An article by Hira Naseem
Evolution is a process of change or development. It is when one version of a product is better than the previous one. This type of change was first catalogued by Darwin over a hundred years ago in the Galapagos Islands. But in the truest sense, evolution occurs in nearly every aspect of our lives, and especially in the business and consumer worlds. It seems that companies find themselves needing to be fast-paced, up-to-date and ever evolving to stay ahead of the competition.
But does a company commit an unpardonable sin by deciding to alter their identity, their mainstay–their logo? Logos represent the brand image, traditions and origins of a company. It is not just a visual badge on the car’s bonnet but represents what people think about the brand and the cars themselves.
Somebody driving a Mercedes is perceived as prosperous, mature and of course rich. On the other hand, somebody with an Aston Martin is likely to be a more flamboyant personality. All of these perceptions, just from a small logo of the car manufacturer! So it is not surprising, that the logos undergo historic evolution along with the company’s products, origins and customers.
Here we will discuss the evolution in logos of some of the most prominent automobiles companies, their History as well as discussing how and why there logo is in a particular way, so shall we begin;
BMW:
BMW was formed in 1913 by Karl Friedrich Rapp & Gustav Otto. It was at first two different companies which later on merged to form BMW or Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (Bavarian Motor Works).
During World War I, BMW was a major supplier of airplane Engines, but thanks to the German government, After the war, Germany was forced to change its business and they first went on making railway brakes, Bicycles, Motorcycles and then cars.
The Circular BMW logo is a representation of a spinning propeller of a Bavarian Luftwaffe. At the time when the logo was made the aircrafts were painted with the regional colors and since the colors of the Bavarian flag was blue and white hence it was made that way. It is also said that the pilot saw the propeller as alternating segments of white and blue while in the sky, Whereas the roundel was a nod to karl Rapp’s original company.
The logo itself hasn’t changed a lot during the years, but now has a more stylish look due to the different gradients. The unchanged logo has made it easier for people to remember and has given the company more recognition
Volkswagen:
Volkswagen (German for People’s car) dates back to the World War I: Adolf Hitler.
It was Hitler, who after the German Economical downfall spoke at the 1933 Berlin Auto Show about his idea to create a new and affordable car. Porsche met with Hitler in 1934 and gave the rough idea for the car to have a top speed of 100 km/h (62 mph), a fuel consumption of 42 mpg and could carry 2 adults and children. He wanted the car to look like a “Maikaefer”- a May beetle and even proposed a sketch design to the Porsche.
In 1937, Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH was made which after a year became Volkswagenwerk GmbH simply.
In 1938, Hitler opened the state-funded Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg, which was to produce the KdF-wagen (kraft durch freude, meaning “strength through joy”). Forced labor was
It was later found out that Hitler had this in mind all along. He added an extra secret specification to Porsche’s design: the car was to be able to carry 3 men, a machine gun, and ammunition.
After the WWII, Britishers took over the company. They renamed the car as Beetle. Surprisingly all the car makers like Fiat and Ford declined to take ‘free control’ of the Volkswagen factory. So, it was returned to the German government, and went on to become one of the world’s bestselling cars ever.
The first logo was designed by Franz Xavier Reimspiess, an employee of Porsche, during an office logo design competition. He was given a onetime payment of 100 Reichsmarks (about $400). The main part of the logo hasn’t changed much, but understandably after the WWII, they got rid of the design around the circle which seems to be inspired from the Nazi flag. The colors that were added in 2000, to the logo which was built after WWII, it depicts a positive change in the company and the ability to adapt to the new millennium.’
Mercedes-Benz:
The Mercedes-Benz was formed by the merger of two car companies – DMG (Daimler-Motored-Gesellschaft, founded by Gottlieb Daimler) and Benz & Cie, founded by Karl Benz.
It was after the World War I, When the German Economy was down that these companies decided to syndicate in 1924, and then finally merge in 1926, called Diamler-Benz.
The name “Mercedes” came about in 1900. A wealthy European businessman and racing enthusiast named Emil Jellinek began selling Daimler’s cars. He wanted a faster car, and specified a new engine to be designed by Maybach and to be named after his 10-year-old daughter’s nickname, “Mercédès” Spanish origin, referring to a title for the Virgin Mary, “Our Lady of Mercy.”
In 1902, the logo for Mercedes was nothing more than the simple company name. However, it was changed to a 3 pointed star in 1909. The origin of this star came from a postcard by Diamler, where he had drawn a 3 pointed star which represented ‘making vehicles in land water and sky’.
After 1926, a new symbol for Mercedes-Benz came into picture, where the original logo of both the companies was merged into one. It combined the 3 pointed stars of Mercedes and the laurel wreath of Benz.
Over the years, the symbol has been improved vastly in design and simplicity. It has been recognized as a symbol representing luxurious cars.
Audi:
Audi is a German brand which produces cars and is a part of the Volkswagen Group.
The company was founded as A. Horch & Cie by August Horch in 1899. August Horch, a German Engineer, was forced out of his own company in 1909, after which he continued to use the old brand name Horch. However, his partner sued him for trademark infringement, and Horch was forced to look for a new name.
During a meeting at his business partner Franz Fikentscher’s apartment, Franz’s son came up with the name Audi (which is a Latin translation of Hoch, which means listen):
During this meeting Franz’s son was quietly studying Latin in a corner of the room. Several times he looked like he was on the verge of saying something but would just swallow his words and continue working, until he finally blurted out, “Father – audiatur et altera pars… wouldn’t it be a good idea to call it audi instead of horch?”. “Horch!” in German means “Hark!” or “listen”, which is “Audi” in Latin. The idea was enthusiastically accepted by everyone attending the meeting. (Source: Wikipedia, A History of Progress (1996) – Chronicle of the Audi AG)
After this the company was named as Audiwerke GmbH in 1910. In 1932, four car makers Audi, Horch, DKW, and Wanderer merged to form Auto Union. The four interlinked rings that would later become the modern Audi logo, was originally the logo of the Auto Union. Initially the Auto Union logo was used only for racing cars and the four companies continued to produce cars under their own brands. Finally in 1985, the Auto Union became the Audi Company we know today.
In 2009 new logo which is used now was introduced. The Latest Audi logo shows a 3D texture and shadowing, resulting to give it a more metallic, polished and modern Look. The Audi name is also smaller now and has moved away from the center to the bottom left corner with a changed font too.
Aston Martin:
In 1913, Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford founded a company that later would become Aston Martin. At the time, Martin & Bamford Limited produced Singers racing cars, but the duo wanted to create a more sophisticated model of their own. They named their first car Aston Martin after the founder Lionel Martin and the Aston Clinton hill climb racing course where their Singers car had won previously.
We can’t talk about Aston Martin without mentioning James Bond. In 1959, Ian Fleming put his super spy James Bond in an Aston Martin DB Mark III. When it was made into a movie in 1964, Bond drove updated, super sleek silver Aston Martin DB5 (complete with machine gun, passenger ejector seat, and revolving number plates!)
Cadillac:
When Henry Ford left his second automobile company, Henry Ford Company (see below), his financial backers tried to liquidate the company’s assets. An engineer named Henry M. Leland persuaded them to continue the company instead. They listened, and so Cadillac was born.
Cadillac’s first logo was based on a family crest of a minor aristocrat that the company was named after: Antoine de La Mothe, Seigneur de Cadillac (Lord of Cadillac). In 1701, de La Mothe founded Fort Pontchartrain which would later become Detroit. Cadillac was named after de La Mothe in 1902, following a bicentenary celebration of the founding of the city.
Problem was, de La Mothe was never nobility! Born Antoine Laumet, de La Mothe was forced to leave France for America under a mysterious circumstance (some say he committed a crime or was unable to pay his debt). In the New World, he was able to assume a new identity and cobbled together a family crest with elements “borrowed” from, shall we say nobler sources.
Mazda:
Mazda Motor Corporation is a Japanese automotive Establishment based in Hiroshima, Japan. It is said that Mazda coincides with the anglicized pronunciation of the founder’s name, Jujiro Matsuda, who was interested in spirituality, and chose to rename the firm in honor of both his family and Zoroastrianism. The word Mazda derives from Ahura Mazda, the Avestan language name for a divinity exalted by the ancient Iranian prophet Zoroaster, as the source of wisdom, intelligence and harmony.
In 1927, Jujiro Matsuda joined the company, and it started manufacturing tools, three-wheeled trucks and finally cars. After
World War II, the company registered its trademark under the Mazda brand, and the first logo was launched. The curved “M” in the logo was inspired from the Hiroshima city emblem. The 1936 logo had a combination of the curved M from the city emblem, and wings that represented the “company’s agility, speed and capability to soar to new heights”.
The current company logo was designed by Rei Yoshimara in 1997, and was nicknamed as the “owl” logo. According to the company, the new logo has the following significance:
Capturing the spirit of Mazda, the stylized “M” evokes an image of wings in flight and symbolizes the Mazda’s flight toward the future. The “V” in the centre of the “M” spreads out like an opening fan, representing the creativity, vitality, flexibility and passion that is Mazda. The symbol as a whole expresses the sharp, solid feeling that Mazda will be seeking in all of its products. The dynamic circle symbolizes our readiness to spread our wings as we enter the 21st century.
Some people saw a stylized Tulip instead of the stretched wings.
Ford:
Henry Ford used to work for Thomas Edison. He founded two companies before settling on Ford. His first company went bankrupt after just two years, and he left the second company after just one year. However, the second company became Cadillac later on. His third company, founded in 1902, was called Ford & Malcomson, Ltd.
He was unable to pay the bills for parts in his third company, but some investors agreed to put money in the company, and it was renamed as Ford Motor Co. This is the company name in the first logo of 1903. The 1909 logo, which has a similar font as today’s logo was borrowed from Childe Harold Wills, who had made this font for his business card.
In 1912, the Ford logo was given a complete makeover, as compared to the earlier simplistic design. When a car was launched in 1927, called Model A, the famous blue oval was introduced in the logo. This was the shape and color, on which all future Ford logos have been made.
The Company has experimented with different shape going from ellipse to circle, and even a diamond like shape in 1957. The 1976 logo was essentially, the last major change in the symbol, and is very similar to their current logo. Finally, in 2003, the company released a new logo, which came to be known as “Centennial Blue Oval”.
Fiat:
Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (FIAT) was founded in Turin (1899) by a group of investors including Giovanni Angelli who later became the Managing Director of the company. The first automobile to bear the Fiat brand name was a model 4 HP.At this time a poster was created to celebrate the event, and the company name in the top left corner of the poster became the company’s first logo. In 1901, the company changed its logo to a brass plate with the name FIAT in the centre. The logo had a characteristic ‘A’ which has remained unchanged till date.
Supposedly, the famous Fiat “scrabble tiles” logo of the 1960s was designed by the company’s Chief Designer who was driving past the Fiat factory during a power outage and saw an outline of the factory’s neon sign against the dark sky
In 1925, the FIAT logo became circular, from an oval shape in 1904. The laurel wreath around the circle was to celebrate the company’s victory in first competitive car races. The shape of the logo kept changing from square to shield, and returned to a circular logo in 1999, with the characteristic ‘A’ and a modern stylish laurel wreath around the circle.
The current FIAT logo was launched in 2006, and was first seen on Bravo.
Mitsubishi:
In 1854 feudal Japan, a man named Yataro Iwasaki, son of a provincial farmer whose grandfather sold the family’s samurai status to settle some debt, began his career on the wrong foot: he was called home from school at the age of 19 when his father was injured in a dispute with the village leader. Iwasaki asked a local magistrate to hear his case, and when refused, accused the man of corruption. Iwasaki was promptly jailed for seven months.
After abolition of Japan’s feudal clan system, Yataro, acquired Tosa Clan’s shipping business in 1873 and named his shipping business as Mitsubishi. Later, a fourth generation Iwasaki, Kayota, turned this company into a giant corporate group, with an automobile manufacturing company called Mitsubishi Motors.
The name “Mitsubishi” refers to the three-diamond emblem. “Mitsubishi” is a combination of the words mitsu and hishi. Mitsu means three. Hishi means water chestnut, and Japanese have used the word for a long time to denote a rhombus or diamond shape. Japanese often bend the “h” sound to a “b” sound when it occurs in the middle of a word. So they pronounce the combination of mitsu and hishi as Mitsubishi.
There are also some alternate interpretations of the logo
The logo for this successful worldwide Japanese automobile manufacturer is made up of three points that symbolise trust, integrity and openness. The logo is based on the merger of two age-old Japanese dynasties who used a coat of arms with three similar diamond patterns.
It is also said that the three diamonds represent a ship’s propellers because of their earlier business of ships.
Source: (Text taken from CAR magazine, July 1999. Written by Martin Buckley.)
Peugeot:
Peugeot, a major French car brand was started by two brothers Jean-Pierre and Jean-Frédéric Peugeot in 1812. The company was a steel mill for decades, making different products like machine tools, crinoline dresses, umbrellas, wire wheels, irons, sewing machines, kitchen gadgets. In 1855, the company started making bicycles and was one of the largest bicycle manufacturers in France.
The company entered the automobile industry due to its bicycle manufacturing business. In 1889, Armand Peugeot created the company’s first car which was run by a steam powered engine. After meeting Gottlieb Daimler, the company replaced the steam engine with a gas powered internal combustion engine. 1847 The first lion is designed for marking saw blades and steel products. It symbolizes the three qualities of Peugeot saw blades: the toughness of the teeth, the flexibility of the blade, and the speed of the cut. In 1850 the lion image appeared for the first time on the ‘Peugeot Bros’ arrow. Initially put on saw blades, this logo was registered in 1858, and for many years would mark the tools manufactured by the brand. 1889 1889 was a historic year for the make, with the launch of the first vehicle bearing the Peugeot name: a tricycle, the result of cooperation between Leon Serpollet, the steam expert, and Armand Peugeot. The lion is still shown on tools and cycles. On the other hand, it was missing from the first cars manufactured between 1890 and 1905. To mark these products, Armand Peugeot, who had founded the company Automobiles Peugeot made do with the words ‘Automobiles Peugeot’ on the radiators. Between 1905 and 1915, the profile of a lion on an arrow was, however, present on the ‘Lion Peugeot’ cars manufactured by Peugeot Bros. 1910 Following the merger in 1910 of the cycle and automobile activities, the company ‘Automobiles et Cycles Peugeot’ would just put the old PEUGEOT on its cars. On some models ‘unofficial’ lions made their appearance: the Baudichon lion (1923) and the Marx lion (1925), named after their sculptors, are true works of art. One had to wait until 1933 for a more realistic lion to adorn the bonnets of models made at the plant. 1948 The heraldic lion made its appearance on the 203. It is rearing up on its hind legs, to adopt the familiar posture of the lion on the coat of arms of Franche-Comté, birthplace of the business. 1964 Having become a holding company under the name Peugeot S.A., the make changes the logo: just the lion’s head is retained on a triangular shield. Three years later the lion head is framed in a square, making a brand sign as it is today. The cars’ radiator grills in the meantime continue to sport the heraldic lion. 1976 In 1976 a new structure, the PSA Peugeot-Citroen holding company, brings together the two makes, Peugeot and Citroen. The Group then purchased Chrysler Corporation. There were so many happenings to disturb the identity of the Peugeot brand. To reinforce its image, Peugeot has come back to its heraldic lion, with a refined design: it’s the so-called ‘Lion fil’. The best ambassador of this new, visual identity would be the 205, sold successfully since 1983. 1998 The visual identity of Peugeot changes again: the paws, added in the same scale, reinforce the power and balance of this feline; the blue, piercing eye symbolizes the long-term vision of the make. The lion is now complete and metalized to apply to the brand’s values (sure, dynamic, aesthetic), and is included in the design of its latest models. 2002 Now called the ‘Blue Brand’, the logo changes again to better reflect the Peugeot brand’s ambitions. Still complete and metalized, it has had black added to the blue to show the lion’s shadow. Balanced in shape and proportions, the logo and the car Brand are by now indivisible: unity creates strength
(Source: www.dinesh.com)
Rolls Royce
Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce founded the Rolls Royce Limited in Britain (1906). The company manufactured automobiles and aircraft engines. In 1973, the Rolls Royce Motor Company was separated from the parent company, which was nationalized following a huge crisis in 1971.
In 1884, Henry Royce, One of the founders of Rolls Royce, started an electrical and mechanical business. He made his first car, a two-cylinder Royce 10, in his Manchester factory in 1904, and was introduced to Charles Rolls at the Midland Hotel in Manchester on 4 May of that year.
The name of the company “Rolls Royce” derives from the surnames of the company founders, Henry Royce and Charles Rolls.
In 1971, the company and subsequently the brand were split. Rolls-Royce plc, the owner of the famous Rolls-Royce trademarks, initially granted permission for use to a newly formed entity, Rolls-Royce and Bentley Motors Ltd. In 1998, this license was withdrawn when the motorcar trademarks were sold by Rolls-Royce plc to a BMW company, now known as Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd. This company today manufactures luxury automobiles and accessories in the name of Rolls-Royce from its headquarters in Goodwood, England. Its identity system and brand are consistent with the original principles of the company founded over 100 years ago.
Saab:
In 1937, an aircraft company called Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget (“Swedish Aeroplane Limited” or simply SAAB) was created to meet the needs of the Swedish Air Force.
When World War II ended, SAAB the airplane company started making cars to diversify its business. The first car it made was a prototype called the the Saab 92001 or ursaab (meaning “original Saab”) in 1946. It was test-driven for nearly 330,000 miles (530,000 km) in utter secrecy, usually on narrow and muddy forest roads in the early mornings or late nights.
In 1947, the Saab Automobile company was incorporated. The company’s first car was the Saab 92, named because it was simply the company’s 92nd design project (the previous 91 had all been aircraft).
The logo of this SAAB depicts a mythological bird which is also used on the official coat of arms of the Count von Skane. The symbol was used as the symbol for the Swedish province Skane, where the SAAB company was formed.
In 2000, SAAB Automobile Company was acquired by General Motors (100% stake) and just a week ago (Feb 23, 2010) GM announced that it has completed the sale of Saab to Spyker Cars NV. Simply put, from the of announcement, Saab is part of Spyker and the new life for the troubled Swedish brand begins.
Skoda:
Skoda Auto is an automobile manufacturer in the Czech Republic. In 1991, it became a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group. The origins of Skoda go back to the early 1890s where, like many long-established car manufacturers, the company started out with the manufacture of bicycles.
It was 1894, and 26-year old Václav Klement, who was a bookseller by trade in Mladá Boleslav, in today’s Czech Republic, which was then part of Austria-Hungary, was unable to obtain the right spare parts to repair his German bicycle. Klement returned his bicycle to the manufacturers, Seidel and Naumann, with a letter, in Czech, asking for them to carry out repairs, only to receive a reply, in German, stating: “If you would like an answer to your inquiry, you should try writing in a language we can understand”.
A disgusted Klement, despite not having any previous technical experience, then decided to start his own bicycle repair shop, which he and Václav Laurin opened in 1895 in Mladá Boleslav. Before going into business partnership with Klement, Laurin was an already established bicycle manufacturer from the nearby town of Turnov
Slavia Logo (1895 – 1905)
Bicycles and motorcycles were made at the Mladá Boleslav workshop under the Slavia brand. The logo was based on a wheel with lime leaves, which were to symbolise the Slav nations. The names of the company’s founders (Laurin & Klement) were added and later became the main motif for the new logo.
L&K Logo (1905-1925)
The design of the L&K logo was influenced by Art Nouveau, an artistic style at the beginning of the 20th century. The initials of the company’s two founders are (probably in connection with the name Václav Laurin or laurel, lat. laurus nobilis) surrounded by laurels in the shape of a wreath, which has been associated with victors and the famous since antiquity. The laurels possibly foretold the success of L&K.�
Skoda Logo (1926-1933)
Cars were produced in Mladá Boleslav under the Škoda brand from 1926. Although the brand’s name changed completely, the form of the new product logo shows continuity with the previous stage. The Škoda logo has a new, oval shape, but the brand name is still the dominant element in the centre and is surrounded by laurels.
Skoda Logo (1926-1990)
The logo with the famous “winged arrow” was first used in 1926. Its origin is shrouded in mystery, sometimes the author of the idea (the stylised head of an Indian wearing a headdress with five feathers) is said to be the commercial director of Škoda Plzeň, T. Maglič. The blue and white circular logo, which is completed by a right-moving winged arrow with a stylised pinion, is currently used on some original Škoda parts (e.g. on window glass and engine blocks).
Skoda Logo (since 1999)
Although the Škoda logo is viewed as one of the most original and stylistically clean manufacturing company trademarks in the world, the author is not yet known. The black and green logo, which has been used since 1994, gives the Škoda brand a greater degree of originality – black symbolises the hundred-year tradition, green signalises environmental production.
Rnault:
Renault is a French automaker producing cars, vans, buses, tractors, and trucks. Due to its alliance with Nissan, it is currently the world’s 4th largest automaker behind General Motors, Toyota and Ford. It owns the Romanian automaker Dacia and the Korean automaker Renault Samsung Motors. The company is well known for numerous revolutionary designs, security technologies, and motor racing. Producing cars since late 1898, the Renault corporation was founded in 1899 as Société Renault Frères by Louis Renault, his brothers Marcel and Fernand, and his friends Thomas Evert and Julian Wyer.
1900: The first Renault logo designed in 1900 features the initials of the three Renault brothers – Louis, Ferdinand and Marcek drawn on a medallion.
1906
In 1906, the company signed its first major contr
act and began large scale production of its vehicles changed its logo to represent the front end of a car enclosed in a gear wheel.
1919 Towards the end of World War I, Renault started manufacturing tanks. In 1919, the company replaced its logo with the image of a tank.
1923 In 1923, the company replaced its tank logo with the Grille-Shaped logo and introduced the name of the car “Renault” in its logo for the first time.
1925 In 1925, the diamond replaces the circle and Renault becomes the “diamond brand” and is called the same today.
1946 In 1946, the brand was nationalized becoming “Regie Nationale des Usines Renault”. This name is immediately added to the brand diamond, which is now Yellow.
1959 The term “Regie Nationale” was dropped in 1959.
1972 In 1972, Renault modernized its logo. The designer, Victor Vaserely redesigned the diamond in the shape of a dynamic 3-D diamond.
1992 In 1992, the logo is enlarged and produced in relief, as part of Renualt’s drive for progress, quality and innovation.
2004 In 2004, Renault presents a new interpretation of its logo, placed on a warm yellow background.
2007
In 2007, Renault begins a wave of 26 vehicl launches. The logo is currounded by a Yellow square – a symbol of quality.
Porsche:
Porsche, a German manufacturer of luxury high performance automobiles, was started as a company called “Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche GmbH” by Ferdinand Porsche. Initially the company didn’t build any cars under its own name and offered consultancy for motor vehicle development. This company is known for designing the first Volkswagen car, Volkswagen Beetle. Ferdinand turned this company into Porsche in 1931, but the first Porsche car wasn’t introduced till 1939.
In 1950s Dr. Ferdinand, set about developing a company logo to denote their location in Stuttgart and a dynamic, powerful image. After several draft versions, a logo created by Porsche engineer Franz Xaver Reimspiess was decided as the company emblem and has become the trademark of the company. The rampant house in the centre was derived from the city seal of Stuttgart, and was a symbol of forward thrusting power.
Unfortunately, Ferdinand died in 1951, before the company shield first appeared on the Porsche 356 model in 1952. The logo first appeared in the centre of the steering, and started appearing on the bonnet of 356 from 1955. In 1959, the shield appeared on the wheel-caps too, allowing the sports car to be recognized from the sides to. The Porsche shield has remain unchanged over the years, and still appears on the steering, bonnet and the wheel-caps.
Opel:
Opel is a so important historically and currently, to a large class of people, representing the quality for a mid-price category. We thought so to present to those who still not a history facts in a circle logo used by the company of great importance in Europe.
The founder of the Opel factory sewing machines, Adam Opel died in 1895. His sons bought Lutzmann company and produced the first Opel car in 1898. On the right you see first company logo Adam Opel, a manufacturer of sewing machines.
In 1900 they began to import and Renault cars and Darracq, which purchased and a production license. During the company has adapted a logo Art Deco since 1906.
After 1906, there are many version of opal logo introduced and from 2002 to today is just a bit modernized version of 1987, complying with the 3D design style of this era. With the introduction in 2008 of the Insignia which reached the 2009 Car of the Year worldwide, the company introduced a new logo to strengthen brand image. The new logo received in addition to the previous logo, OPEL inscription in the upper part of the circle.
Citroen:
Citroen double arrow that is found in every logo Citroen has a fascinating history.
Brand founder, André Citroën, was fascinated by wooden gears with spiral teeth, produced by a Polish inventor and business partner’s André Citroën, he decides to produce steel, bought a license and open a factory in St Denis, France. This business, ENGRENAGES Citroën brings profits, of mention is that these gears, Citroen products were used on the Titanic.
Logo factory and later the Citroen brand is stylized and two teeth “cut” on the clutch.
In 1919, Company start production of cars, the first model is Type A, we observed first logo Citroen, octagonal with arrows logo on a blue background with silver or gold, on top of the radiator. After been many ups and downs, In 2009, The new company logo is shown in the time she was born founder, André Citroën. Belongs design firm Landor and presents new trends in automotive three-dimensional logos. Citroen change appearance. Arrows (chevroanele) out in relief, gained strength. Writing Citroen keeps its traditional red color, as a bridge between history and future. Both, together, represent brand identity, Citroen subliniand restore confidence in the values and ambitions.
Chrysler:
The Company was formed by Walter Percy Chrysler on June 6, 1925, with the remaining assets of Maxwell Motor Company. The original Chrysler logo, which vanished after 1954 from all but 1955-1956 Windsors, C300s, and 300Bs with manual transmissions*, and reappeared in 1994, is a rendition of a wax seal complete with ribbon affixed at the lower right. The thunderbolts above and below the name are actually “Z”s, a tribute to the prototype built before Chrysler took over Maxwell, which took the name “Zeder” from chief engineer Fred Zeder. (At the time, Chrysler was trying to keep development of the new car and his involvement in it a secret, probably still upset about the loss of the car that was supposed to be the first Chrysler. This car design was sold to Billy Durant as a liquidated asset in the Willys-Overland bankruptcy; Durant eventually built this car under the Flint name.)
Starting in the 1980s, Chrysler adopted “modernistic” logos in print materials and on some car nameplates. During the “rebirth” of Chrysler in the late 1990s, the Chrysler “seal” logo was installed in wings. After Cerberus bought Chrysler, Trevor Creed was let loose on the traditional pent star. Shortly after the Fiat takeover, Chrysler trademarked another new logo, based on a modernized wing design.
In 2009, Chrysler redesigned it’s logo for their adorn cars, The look is sleeker and clearly more modern than the previous winged logo, which incorporated the old Chrysler seal. The new one has an almost Aston-esque (Aston Martin) vibe to it, featuring “Chrysler” embossed in a blue emblem centered between the outstretched wing.
Buick:
Buick Motor Company, which would later become the world’s largest auto company General Motors, was founded in 1903 by David Dunbar Buick, a high school dropout! Buick had dropped out of school at 15, to work for a plumbing fixture manufacturer. Buick and his friend took over the business, after the last owner decided to shut down the failed business. Buick sold his share in the company after an argument with his partner because he used to spend most of his time tinkering with car engines.
With this money, Buick founded the Buick Motor Company and within a few years he ran it to the ground. Around 1904, James H Whiting took over the company and brought in William Durant to manage his acquisition. Buick was kicked out of the company by Durant and had to sell his share for just $ 100,000. Buick’s share would be worth more than $ 100 Million today. Later Buick held low paying jobs, and died penniless as an inspector at the Detroit School of Trades. Ironically, Durant himself was kicked out of the company years later and denied him pension. He too died penniless.
Before 1937, the company’s logo was a variation of the cursive word “Buick”. In 1930s, Ralph Pew, a General Motor’s Styling Researcher, found the Scottish “Buick” family’s crest and the company used that as its logo. In 1959, the company logo incorporated three such shields, one each for its three models at that time (LeSabre, Invicta, and Electra).
In 1975, the company launched its Skyhawk line, and the company logo was changed to include a hawk named “Happy”. The familiar tri-shield logo returned in late 1980s when the company stopped manufacturing the Skyhawk car.
Alfa Romeo:
Alfa Romeo, the Italian car manufacturer, traces its beginnings to France. The company was initially founded as Società Anonima Italiana Darracq (SAID) in 1906 by the French automobile firm of Alexandre Darracq, with some Italian investors. After the partnership failed, one of the investors, Cavaliere Ugo Stella, moved the company and renamed it as Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili (Lombard Automobile Factory, Public Company) or A.L.F.A.
The first logo of ALFA was designed in 1910 by Romano Cattaneo, and has an interesting story. He was once waiting for a tram at the Piazza Castello station in Milan, when he was inspired by the Red Cross on the Milan Flag and the Coat of Arms of the Noble House of Visconti (the coat of arms featured a grass snake, biscione, with a man in its jaws, symbolizing “[to the] Visconti’s enemies that the snake [was] always ready to destroy”). The words ALFA and MILANO were written around the two symbols separated by two Savoia Dynasty Knots, to honor the kingdom of Italy.
In 1916, Neapolitan businessman Nicola Romeo bought the company and converted its factories to produce munitions and machineries for World War I. In 1918, the badge was redesigned by Giuseppe Merosi, to include the words ALFA and ROMEO (after the name of the owner Nicola Romeo). Post war, the company went back to producing car and was named after its owner as Alfa Romeo.
No comments:
Post a Comment