Logo Design Blog - Corporate Logo Design - Custom Logo Design

Similar to all other businesses, car manufacturing companies need a logo to build their brand identity. Many car logos that we are familiar with have undergone little change since they were first designed. Companies come up with innovative logos to make their brand instantly recognizable and also to exemplify the special features of the vehicle. These logos generally appear at the front and back of the car.

BMW

BMW is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company. It was founded in 1916 and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. It is best known for performance and luxury vehicles. The company was forced to stop manufacturing aircraft engine after World War I and shifted to motorcycle production, followed by automobiles in 1928-29. The BMW logo commonly known as the ‘roundel’ was introduced and registered in 1917. Though the logo is simple, smart and sporty in design, its meaning is steeped in controversy. This circular logo is divided into four equal quarters of blue and white. One interpretation of this is that it portrays the movement of an aircraft propeller, white blades cutting through the blue sky. This symbol evolved from the Rapp Motorenwerke company logo, from which the BMW Company grew. Another version of the story narrates the fact that it stands for the blue and white flag of the free state of Bavaria.

Ford

The Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation founded by Henry Ford in June, 1903. The company is based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. Presently, Ford is the second largest automaker in the U.S. and fourth largest in the world in terms of number of vehicles sold annually. The new Ford logo was designed in 2003 for its hundredth birthday. It is known as Centennial Blue Oval and is a modern version of the original logo designed by C. Harold Will. The new logo uses a combination of light and dark shades of blue, while the earlier one used only a single blue shade. The logo stands for elegance, class and is easily recognizable because of its simplicity.

Ferrari

Ferrari is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Italy. It was founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929 as Scuderia Ferrari. The company is well known for its participation in racing, especially in Formula One, where it has been immensely successful. Ferrari uses a black prancing horse on yellow background as its logo, usually with letters ‘S’ and ‘F’ which stands for Scuderia Ferrari. This jumping stallion is known as ‘Rampante Cavallo’. This horse honors an Italian flying champion, Count Francesco Baracca, who lost his life in World War I and is believed to be a symbol of good luck.

Chevrolet

Chevrolet, also known as Chevy is General Motors’ (GM) highest selling brand. The company was founded by Louis Chevrolet and GM founder William C. Durant in November, 1911. In 1917, Chevrolet was acquired by GM. The origin of the Chevy logo, also known as the ‘bowtie’ logo, is under some dispute. According to some, Louis himself came up with the design being inspired by the Swiss Cross. Others are of the opinion that it was created by Durant after seeing a wallpaper pattern in a French hotel. The two dominant colors used in the logo are golden yellow for background and black for the text. These bold and attractive colors add a young and energetic feel to the logo while the shape makes it appear decent and classy.  

Volkswagen

Volkswagen is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of automobile, based in Wolfsburg, Germany. The company was originally founded by National Socialist Trade Union, German Labour Front in 1937. In German, Volkswagen means ‘people’s car’. The Volkswagen logo is a combination of the letters ‘V’ and ‘W’ which stands for the abbreviated version of the company’s name. The logo uses blue and white colors and has a circular shape. It associates the car with young and sophisticated consumers.

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz is one of the oldest and most established automotive brands of the world. The company has introduced many innovative technologies and safety modes that later became popular with many other vehicles. The company was initiated by the merging of two businesses, Benz & Cie and Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (DMG), after the First World War. Mercedes is popular for its three-pointed star logo that symbolizes the company’s domination of the land, sea and air. It was originally created by Gottlieb Daimler and introduced in 1909. The logo is synonymous to decency, superiority and speed.