Some even have dark beginnings, but we’ve moved on since then. The world is embracing inclusivity, respect and respect for culture, but do these logos actually mean anything, and if so, what? Let’s satisfy that curiosity.
Subaru
Six stars, an oval and 1000 cherry blossoms
The six stars mean something. Arranged as the Pleiades star cluster in the constellation Taurus, they symbolize the time when five Japanese manufacturing companies consolidated their efforts in 1953. The largest star is Fuji Heavy Industries, and the five small ones represent Fuji Kogyo, Fuji Jidosho Kogyo, Omniya Fuji Kogyo, Utsunomiya Sharyo and Tokyo Fuji Sangyo. Subaru literally means ‘Unite’ in Japanese. For extra imaginary car person points, while those ‘pink’ badges were actually ‘Cherry Blossom Red’ or ‘Sakaru No Iro’ in Japanese, and were a tribute to the Cherry Blossom Tree in Japan, and were only reserved for specific performance versions under the ‘STI’ naming convention. What a hat tip to culture.
Toyota
Lots of heart, lots of trust and lots of love
On a grand scale in automotive history, the Toyota logo is still quite new, having undergone a rebranding in 1989 to mark the car company’s 50th anniversary. Three ovals are configured in horizontal symmetry. The perpendicular ovals within the larger oval represent the heart of the customer and the company and intentionally overlap to symbolize a beneficial relationship and trust between the two. We get it. Simple, recognizable and difficult to confuse with anything else. But if you look a little closer at the overlapping ovals, you’ll notice that they are shaped like the letter ‘T’. ‘T’ for, you guessed it right, Toyota. Now that you’ve seen it, you can’t unsee it.
Chevrolet
Sustainability, innovation, balance and strength
The Chevrolet logo, or as we have come to know it more affectionately, the “Chevrolet bow tie,” dates back to 1913, and rumor has it that co-founder William C. Durant was inspired by a Parisian hotel wallpaper design while traveling. The logo stands for sustainability, innovation, balance and strength. These are all the values of the American auto industry. Now there are a few alternative theories about the logo’s origins, which say that the logo was inspired by a then-current newspaper advertisement for the “Coalettes,” a refined coal product for burning. Either way, it’s as much a mainstay of American production as anything, and immediately recognizable, and will remain so.
BMW
Actüng, Baby, und a False Story About Propellers
There is a theory about the wagon wheel effect of a spinning propeller, where the contrasting quadrants symbolize exactly that: a spinning propeller. It’s another one of those images that, again, can’t be unseen, but I’m sorry to burst the bubble. This was later squashed by BMW itself, who said it was not true. The white and Bavarian blue come directly from the Bavarian flag, home of the German car manufacturer. Yes, the BMW stands for Bavarian Motor Works (in case you didn’t know), and comes from the new name of what started as the aircraft engine construction company, Rapp Motorenwerke, working for the then German Air Force. The quadrants symbolize continuity and stability. Jawohl.
Tesla
A story about cleanliness, minimalism and a war on fossil fuels
With the company’s name a literal throwback to pioneering electrical engineer and inventor Nikola Tesla, Tesla chose a logo that is a dissected cross-section of an electric motor, shaped like the letter “T.” If you were looking for something more symbolic, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but like the brand, the logo is transparent – to the point and free of any complication. Minimalist and to the point, the Tesla logo is as recognizable as any long-standing car brand, and in some cases even more so. The cleanliness of the design is in line with the brand’s core message: not being dependent on ‘dirty’ fossil fuels. Mmmm, we get it.
Mercedes Benz
Star struck by winning ways
Imagine… The three-pointed star, then mounted on the hood of a low-slung sports coupe. If you had one of these you were associated with the class. You had something that many did not have. That’s the power of perhaps the coolest hood ornament to ever adorn a car. The Mercedes-Benz logo, as many may not even know, originally symbolized the use of Daimler engines on land, at sea and in the air. A wreath of the Benz symbol was then included after the two companies, Daimler-Motorengesellschaft, merged with Benz & Cie. The wreath was a tribute to the victories achieved in motorsport, but was eventually dropped. Today, only the iconic (and stylish) three-pointed star remains.
Alfa Romeo
“It’s not personal, Sonny. It’s strictly business.”
We could never talk about cool logos without including the quintessential Italian heritage and a special logo featuring a snake literally eating a human. Could we do that now? Alfa Romeo has one of the best stories. For starters, the red cross on the white field is a direct link to the brand’s birthplace, Milan, but it’s the slithering man-eating snake part that we really want to understand. The ‘Biscione’, as the Italians like to call it, is the emblem and coat of arms of the House of Visconti. Listen to the Godfather theme song, some incoherent mumbling, hand gestures, and a “missing persons” message going out next week for someone who crossed paths with the wrong person. That’s why we love Italian car brands. They’re always about the drama.
Aston Martin
“Shaken, not stirred”… And Egyptology
It’s hard to follow up on that kind of original gangster theme, but the Aston Martin logo is the perfect palate cleanser for this kind of exercise. In fact, I’ve never seen an Aston Martin logo that didn’t make me want to stop what I was doing, walk up to it and admire it. The wings behind the The Aston Martin logo symbolizes speedfreedom and elegance. The Egyptian Scarab Beetle, a symbol of new beginnings, also inspired the wings in the beginning. The 1930s were a period when Egyptology became a craze, so the reference rebranding, which had been in effect since 1932, retained its form to this day. Neat.
Ford
The big blue oval and a famous signature
The gigantic powerhouse that is the big blue machine, Ford, and, above all, the big blue oval that we all know and recognize so well. To be honest, it’s hard to miss it, but maybe that was the point behind all this when Henry Ford signed it. Okay, that’s not a pun, because the letters were based on his signature. This was to add a more personal touch, and combined with the white and blue background of the oval, the intention was to convey a real sense of confidence and strength. I assume that was necessary when the business in question traded your real horse for the first car. And considering all these years later, those same values translate seriously.
Ferrari
Bang, Bang. I shot him.
A prancing horse as a logo is not that unusual in the supercar world, but a prancing horse on a red supercar is special. Very special. And when Enzo Ferrari was busy racing his team of Alfa Romeos, he decided to honor a count. When the world thought it was okay to run at high speed without seat belts, leather caps and reckless abandon. The count – decorated World War I Italian fighting ace Count Francesco Baracca – had a black prancing horse painted on the fuselage of his Spad S. VII biplane. After he was shot, Ferrari met Baracca’s parents, who suggested he use the horse painted on the side of his cars as a good luck charm.
Sources: Manufacturer’s websites
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