whose head is crowned with a golden crown. The emblem largely repeats the elements of the family coat of arms of the founder of the company. At the moment, the enterprise is officially closed, and the rights to the brand belong to the Chinese-Japanese concern National Electric Vehicle Sweden. New owners cannot use the brand badge.
The American company chose the rings of the planet of the same name as the icon. The square red logo features white intersecting smooth lines visually resembling a curved X. The second logo features a crescent moon enclosed in an oval, creating an allusion of 3D Saturn with an asteroid ring.
The logo of the company repeats the trademark of the Saab company. The scarlet crowned griffin on a blue background is enclosed in a complex geometric figure. It is noteworthy that the mythical bird also appears on the heraldic sign of the province of Scania.
Scion. American cars are assembled under a Japanese license. Assembly is carried out only in North America for the younger generation, which is not surprising. The brand name itself is translated as "Heir". Extreme driving car designers developed a dynamic logo with two shark fins placed diametrically to each other. They are separated by a band with the brand name in a silver ring.
seat. The founders of the Spanish car company as a logo the letter S in silver, vertically cut in half. Below it is traditionally the full name of the brand in red letters.
Smart. German compact cars are produced with a branded rectangular black badge with a laconic inscription in the center with the brand name. To the left of it is a silver badge with a yellow triangle around the edge. Schematically, it resembles the head of a chick or the letter C with an arrow.
The name of the brand from Korean is literally translated as "Two Dragons", which is also reflected on the trademark. The laconic logo represents two blue wings of a prehistoric pangolin in flight, mirroring each other. Some see the claws of the dragon in the emblem. The developers of the logo claim that the icon symbolizes good luck.
The Japanese auto company emerged from the merger of six auto companies, the most famous of which was Toyota. The brand name translates as "Get Together". It is symbolic that the badge depicts exactly six quadrangular stars from the Pleiades constellation sparkling in the sky. It is noteworthy that one of the celestial bodies shines brighter than the others.
Japanese cars of this brand are decorated with a capital English letter from the name in red, stylized as a hieroglyph. The founder of the company Michio Suzuki gave his name to the brand.
French brand cars have not been on the market for several years. But until now, cars with a company badge are roaming European roads. In the center of the logo there is a three-dimensional letter T in a circle. For the design of the emblem, the designers used the traditional colors of the French flag.
Tatra. Famous heavy trucks are adorned with a round badge with the name of the brand in the center. Letters and edging are made in white, the main background is purple.
Tesla. The trademark quickly broke into the car market and now its logo with the image of a pointed letter T with the upper inscription "Tesla" is recognizable all over the world. The founders of the company specializing in the production of electric vehicles claim that the badge depicts an allusion to the letter. It's actually part of the steering wheel.
Toyota. Prior to the production of cars, the company was engaged in the production of looms. The symbol of the enterprise was the eye of a needle, through which a thread was threaded. The founders of the company decided to leave the icon unchanged, giving it a new meaning. According to the designers, the ovals in the center of the silver badge symbolize the heart of the driver and the unlimited possibilities of cars.
The company was founded at the height of space exploration. Therefore, German manufacturers decided to give the brand an appropriate name. It is translated into Russian as "Sputnik". The corporate badge is laconic: in the center of the black circle is the letter S, which can be interpreted as a curved road going into the distance.
TVR. Budget sports cars of English production can be recognized by the company logo. It consists of three capital letters of the brand name, which is an abbreviation for the name of the company's founder, Trevor Wilkinson. To date, there is a trial between the owners of the trademark, and there is no guarantee that the production of cars will resume.
Veritas. The German company for the production of cars can not boast of a rich history and a large number of cars produced, but continues to work steadily after its revival at the end of the last century. The emblem of the brand is considered one of the most beautiful in the world: the traditional wheel with the inscription "Veritas" is decorated with four thin pointed spikes, one of which is extended upwards and is three times longer than the others. Visually, the logo resembles a sword, a compass or a ship's steering wheel.
Franz Xavier Reimspiss was awarded 100 Reichsmarks for creating the logo. The emblem according to his project was slightly modified after the defeat of Germany in World War II, but, in general, it remained unchanged. The badge of the legendary automobile concern schematically depicts two white letters V and W on a blue background, enclosed in a silver circle.
Volvo. There are two versions of the origin of the famous emblem. According to one of them, the cars of the Swedish concern are decorated with the heraldic sign of the Roman Empire, which depicts a shield with a spear, which is a symbol of the god of war - Mars. An alternative opinion says that the emblem is taken from the periodic system of Mendeleev and means "Iron". At the time of the formation of the company, Swedish steel was considered one of the best in the world. Cars under the Volvo brand are distinguished by high build quality and a powerful body. The center of the emblem is decorated with a stylish inscription with the brand name in white letters on a blue background.
Vortex. Cars are assembled at the Taganrog Automobile Plant under the license of Chery Automobile. The name translates as "Whirlwind" or "Circle". The badge is made in silver and represents a capital letter "V" in the center of a circle.
ZAZ. A Ukrainian company specializing in the production of budget cars has chosen a laconic blue-and-white badge as a logo. The emblem is a circle with two rounded parallel lines resembling the lanes of a road.
Logos of domestic car brands alphabetically A-Z
BelAZ. The company manufactures dump trucks with a high load capacity (from 30 to 360 tons), as well as machines for working in quarries and construction equipment. The share of production on a global scale is more than 30%. The logo of the Belarusian Automobile Plant is the name of the enterprise, written in English letters in blue.
GAS. The company's headquarters is located in Nizhny Novgorod, whose coat of arms was taken as the basis for creating the logo. Domestic cars produced at the Gorky Automobile Plant are decorated with a stylish emblem, in the center of which is a white silhouette of a deer, and five neat towers adorn the upper part of the rounded coat of arms. The auto concern produces cars and trucks, minibuses, as well as military equipment.
KAMAZ (Kamaz). Kama Automobile Plant began production of heavy vehicles in 1976. Famous trucks and agricultural machinery are decorated with logos in two versions: with inscriptions KAMAZ or KAMAZ, depending on the country of the buyer. The corporate blue badge of this brand is made of two elements: a laconic inscription with the name of the brand and a running horse in full face.
Moskvich. The most popular and sought-after brand of cars in the Soviet Union. The cars were decorated with a laconic inscription with the name of the brand in silver letters. The company is currently owned by the Volkswagen Group. The trademark is an unusual red badge stylized as the letter "M".
TAGAZ. On the intricate emblem of the Taganrog Automobile Plant, you can see 3 equivalent roads intersecting each other in the form of a triangle. This logo was not chosen by chance. The designers wanted to emphasize the ability of small industrial trucks to overcome any obstacles. The company also produces school buses, minibuses for the disabled and vehicles for public utilities.
UAZ (UAZ). The dynamic logo of the Russian auto company depicts a seagull depicting a seagull soaring over the Volga River against the backdrop of the sun. The 3D badge is made in green and white colors. The lower part of the emblem is decorated with the name of the enterprise (in Russian or English letters).
Uralaz (Uralaz). A beautiful emblem in the form of a rhombus divided in half with rounded edges adorns trucks produced in the Chelyabinsk region. Visually, the blue icon resembles the letter Z at an angle or the number 8.
ZIL. The plant named after Likhachev was opened in 1916 and glorified the domestic auto industry with the release of high-quality trucks. It is noteworthy that until 1944, cars of this brand were produced without a company emblem. And only after the war, the management decided to patent the abbreviation of the name of the enterprise as a brand, which later became a trademark.
Why do Toyota cars have a round "heart"? Why did a bull get on the hood of a Lamborghini? And what is the significance of the six stars in the Subaru galaxy? The world of autoheraldry is mysterious and multifaceted… There are so many names of cars in the world that you can get confused. Let's analyze the main brands of cars and their emblems.
1) bmw. Let's start with a white and blue nameplate with a black border. Its modest appearance, however, does not interfere with awe in everyone who really appreciates comfort and quality in a car. But few people know that before becoming a reference company for the production of driver's cars, bayerisch motoren werke specialized in the production of aircraft engines. This explains the bmw logo depicting a propeller against the sky.
3). In the interpretation of the Citroen logo, the French have completely refuted their traditional sophistication. André Citroën started out as a manufacturer of gears, and the signature two chevrons signify a gear train. Unexpected, right?
4) Audi. In 1899, an inventor named Horch founded Horch & Co. She prospered for the next ten years. But the flowering ended in 1909 when Horch built a new 6-cylinder engine. He did it very unsuccessfully and almost bankrupted the company with his invention.
For this, the partners decided to get rid of him and ... kicked him out of their own company. And he quickly founded a new Horch side by side, but by a court decision (the partners tried again) it had to be renamed. And since the founder's last name is translated from German as "listen", Horch turned to the Latin version of this word, resulting in Audi.
And the four rings symbolize what happened in 1932, saving for the brand, the merger of four automobile companies into Auto Union.
5) . Such an automonster as Subaru began with shipbuilding. Its name comes from the company's native Japanese and means a group of six stars in the constellation Taurus. They flaunt on the grille of Fuji Heavy Industries cars.
6). The motto: “Whatever you call a yacht, so it will float” is actively used by the Japanese auto giant Nissan. Everything is simple here! However, like his own Infiniti, whose sign is a stylized symbol of infinity, stretching into the distance.
7). The Maybach logo is interesting. In the entire history of the company, 800 cars have not been sold, which does not prevent the company from living. Some decipher the two Ms on the nameplate as Maybach Manufakturen (because each copy is exclusive and assembled by hand), others as Maybach Motorenbau. In fact, MM on the nameplate was captured in the history of the Maybach father and son.
eight) . English cars have their own difference, especially characteristic of brands with a long history. This is the presence of wings on the logo and, one way or another, the names of the founder. Good examples are Aston Martin, Bentley, Austin and others.
9) VOLVO. The Latin name is the Swedish car manufacturer Volvo, which means - "I roll" (from the verb volvere - "roll"). Members of the board of SKF supplemented the capacious and memorable name with an original logo - an ancient symbol of iron, reflecting the power, reliability and durability of Volvo cars.
On the first car in 1927, a strip was attached to the nameplate, diagonally crossing the radiator. Initially, she held the emblem, and when the need for this disappeared, she became a decorative element.
10) OPEL. The branded emblem of the OPEL brand car did not appear immediately. At first it was just an inscription, and the lightning in the emblem migrated from the Blitz model, which, in fact, is translated as such.
eleven) . Things are more complicated with the decoding of the Toyota symbol: there are three options here for sure. On the one hand, Toyota mugs can depict an eye of a needle with a thread, indicating the origins of the company, because it started with the sale of spinning machines. The yen proceeds from this fishery were used to invest in the auto business.
On the other hand, the emblem of a fully “people's” car can be explained by the image of the globe with parallels and a meridian, as a sign of the scale and prevalence of Toyota cars.
And on the third hand, Toyota Motor Company itself today interprets its ellipses as the heart of the buyer, the heart of the product and the unlimited possibilities of the company.
12) . The Porsche emblem is the coat of arms of the German city of Stuttgart. And he himself was built where the stud farm was previously located.
13) SKODA. The Czech automaker has changed its logo 12 times since 1895. Although often these same replacements were not visible to the naked eye, today's SKODA symbol is not much different from what was approved 83 years ago: a winged arrow with three feathers. In 1991, an original design solution appeared - the use of black (as a symbol of an age-old tradition) and green (as a sign of the company's special attention to the protection of nature and ecology).
14) . Chrysler's symbol is a winged wax seal. This is due to the fact that initially Walter Chrysler cars worked for the US Postal Service. Long-term cooperation Daimler Chrysler ended with "divorce and maiden name." Chrysler is now returning to its roots, so to speak, even in terms of the Pentastar logo, which is a five-pointed star symbolizing the five brands in the concern.
15) MERCEDES-BENZ. Mercedes-Benz marketers decided not to bother with updating the symbol, but simply announced that from November 1, 2007, the branded star-logo in print can be seen from above, separately from the name, since "the star is always high." And the nameplates of the Mercedes brand are one of the most chipped off in Russia. And here hooligans and thieves do not miss: they take with them not only "a symbol of power over land, sea and air", but also about a thousand rubles.
16) DODGE. Today, the "American" Dodge, more and more confidently "walks" along free roads to the big heart of the Russian auto consumer who loves brutality. He inherited his name from the founding brothers Dodge, and the logo in the shape of a ram's head symbolizes a long thinking gearbox. Joke, of course! The ram is here as an example of the assertiveness inherent in the cars of this brand.
17). Fundamental China decided not to go far and interpreted its auto dignity in the language of traditions, albeit translated into English: a piece of the Great Wall of China flaunts on Great Wall cars.
18) .
The story of yet another American auto brand is long and pointless to retell. It is only worth noting that in a hundred years of life (precisely life, and not existence - the project was obviously successful), the emblem of the Cadillac brand has changed 7 times. It went from a shield with merlettes combined with a wreath of tulips and a crown, through a V-shaped element (for models V8, V12 and V16) with the same crown, to a “symbol of excellence”, inspired by the work of the European geometric painter Mondrian.
nineteen) . The logic of the ratio of the "cat" appearance of Peugeot cars and the symbol of this brand is obvious. And it went from one of the earliest Peugeot models - Lion. But the lion, in turn, was borrowed by Belforts Inn from its hometown of Beltford, where the production of cars of this brand began.
20) .
As the legend explains, the creation of a car under the Lamborghini brand is the result of hurt pride. There are many interpretations of this story, but in general terms they are similar.
I'm sure most people don't even know what emblems flaunting on cars symbolize. This article provides information on the origin and meaning of the logos of the world's major automakers.
There are many interpretations of the emblems on the web. Almost all of these versions are fictional. On the pages of a car forum, I came across an opinion that the Toyota emblem is a stylized image of a bull's head. Of course, it is incorrect and does not even have anything to do with the history of the company. It was surprising that the person who presented this version was completely sure that he was right.
In the process of writing the article, more than two hundred different sources were analyzed (including official data), so you can be sure of the accuracy of the information located on this page.
Audi AG (Ingolstadt, Germany)
Audi emblem - four metal rings. The interweaving of these rings symbolizes the unbreakable unity of the four founding companies: Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer. In 1932, these previously independent firms were merged into a union - "Auto Union".
The automaker was named after its founder, August Horch. The fact is that the word Horch (German Horch - “listen”) in Latin translation sounds like “Audi”.
Here, naturally, a question arises. Why didn't the firm get the name of the founder? The fact is that August Horch in 1899 opened his own car manufacturing company (A. Horch & Cie). After 10 years, he was outdated from his own company, and he founded a new one, already in another city, continuing to use the same brand - Horch. His former partners sued him and sued the brand, so August was forced to come up with a new company name.
Bayerische Motorenwerke (Munich, Germany)
There is an erroneous opinion that the Bayerische Motorenwerke emblem is a stylized image of a rotating aircraft propeller. But in fact, the Bavarian flag is taken as the basis for the BMW emblem (this is how the National Geographic channel interprets the origin of the logo).
BMW was founded by Karl Friedrich Rapp in 1913 in Bavarian lands near the Flugmaschinenfabrik aircraft factory. Initially, the company produced aircraft engines. In 1923, BMW produces its first motorcycle. Later, in 1929, he produced the first car under the name Dixi.
Citroen (Paris, France)
The Citroen emblem is a schematic representation of the teeth of a chevron wheel. A chevron wheel is a gear with V-shaped teeth (such a tooth structure solves the problem of axial force; when using chevron wheels, there is no need to install shafts on thrust bearings).
The company was named after its founder, Andre Citroen.
In 1913, André Citroën set up the production of such gears, which in many ways surpassed the products of competitors. This explains the choice of emblem.
Few people know that PSA Peugeot Citroen is the parent company of Citroen. The automotive company PSA Peugeot Citroen (formerly Peugeot SA) bought a 38.2% stake in Citroen in 1974, and by 1976 brought this share to 89.95% (at that time Citroen was on the verge of bankruptcy). After that, this company was created, producing Peugeot and Citroen cars.
These two brands, owned by PSA Peugeot Citroen, have independent marketing structures and retail networks, but the development and production of models is carried out by common divisions.
Infiniti (Tokyo, Japan)
At first, the designers wanted to use the symbol of infinity in the emblem - the Mobius loop. But then they decided to display in the emblem a symbol of the road going to infinity, a symbol hinting at an endless path to perfection in everything.
The name of the brand is translated as infinity, infinity.
Infiniti is a subsidiary of Nissan and its history is quite interesting. It all started in the distant sixties of the 20th century. At this time, Nissan entered the US market. The Americans sensed the benefits and began to buy inexpensive and reliable cars of the company. Nissan soon established itself as a manufacturer of economy class cars, in this regard, it was not practical to launch higher-level cars on the market under the same brand. For this, the Infiniti brand was created.
Mazda Motor Corporation (Hiroshima, Japan)
The emblem of this auto company flaunts a stylized letter "M", depicting spread wings. The firm was named after the Zoroastrian God of Life named Ahura Mazda (aka Ormazd). Also, the word "Mazda" is consonant with the name of the founder Zujiro Matsuda (1875-1952).
The company was founded in 1920, and began its activities with the production of building materials from cork wood. In 1927, the company began the industrial production of automobiles.
And now about what the famous Zoom-Zoom is. Look at how children play with cars, listen to what they say at the same time - “whhhhhhhhhh”. Duck, children in English-speaking countries do it like this - “zoom-zoom” (zoom-zoom). This is how Mazda shows the image of a brand with a sporty character that can lead the buyer to childish delight.
Mercedes-Benz (Stuttgart, Germany)
The emblem was created in the form of a three-pointed star, symbolizing the superiority of the brand in the air, on water and on land, since Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (it is the parent company for Mercedes-Benz), in addition to cars, produced engines for aviation and ships.
In 1926, the emblem of Mercedes began to show off a laurel wreath for victories in motor racing.
It is also interesting that the Mercedes brand got its name in honor of the daughter of one of the founders of the concern - Emil Jellinek.
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (Tokyo, Japan)
The emblem of this concern is a fusion of the family emblems of the founders: the Iwasaki clan (three diamonds) and the Tosa clan (three oak leaves growing from one point).
Mitsubishi's name is made up of two Japanese words: Mitsu and Hishi. Mitsu means the number three in Japanese. The word Hishi is translated as chestnut, water chestnut, and it is also used to denote a diamond shape.
I would like to note one fact - the emblem of this company has never changed and, to this day, has its original appearance.
Also, I think you will be interested to know that Mitsubishi is not limited to the production of cars. This is a whole corporation, the range of activities of which is very wide: from the production of paper (Mitsubishi Paper Mills) to the production of tanks, ships and even spacecraft (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries).
Opel (Rüsselsheim, Germany)
The Opel emblem depicts a lightning bolt.
The word Blitz first appears on bicycles and sewing machines (at that time the company did not produce cars yet) by Adam Opel in 1890. Blitz (translated from German - lightning, fast) symbolizes lightning speed and speed.
Renault S.A. (Paris, France)
The emblem of Renault, since 1925, has the shape of a stylized diamond. The modern version of the logo was introduced by Victor Vasarely in 1972. And the first Renault logo was drawn in 1900, it contained the initials of the three Renault brothers: Louis, Ferdinand and Marcel.
At 21, Louis Renault designed his first car in the yard of his parents' house. Soon he began to receive orders for cars and in 1898, with his brothers and friends, he founded the Societe Renault Freres company in Boulogne-Billancourt (a western suburb of Paris).
Škoda Auto (Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic)
The Skoda emblem depicts an arrow, on the arrow the tip of a bird's wing with a circle (eye).
Symbolism of the logo elements:
- The wing symbolizes the scope of the company's program of production and sales of cars around the world, the versatility of production;
- The circle (eye) on the wing indicates the accuracy of production and the breadth of views;
- The arrow is a symbol of progressive production methods and high productivity;
- The large circle (ring) symbolizes the perfection of products, the versatility of production, the globe, the world;
- The black color indicates age-old traditions;
- Green indicates that the company cares about the environment.
Subaru (Tokyo, Japan)
In the constellation Taurus is a cluster of stars called Subaru (this is the Japanese name, in the west it is called the Pleiades). In this constellation, 6 stars are visible to the naked eye, which we see on the company logo, only they are located differently than in the cluster.
A bit of history: Subaru is a division of Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI), which is engaged in the aircraft industry. The head of the Kenji kita company was an ardent supporter of the production of cars and was very passionate about this. He held a competition to choose a name for the P-1 car (the company's first prototype passenger car in 1954), but none of the proposed options interested him. Then he gave him a name that he had long nurtured in his heart - Subaru. This name, in Japanese, is consonant with the word Mitsuraboshi, which literally means six stars. Another interesting fact is that FHI was formed by the merger of exactly 6 companies.
Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota, Japan)
According to official figures, the emblem of the Toyota Company is an image of a stylized weaving loop. There is also an erroneous opinion that the emblem is an image of a sewing needle through which a thread is threaded.
It's hard to grasp the connection between the largest auto company in the world and weaving loops without knowing its history. The fact is that Toyoda (Toyoda Automatic Loom Works - as the company was previously called, it got its name from the name of the leader Kiichiro Toeda) began its activities as a company for the production of automatic looms.
Toyota Motor Corporation was founded as an independent company in 1937. As you have already noticed, its name has been changed. There were three reasons for this, namely:
- Ease of pronunciation;
- The word Toyota, written in Japanese alphabet, consists of 8 strokes (toyota in hieroglyphs). According to the heads of the company, this name turned out to be more successful, since it is believed that the number 8 brings good luck;
- If you divide the word Toyota into toyo (abundance) and ta (rice), you get the expression "zoom-zoom", and in the east it symbolizes prosperity. In some sources there is another translation of the word toyo - the eastern ocean (to - east, yo - ocean).
Volkswagen (Wolfsburg, Germany)
Automobile heraldry is often very symbolic. However, many car logos, if you delve into their origin, can have hidden meanings, sometimes completely unexpected.
For many, a car is much more than a means of transportation. Often the owner animates his car, and the relationship can be different: someone is the owner of his pet, and someone himself falls under the influence of the hot “iron horse”. It seems that the founders of some automobile brands themselves doted on their cars and named them after animals or placed them on the emblem of a swift and dangerous beast.
The two most famous "horse" emblems, of course, Ferrari and Porsche.
The prancing horse Cavallino Rampante flaunts on the hood of the fast Italian cars known all over the world. It cannot do without legends about the origin of the emblem, but the main version of the creation is considered to be this: it was presented to Enzo Ferrari for happiness by the parents of the famous pilot, World War I hero Francesco Baracca, on the fuselage of the plane of which was depicted a coat of arms with a rearing black horse. Founded by Ferrari in 1929, the racing team was named Ferrari Stables - Scuderia Ferrari. The design of the coat of arms of Barakka was somewhat changed and acquired a modern look familiar to us: a horse standing on its hind legs, with its tail raised vertically, against a golden background (gold is the historical color of the founder's hometown of Modena). But the emblem retained the shape of the coat of arms. Later, the national colors of Italy were added.
The owner of Porsche luxury cars always stays on top. Firm Dr. Ing. h. c. Ferry Porsche AG, which specializes in the production of premium sports cars, was founded by Ferdinand Porsche. But on the first cars of the German brand, there was no company emblem. The head of the American representative office of Porsche drew attention to this mistake, and thus, the coat of arms of the city of Zuffenhausen (now the district of Stuttgart), depicting a rearing horse on the four-part shield of the Württemberg house, became the logo. In two parts of the coat of arms there are black deer antlers on a golden background.
Another wild horse, and truly wild and unbridled, emerged from the confrontation with the Ferrari stables. The American auto giant Ford Motor Company in the middle of the last century expected to acquire Ferrari, but to no avail. But Ford has a special lineup of legendary (particularly in the US) cars Mustang, for which they even invented a special emblem that differs from the Ford logo. Mustango means "feral domestic horse" in Spanish. At first, the car was supposed to be called the Panther, but then, in honor of the P-51 Mustang fighter, which the model looked like, it was called the Mustang. It is curious that the Mustang on the hood of the Ford Mustang is running in the wrong direction, where the horses are galloping at the racetrack. But the wild mustang gallops wherever he wants - after all, he embodies the freedom of the cult era of the 60s. USA.
Ferruccio Lamborghini was very fond of beautiful and powerful Italian cars. The story goes that Lamborghini returned to Enzo Ferrari himself with criticism one of his famous Ferraris, to which the offended Ferrari said: “So make a car for yourself!” The tractor manufacturer and owner of Lamborghini Trattori was not embarrassed and founded a new company in 1963 - Lamborghini Automobili. As an emblem, Lamborghini chose his own - Taurus, or rather an attacking bull. Rumor has it that the Italian was not indifferent to bullfighting, but this information was not confirmed. The fact that the names of many Lamba models are associated with bullfighting is indisputable: Murcielago (the famous bull Murchelago, i.e. Bat, received life after a fight in which he behaved incredibly boldly and with dignity), Miura, Jslero, Bravo , Urraco, Jalpa (breeds of fighting bulls) and Espada (matador's sword).
Sheep's head is chosen as a symbol of the brand Dodge. There are two main versions of the appearance of the emblem: whether it is connected with the family coat of arms of the brothers John and Horace Dodge, or whether the curved exhaust pipe of the first Dodge car resembled the twisted horns of a mountain sheep is unknown. But the fact is that the red head of a ram with twisted horns still identifies the machines of the American company to this day.
Predators on the hood are designed to emphasize the power and swiftness of cars.
Big Cat, "Big Cat" is almost the same official name of the British brand as the well-known Jaguar. But it was not always so. At first, the emblem of the company, called the Swallow Sidecar, depicted a flying swallow. But after the Second World War, it was decided to rename the company (the old name was abbreviated to the significant SS - security forces of Nazi Germany) into Jaguar Ltd. Cars, and choose a strong and graceful jaguar predator as its symbol. At first, the head of a jaguar was depicted on the radiator grill, and then it was replaced by a predator in a jump.
The king of animals has become a symbol of the French company Peugeot back in 1858 (at that time the company did not deal with cars), and then the lion was depicted standing on an arrow. According to the main version, the predatory lion moved to the hood of cars from the coat of arms of the city of Lyon. The lion has changed somewhat over the history of the company. The most recent version was adopted in 2002: a lion standing on its hind legs.
From the emblem of the noble dynasty of Milan Visconti, which is also the coat of arms of the city, the snake fell on the emblem of the brand founded by this family - Alfa Romeo. The knight's red cross on a white background recalls the campaigns of the crusaders, and the snake crowned with a crown eats a certain figure, which is interpreted as a Saracen.
Not only real, but also mythical animals can become a symbol of a car company. For example, the emblem with a griffin's head in a crown adorns Swedish cars. Saab. The very first logo was "Three Crowns", then in 1949 an airplane took their place, and the image of a griffin was born in the 1980s. (It used to be featured on the coat of arms of Skane County.
Russian GAZ cars first copied American Ford cars, and the emblem - the word GAZ enclosed in an oval (the letter G looked like a branded F), was also borrowed from Ford. Own logo - a deer - was adopted in 1950. Like many brands, GAZ took as a basis the coat of arms of the city in which the company was located, i.е. Nizhny Novgorod. The emblem has repeatedly changed design, there were in the history of GAZ models and spectacular small sculptures on the hood GAZ-21. Today, the signature deer is represented by a pattern.
