enthusiasts, it’s easy phệ believe that cars are purely about performance — that what matters is track times & vehicle specs, not superfluous details lượt thích the assembly of letters that make a name .
But it’s not .
The automotive world works on many levels — even those that can be superficial. Every car has a name. Every brand has a badge. And that name & badge make a difference phệ buyers .
Behind the creation và evolution of automotive emblems there’s often tradition, folklore & mystery. So we’ve compiled the history & meanings of the most famous automotive logos & emblems — from Acura béo Volvo .
A Quick Primer on the Hood Ornament
Not every brand has a fancy, protruding hood ornament — nor can every brand pull one off. Companies lượt thích Bentley và Rolls-Royce lead the pack when it comes mập sculpted hood candy, while brands lượt thích Jaguar và Cadillac no longer slap sleek leaping cats or wreathed crests ( respectively ) on their cars .
The hood ornament started when radiator caps were located on the outside of the car, rather than in the engine compartment. Companies started making the cap the visual focal point, giving rise bự iconic hood ornaments lượt thích Bentley’s Flying B or Packard’s Winged Woman .
Hood ornaments can take the size of a three-dimensional representation of the brand’s emblem, lượt thích Mercedes-Benz ’ s three-pointed star on the E-Class ; or, they can be completely separate from the brand emblem, as is the case with the 1978 Ford Thunderbird’s model-specific ornament. That said, hood ornaments today are viewed as overwrought và detrimental béo aerodynamics, béo the ornamentalists ’ chagrin .The meanings behind car logos:
Acura
Acura’s biệu tượng công ty is derived from a caliper, a kiến thiết công cụ used Khủng measure the precise distances between two objects. It’s intended Khủng represent the meticulousness và precision that goes into the building of every Acura .
Alfa Romeo
One of the more intricate và dramatic automotive emblems, Alfa Romeo’s is rife with Italian tradition. The original was created by Romano Catteneo, an Italian draughtsman, & the emblem employs Milanese elements, including the Biscione ( shown on the right side of the emblem ), which signifies the house of Visconti, Milanese rulers in the 14 th century. The left side shows a Milanese red cross on a trắng background .
In 1918, the badge was changed bự include a dark xanh surround ring with the words “ Alfa-Romeo Milano ”, along with two Savoy dynasty knots for the kingdom of Italy. In 1925, it underwent further change Khủng include laurels that signify the Alfa P2 ’ s chiến thắng at the Automobile World Championship, & in 1945 when Italy’s monarchy ended, the Savoy knots were removed .
Though at first glance it appears that the crowned serpent is shooting red flames out of its mouth, it’s actually a man being swallowed. This part of the symbol has been very controversial, seemingly symbolizing the Crusades, wherein the Christians defeated the Moors. Suffice it phệ say the folks at Alfa Romeo don’t much talk about that part .Aston Martin
Carmakers love wings, và Aston Martin is no exception. The British carmaker was founded in 1913 by two gents named Lionel Martin & Robert Bamford ; while they were selling Singer cars out of their Bamford và Martin shop, they came up with the idea phệ produce their own vehicles. Some years later, the name transitioned from Bamford và Martin Khủng Aston Martin Motors, born from Martin’s name và the Aston Clinton Hillclimb in Buckinghamshire, where Martin would drive from giây phút phệ phút giây ( no doubt spiritedly ) .
The biệu tượng công ty itself denotes tốc độ ( hence the wings ), but it has evolved end the decades from simple superimposed A and M letters within a circle mập, in 1927, a V-shaped winged biệu tượng công ty — và then, in 1987, phệ what is essentially the modern phiên bản. The emblem today employs straight wings và the Aston Martin name front & center, và it’s one of the more elegant brand emblems in existence today .Audi
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that Audi ‘ s hình ảnh has anything mập bởi vì with the Olympic Games. The four silver rings symbolize the 1932 merger of the four oldest car manufacturers in Germany : Audi, DKW, Horch và Wanderer. Thes e four companies formed what is known as the Auto Union, & initially, only Auto Union-specific cars bore the four-ringed badge, while the individual carmakers used their own logos .
In 1985, the Auto Union name disappeared forever & the Audi name ( a Latin derivative of founder August Horch’s last name, meaning “ Khủng hear ” ) carried forth the same German auto-making spirit. It also carried forward the iconic emblem that lives on today, largely unchanged. Rumors have floated around claiming that the emblem symbolized four driven wheels from the Quattro all-wheel-drive system, but that claim has no historical merit. Still, Audi occasionally has made reference bự the connection, capitalizing on a bit of synchronicity .
Audi gave its hình ảnh a slight refresh for 2022. The rings are now flat & đen và trắng .Bentley
There are few names in the automotive industry that carry as much panache & gravitas as British manufacturer Bentley Motors. The emblem shows a bold “ B ” surrounded by a mix of spread wings ; the hood ornament is similar, with a large capital B và aviary wings that flow backward .
The significance of the emblem is the “ B ” reflecting the Bentley name, after Walter Owen Bentley, who founded the company in 1919. The winged kiến thiết link phệ the original company name, Bentley Aero ; the company originally manufactured rotary engines for planes during World War I .Buick
Buick’s tri-shield hình ảnh sản phẩm was adopted in 1960 và symbolized the three models on marketing at the giây phút : the LeSabre, Invicta và Electra. It became a permanent fixture in 1990. Buick just updated the hình ảnh for 2020, removing the circular element và aligning the more fluid & aerodynamic shields horizontally .
Buick says it represents the merging of Buick’s past with its electric future & probably wouldn’t want us bự draw comparisons béo the Monster Energy Drink logo .BMW
Among Bimmerphiles, the meaning of the BMW Roundel, as it’s officially called ( BMW Car Club of America’s magazine tiêu đề carries the same name ), stirs up a bit of controversy. The latest interpretation ( ” latest ” being the 1920 s ) is that the emblem signifies a propeller against a xanh sky, representing BMW’s early history of making airplane engines. As attractive as this explanation is, though … the truth behind the Roundel is far different .
When Bayerische Motoren Werke AG ( Bavarian Motor Works ) was formed out of Rapp Motorenwerke airplane manufacturing in 1928, the emblem reflected the BMW name within a Black outer circle, và the blue-and-white Bavarian flag’s panels were placed within a concentric circle at the center. It’s evolved somewhat end the years, but the changes have been minor — font, phông màu, the appearance of relief in the Bavarian flag checks at the center &, most recently, ditching the Black outer circle for a transparent one .Bugatti
Ettore Bugatti’s initials live on today in his emblem, though an independently held Bugatti company died along with Ettore in 1947. Bugatti was born in Italy, but started his company in 1909 in the Alsace region in France. His cars evoked deep và fluid sculpting, fitting for the Bugatti family’s artistic leanings. After Ettore died, there would be no successor béo carry on his name due phệ the earlier death of his only son .
Fewer than 8,000 Bugattis had been built, but the name would stand in the record books. Indeed, it would gain a hot nhất life after being revived by Volkswagen, who have since built some of the most exotic automobiles ever made, lượt thích the EB110, the insane Veyron hypercar và the even more insane Chiron .Cadillac
The Cadillac emblem you see today is a modern rendition, yet its initial roots are still easily recognizable. The original emblem represented a family name, belonging béo Le Sieur Antoine De La Mothe Cadillac. Monsieur Cadillac founded the đô thị of Detroit, Michigan in 1701, & the Cadillac brand bears more than just his name ; the emblem bears a resemblance phệ the Cadillac coat of arms .
Like many other automotive emblems, it has evolved end the years, & its original size was far more complicated than what you see today. The Cadillac coat of arms doesn’t show a shield lượt thích the automotive emblem does ; rather, it was completely ván & displayed trios of merlettes ( birds ), a symbol of knightly participation in the Crusades, along with a đen bar ( or “ fess ” ) that also symbolized service in the Crusades và a red band for boldness .
In 1905, Cadillac adopted the symbol for its cars, và since then it’s morphed quite noticeably Khủng the modern phiên bản that bowed in 2 nghìn, largely influenced by the Dutch painter Piet Mondrian. In năm trước, the emblem made its most recent change, losing the laurel leaves that encircled the crest & further simplifying the emblem while remaining easily recognizable .Chevrolet
The jury’s still out on the origin of Chevy ‘ s bowtie. As supposedly remembered by William C. Durant, co-founder of General Motors & Chevrolet, Durant was inspired by a repeating pattern on the wallpaper of his French khách sạn room. His wife, however, disputed that claim, stating that he was inspired by a newspaper ad for Coalettes that showed the same bowtie outline. There are other claims that Louis Chevrolet designed the bowtie as a modified Swiss cross, in honor of his parents ’ homeland .
Whichever story you believe, the bowtie stuck. It’s evolved throughout the years, going from a royal xanh màu phase béo the current gold ( or, on some cars, Black ) .Chrysler
It’s now officially known as part of Stellantis, but the Chrysler name lives on in the Chrysler biểu tượng logo và badging. Originally based on the Kruessler family crest, the Chrysler seal emblem — mated with flanking wings in the 1930 s — was meant béo represent unique, hence the royal-style wax seal. In the ’ 50 s, Chrysler employed what’s known as a “ Jet Age ” phong cách log, with two chevrons superimposed onto one another, but it didn’t last long given its temporary trendiness .
In 1962, Chrysler’s longstanding five-triangle “ Pentastar ” logo sản phẩm was created with the idea that it should be timeless & global. It was a biệu tượng công ty that was easily identifiable & became synonymous with the ubiquitous K-Car và LeBaron. Then, in the ’ 90 s, the Chrysler seal & wings returned, but with longer và wider wings. The Pentastar came back shortly thereafter … then disappeared forever from Chrysler cars in 2009, when a thin, wide & elegant winged badge took its place. After all the changes, it now looks lượt thích the wings are a permanent fixture in the Chrysler hình ảnh sản phẩm .Ferrari
The Cavallino Rampante, or “ Prancing Horse ” in Italian, is the proud icon of one of the most prolific performance automobile manufacturers in the world : Ferrari. And, in good size, the story of the emblem’s creation is nearly as exotic và storied as the carmaker itself .
Enzo Ferrari, the carmaker’s namesake, liked béo tell the story of his victory at the first Savio circuit, where he met Count & Countess Enrico và Paolina Baracca, parents of an Italian fighter pilot who had flown with a prancing horse emblazoned on his plane. The son had passed away, but Enzo was told the symbol would bring him luck. ( Talk about prescience. )
The horse was adopted và a yellow background was used Khủng represent the town of Modena, the Ferrari factory’s location. But the emblem could not be used for the cars, initially ; it was seen only on Ferrari’s publications & papers, since Alfa Romeo technically owned the cars. The shield emblem debuted in July of 1932 at the Spa 24 Hours ; in 1963, Ferrari also began béo utilize a relief phiên bản of the Prancing Horse, which you still see today .Ford
The Ford Motor Company’s emblem hasn’t gone through too many changes, as they’ve stuck with the Blue Oval from 1927 lớn now. The original emblem was busy và bore the entire “ Ford Motor Co. Detroit, Mich ” wording in an amorphously shaped black-and-white background. The script, which has stood the thử nghiệm of thời gian, was penned by Ford Chief Engineer Childe Harold Wills in 1909 ; the Blue Oval was added nearly two decades later, making the badge what it is today .
Genesis
Genesis didn’t arrive as its own brand until năm ngoái. The biệu tượng công ty is not rich in heritage but looks vaguely lượt thích the winged logos for Bentley và Aston Martin, which is the same vibe Genesis is going for with its current crop of cars .
Honda
Though there’s nothing particularly original or mysterious about the basic but attractive silver Honda “ H ” emblem, what the symbol represents is crucial bự understanding Honda. The company is named after Soichiro Honda, the company’s founder — a mechanic, tuner và racer who eventually turned Honda into the largest builder of motorcycles in Nhật Bản & the second-largest Japanese automaker. Honda’s consumer engines are direct derivations of the versions built for racing, và their chất lượng và reliability are as solid as the stance of their simple but prominent biệu tượng công ty .
Hyundai
At first glance, you wouldn’t give much credit lớn Hyundai for their emblem, but the South Korean company created it lớn be more than just a Honda hình ảnh that underwent a taffy pull. The Hyundai “ H ” represents the name, but it’s encased in an oval bự reflect the perpetuity that Hyundai pursues internationally. The “ H ” itself is designed mập symbolize two people shaking hands ( how friendly ) .
Infiniti
One of the more original but simple modern automotive symbols out there, Nissan’s luxury brand utilizes a partial oval surrounding a road that narrows into the distance, or béo … infinity. It’s a tasteful badge — and, thankfully, it conveys an actual connected meaning between the brand name & the biệu tượng công ty .
The biểu tượng logo is similar lớn Oldsmobile’s logo, which also shows a road driving off into the distance ( but Oldsmobile’s road veers béo the right ). Infiniti has phệ be around a bit longer before they can lay claim phệ any iconic cars, but they are well on their way Khủng making some very dramatic statements .Jaguar
The Jaguar emblem began with a nod phệ the Swallow Sidecar Company, who produced the SS Jaguar in 1935. The emblem featured the characters “ SS ” in a hexagon on top of an eagle’s wings & tail. The leaping cát emerged in 1945 và hasn’t changed much since then .
There’s nothing mysterious or multi-layered about its meaning ; the use of the Jaguar mèo is meant Khủng convey power và agility, and Jaguar has done an excellent job of communicating that ethos lớn the automotive world with cars lượt thích the F-Type và I-Pace .Kia
Kia is a dramatically different brand than it was a few years ago. They celebrated that with a mới ra hình ảnh that debuted in January 2021. Per Kia, the biểu tượng logo intends bự celebrate the company’s “ commitment lớn become an icon for change và innovation. ” The main trouble is it’s hard mập read as “ KIA ” unless you know what you’re looking at & sends tens of thousands of people per month googling “ KN ” car .
Lamborghini
Lamborghini’s biệu tượng công ty traces back béo founder Ferruccio Lamborghini’s 1962 visit Khủng Don Eduardo Miura’s ranch, where fighting bulls were bred. Lamborghini was so sánh heavily influenced by the power & presence of these animals, he adopted the bull as the emblem for his cars .
Soon after, he began mập use the names of fighting bulls & bullfighting terms for his cars ( except for the Miura, which was named after the breeder ). Names lượt thích Islero, Espada, Urraco, Jalpa, Diablo, Murcielago, Gallardo và Aventador evoke the snorting bull emblem. ( Countach, however, is its own story. )Lexus
We’d love Khủng elaborate on the meaning of the Lexus emblem, but due bự the company’s limited history ( Toyota’s luxury brand only made its introduction mập the world in 1989 ) & the simplicity of the emblem, there’s really not much lớn tell. There was initially some speculation behind the Lexus name, claiming that it stood for “ Luxury Exports bự the US ”, but the truth is that Lexus is derived from the name Alexis, the name Toyota originally planned on using. That eventually morphed into “ A Lexus ” và then just plain “ Lexus. ”
Lincoln
Theories vary on the origins of Lincoln’s hình ảnh sản phẩm. The hình ảnh sản phẩm adopted in the 1960 s was more explicitly a star between two pillars. Lincoln dramatically simplified that và has stuck with it — but for a slight cập nhật in 2012 — for about 50 years. It also slightly resembles the grilled thiết kế on the first-generation Continental .
Lotus
Lotus cars, founded by Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman, had their start as racing và road cars. Chapman’s initials are found on the Lotus emblem, which has been essentially unchanged since 1952 when Lotus Engineering Ltd. was formed. The Lotus name’s origin is unknown .
British Racing Green is found in the background, largely due béo the color’s popularity during Chapman’s era ; the surrounding yellow embodies the sunny perspective that Chapman saw for his future .
Lotus cars achieved much fame, especially in Formula một racing, but the company struggled in the ’ 70 s và early ’ 80 s, then was rescued by the marketing of the famed Lotus Esprit Turbo in the US market. Sadly, Chapman died at the early age of 54, but his company — after changing hands a few times — now produces some of the best-handling cars around, such as the Elise, Exige & Evora .Maserati
The Maserati Trident biểu tượng logo has remained largely unchanged since it first showed up on the 1926 Tipo 26. The iconic statue of the god of the sea stands in the Piazza Maggiore in Bologna, Italy, where Maserati was first headquartered. Neptune stands atop a fountain, powerfully wielding his famous trident scepter — và the statue served as inspiration for the emblem, along with Bologna’s colors of red và xanh .
Mazda
The Mazda hình ảnh sản phẩm dates back mập 1936, when it presented as a triple-stacked M for “ Mazda Motor Manufacturer. ” The hình ảnh was allegedly inspired by Hiroshima’s own emblem, as it’s company’s hometown, & it was flanked by some very Van Halen-esque wings that symbolized “ agility, tốc độ & the ability lớn soar bự mới nhất heights. ”
Then, in 1959, when Mazda began manufacturing passenger vehicles, they introduced a simplified logo sản phẩm with an “ M ” in the middle of a circle. In 1975, Mazda transitioned bự a mới ra brand image & used only the Mazda name as car badging, a blend of uppercase & lower-case letters at the same height. In 1992, the Japanese automaker introduced a brand symbol that was comprised of a circle in the middle of a curved kim cương shape & encased in a larger ovular shape that supposedly represented wings, sun và a circle of light .
Finally, in 1997, Mazda created the hình ảnh that’s still used today : an “ M ” within a squarish oval that also incorporates a “ V ” shape & an upturned wing phong cách Khủng symbolize the company’s desire Khủng soar into the future. It’s easily their most attractive hình ảnh lớn date .Mercedes-Benz
Back in the early 1900 s, Mercedes, a division of Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft ( DMG ), needed a trademark. DMG founder Gottlieb Daimler had passed in 1900, và his sons Paul và Adolf used their father as inspiration, calling upon the star symbol on Gottlieb’s home page that represented future prosperity for his growing company. The symbol was well received by the board at Daimler in June of 1909, và both the now-famous three-pointed star và a four-pointed star were registered as trademarks under the Daimler name .
It’s the three-pointed star that survived, representing Daimler’s goal of using their motors lớn power vehicles on air, land & sea. In 1916, the star was centered within a circle & has undergone only small changes, ending with its current silver star in a silver circle .Mini
BMW harkened back béo 1960 s nostalgia when it resurrected Mini as an independent brand in 2001. The wings, as with other British automakers, intend bự represent freedom và power. Like several other automakers, Mini moved lớn a flatter, simpler phiên bản in 2018 .
Nissan
Nissan’s current biểu tượng logo is a chrome badge with simply “ NISSAN ” in a silver rectangle centered on a silver circle. Its origins began with the Nissan’s control of DAT Motors, formerly known as Datsun. The Datsun hình ảnh sản phẩm utilized the Datsun name in a xanh rectangle end a red circle — Japan’s “ Rising Sun ” symbol, which appears on the national flag. The existing Nissan hình ảnh came about in 2001, utilizing a more modern interpretation of the original emblem, with chrome representing sophistication, modernism, creativity & perfection in Nissan’s products. Like many car logos, it recently got a modern cập nhật, being spiffed up with a flatter look, but it’s still recognizable .
Porsche
It would be hard bự find a more attractive emblem than the famous gold, đen và red Porsche crest. It’s easily one of the most enduring emblems in automotive history, barely changing since its introduction in 1952 when Ferdinand Porsche phối out phệ create an iconic emblem .
Its most obvious connection is with the đô thị of Stuttgart, where Porsche is headquartered. The thành phố originated on a stud farm, hence the centrality of the horse. The antlers & the red-and-black stripes in the surrounding quadrants of the shield represent the Kingdom of Württemberg, a former state of the Federal Republic of Germany ( Stuttgart is the capital ). The unchanged appearance of the Porsche crest kết thúc the past several decades is consistent with the enduring legacy of its most iconic Model, the 911, where the crest is displayed at the tip of its legendary flat nose .Rivian
Rivian’s hình ảnh is a compass. The brand chose the compass because it “ changed the way the world traveled. ” Rivian says the outer arrows represent innovation & adventure, while the two inner arrows represent a core desire béo be inspiring và inviting phệ all .
Saab
Saab’s heritage dates back béo airplane production in the mid đôi mươi th century. The company Svenska Aeroplan AB ( translated “ Swedish Aeroplane Limited ” ) started producing cars in the 1950 s, but the original biệu tượng công ty symbolically bore the front of an airplane propeller. Eventually, it changed mập a red Griffin with a golden crown sandwiched between the Saab-Scania name. The red Griffin is inspired by a Swedish coat of arms và is also based on the hình ảnh sản phẩm of Vadis-Scania ’ s, the truck manufacturer that partnered with Saab’s parent company Khủng size Saab-Scania. The most recent emblem, revised when GM took end in 2 nghìn, shows only the Saab name .
Subaru
Subaru actually means “ The Pleiades ” in Japanese, referring béo the the star cluster in the Taurus Constellation. The Subaru badge only shows six stars ( Electra, Maia, Taygete, Asterope, Celaene and Alcyone ) because those are the most prominently visible Khủng the naked eye ( depending on location, ambient light, etc. ) .
In 1953, five companies merged as one : Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. The five small stars represent the merged companies, và the larger sixth star represents the bigger firm .Tesla
The Tesla hình ảnh sản phẩm is a stylized T. According phệ Elon Musk, the hình ảnh sản phẩm represents the cross-section of an electric motor .
Toyota
Most interpret the Toyota emblem as an artistic, albeit bloated interpretation of the letter “ T ”. The emblem, however, actually bears significant meaning. The ovals overlap one another, symbolizing trust between the automaker và its loyal customers. The Trắng space that occupies the emblem signifies Toyota’s future potential. And the three ovals together represent the collective hearts of the customer, the cars và the technological opportunities ahead .
Volkswagen
One of the largest automotive manufacturers in the world, Volkswagen, happens phệ have one of the simplest emblems in the business. Once again, an automaker uses an automotive emblem wrapped up in the ubiquitous circle, this phút giây with a V for “ volks ” ( people, in German ) và the W for “ wagen ” ( cars ), with the former stacked on the latter. The company recently gave the hình ảnh a slight refresh, but it doesn’t change the basic vibe .
Volvo
The Volvo name isn’t Swedish, despite the car’s origins ; it stems from the Latin trái đất “ Volvere ”, for “ roll. ” Volvo, in turn, means “ I roll ” — which aptly captures the intentions of a car company .
Volvo’s original emblem from 1927 was a xanh oval with the Volvo name centered on the hình ảnh sản phẩm và Gothenburg, Sweden, the manufacturer’s location, on a banner beneath the name. Then, in 1930, Volvo began using its now-famous iron alchemy / Greek male / Mars, god of war symbol : a circle with an arrow pointing up & Khủng the right. Volvo only recognizes the first association, of course. It’s meant lớn symbolize strength, protection of its customers, forward thinking & innovation. In năm trước, Volvo simplified their already crisp emblem by moving the Volvo name completely inside the circle, as opposed Khủng laying across its width .
On its cars và SUVs, Volvo’s emblem is always coupled with an angled crossbar that matches the direction of the arrow, providing an easily recognizable face Khủng their lineup. The fact Volvo hasn’t changed their brand image even after being purchased by Geely of China reassures that their priorities — safety và longevity — remain very much intact .
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