The origins of famed car brand logos

Watch a Formula One race telecast and the commentator might refer to a battle between the 'Prancing Horse' and 'Three Pointed Star'. Those watching will invariably know that the cars involved are a Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz.

Vehicle brands established in the recent past have detailed research and complex design resources at their disposal. Those that originated close to a century ago rarely had access to the educated pen of a graphic artist. Many brands back then shamelessly 'borrowed' elements that would feature in their emblems; local and national flags, coats of arms and motor sporting imagery such as the chequered flag or winner's laurel wreath have all appeared in various places.

Occasionally the design used for a brand's logo can convey an unintended and prophetic message. British brand Gordon-Keeble used a tortoise as the emblem for its V8-engined luxury coupe but went broke even before 100 cars had been made.

Here we have assembled some from the 'classic' end of the car market with interesting tales behind their designs and which have lasted a little longer than Gordon-Keeble.

Jaguar was renowned for doing the unexpected so it's no surprise that the brand found space on its various vehicles for three different emblems in numerous design variations. During the 1930s, SS Cars as it had been known, introduced a range of sleek saloon and sports cars known as 'SS Jaguars' with a winged crest as their emblem. War with Nazi Germany saw every reference to 'SS' removed and cars built after 1945 were known simply as Jaguars. To emphasise the imagery, Jaguar cast and chromed renderings in  various sizes of a stylised cat. It was used as a bonnet mascot and in promotional materials and known as 'The Leaper'. In addition, and instead of the leaper on sports models, there came a new grille emblem incorporating the image of a snarling Jaguar head. Nicknamed 'The Growler' it has for many decades remained an enduring symbol of the Jaguar brand.

Hardly any of us can afford a Ferrari but people across the world recognise the heritage and mystique that stands behind Ferrari's 'Prancing Horse'. Many years before Enzo Ferrari began building cars he was a successful racing driver, first with Alfa Romeo then Fiat. In 1923 he won an obscure event, the Circuito del Savio, and was awarded a shield carrying the emblem of a World War I flying ace who was killed shortly before the war ended. It was the front end of a prancing horse against a yellow background symbolising Modena; a design that would subsequently be featured on every car that Enzo raced and every production Ferrari but one. That was the Dino built to commemorate the tragically short life of Ferrari's son Dino.

Despite a popular misconception that they are linked to the Berlin Olympic Games, Audi's interwoven rings have nothing to do with sporting prowess. The symbol dates back further than 1936, to the day when four prominent German vehicle brands joined forces to create 'Auto Union'. Although DKW, Horch, Audi and Wanderer would retain their own identities, the Auto-Union name and symbol were extensively used in motor-sport, with the brand fielding some of the fastest and most daunting Grand Prix cars in history. In 1965 and under Volkswagen ownership, the first new Audi in 30 years was launched and the Four Rings retained as its logo.

It is said that the designer of Citroën's emblem wasn't paid very much so he didn't put much effort into the job. That's a lie, because the origins of the emblem date back directly to the brand's founder, Andre Citroën, acquiring the rights to a helical gear design he would use in the differentials of his early cars. The gears as they moved formed a 'dual chevron' pattern which young Andre adopted as the symbol for his cheap and simple products. As Citroën's presence in the world market grew, the emblem would become more sophisticated while always maintaining its very recognisable shape.

Without Ferrari and its autocratic founder, there would have very likely been no Lamborghini. Tractor manufacturer Ferruccio Lamborghini bought a Ferrari but found so many problems he complained and received an unsatisfactory response. In a huff, Lamborghini engaged designers and the world's greatest automotive stylists to begin work on the first Lamborghini sports cars. The emblem needed to be more aggressive and evocative than a prancing horse so Lamborghini, who had a long-held admiration for the art of bullfighting, chose a bull with its head down and charging aggressively. Presumably his rivals over at Ferrari were able to interpret the message. Various models built by Lamborghini, including Miura and Espada, also had bullfighting connotations.

If you like cars steeped in history and with just a little chaos in their imagery then perhaps look for an Alfa Romeo. The brand began life in 1910 as plain old A.L.F.A. (Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobil if you needed to know) before being taken over by engineer Nicola Romeo and renamed. The origins of the Alfa Romeo symbol are a good deal more complex however and open to interpretation. On one side the stylised red cross is an emblem of  Milan, dating back to the era of the Crusades. To the right is a convoluted rendering of a snake with a human figure in its jaws. This element of the Alfa emblem is said to represent the House of Visconti - a famous Milanese family. Other interpretations portray the serpent as a religious symbol either devouring its rivals or giving new life. Either way it is a vastly more interesting automotive badge than most.

Dominance of transport on 'Land, Sea and Air' is the official explanation for a symbol that sits alongside those of Volkswagen and Rolls-Royce as the most recognisable in the automotive world. However, the 'Tri-Star' as it has become known had its origins in 1872; many years before dominance of anything would have been contemplated by the pioneering Daimler family. Three and four-pointed versions were trade-marked and in 1926 when Daimler merged with Benz, each business contributed an element to the business's new symbol; the wreath from sports-oriented Benz and Daimler's star. Originally the background was blue, changing to silver in 1934.

Should you hear a car lover refer to one of these elegant English saloons as a 'Royce' rather than the more common 'Rolls' there is a reason. The entwined Rs that form the brand's logo celebrate the surnames of engineer Henry Royce who was largely responsible for the brand's astonishing quality and Charles Royce (the Hon.) who was a car salesman with contacts that ensured Royce's products received notice in the right places. Even more familiar than the conjoined Rs is a symbol that began life as one Rolls-Royce owner's flight of fantasy. Arms outstretched and minimally garbed, the 'Spirit of Ecstasy' was inspired by a figurine fitted to his car by the owner in tribute to his much younger lover. Although the design has changed several times and been absent from some models, it survived as a feature of Rolls-Royce cars for over 100 years.

Just who designed the simple but universally recognisable Volkswagen logo is unknown, but that person certainly knew who was signing the cheques. The initial 'VW' roundel featured elements of the Nazi swastika, displayed in a way that echoed an ancient Nordic symbol for 'victory'. It also looked more than a little like an industrial fan which was probably the main reason the design changed in 1939. When in 1945 the Volkswagen design fell into British hands and the decision was taken to resume production, a simplified version of the 1939 logo was used. As years passed and Volkswagen became more technically advanced, the character of its badge changed as well. Today, while retaining the same basic 'V atop W' layout, the effect is more complex and three-dimensional. The badge, even on larger models like the Amarok, is also less confronting than it had been when a symbol the size of a dinner plate decorated early Kombi vans.

'Australia's Own Car' began life as 'Australia's Own Carriage' with horse-drawn vehicles the staple products of Holden & Frost. During World War I when motor vehicles were in short supply, Holden expanded into motor body building and in 1928 commissioned a logo showing a lion rolling a stone; said to be a depiction of human-kind's inspiration to invent the wheel. In 1948 when Australia finally did get a car of its own, the logo was incorporated into the 48-215 model's grille and large, domed hubcaps. The emblem changed in 1969, 1994, 2014 and most recently in 2016 but no attempt to modify the symbolism of the brand ever eliminated the lion playing with his ball of stone.

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