About this video

• Video Title: Every Car Logo Explained
• Channel: Speeed
• Speakers: Not explicitly stated, but appears to be a single narrator.
• Duration: 00:27:05

Overview

This video explores the origins and meanings behind various automotive logos, categorizing them into wordmarks, pictorial marks (objects and animals), abstracts, and crests. It delves into the historical, cultural, and sometimes personal stories that led to the creation and evolution of these iconic brand symbols.

Key takeaways

• Wordmarks: Many logos are based on the company name or founder's signature, like Ford's script or Hummer's redesign to match its grille.
• Pictorial Marks (Objects): Symbols like wings, often associated with luxury and the Art Deco period, are common. Other object-based logos represent mechanical origins (Citroën's gear teeth, Tesla's motor rotor) or geographical connections (Lada's Slavic boat, Plymouth's Mayflower).
• Pictorial Marks (Animals): Animals are frequently used, symbolizing traits like speed (Jaguar), power (Lamborghini's bull), or historical significance (Ferrari's prancing horse).
• Abstracts: Some logos, like Chevrolet's bowtie or Toyota's ellipses, have meanings that are not immediately obvious and can be interpreted in multiple ways, sometimes sparking debate.
• Crests: Many logos are derived from family crests or historical seals, signifying heritage and pedigree, such as those of Cadillac, Porsche, and BMW.

Here are all the car logos discussed in the video, categorized as presented:

Category 1: Wordmarks / Monograms (Based on Company Name)

• Chevy (Bowtie - also discussed under Abstracts)
• Ferrari (Bucking Stallion - also discussed under Animals)
• Toyota (Sombrero - also discussed under Abstracts)
• Hummer (Redesigned for the Hummer EV grille)
• Ford (Henry Ford's signature, Blue Oval)
• Mazda (Originally shared with Mitsubishi, now an "M" like wings)
• Suzuki (Distinctive "S" shape, previously made by two birds)
• Kia (Intended as a handwritten signature, perceived as "KN")
• Smart (Intentionally uses "C" for compact with an arrow)
• Lexus (Rendered using a precise mathematical formula, symbolizes curves/aerodynamics, looks like an "L")
• Cchu (Includes the number seven for Super 7)
• Lotus (Initials of founder Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman)
• Rolls Royce (RR Monogram, Spirit of Ecstasy)

Category 2: Pictorial Marks (Objects)

• Bentley (Wings)
• Aston Martin (Wings)
• Morgan (Wings)
• Genesis (Wings, for Hyundai)
• Chrysler (Multiple winged logos over the years)
• Skoda (Three-feathered wing with an eye and arrow, inspired by Native American headdresses)
• Pontiac (Native American arrowhead inspiration)
• BlackVue (Hummingbird, representing dash cams)
• Oldsmobile (Rocket, for engines and models)
• Citroën (Dual helical gear teeth, referencing founder's patent)
• Tesla (Cross-section of an electric induction motor rotor)
• Acura (Pair of calipers, for accuracy)
• Nissan (Red circle for Japanese rising sun)
• Datsun (Red circle for Japanese rising sun)
• Fisker (Setting sun over the Pacific, designer's pen, engineer's ruler)
• Subaru (Six stars, Pleiades star cluster)
• Noble (Crown formed by two "ends")
• Great Wall (Looks like a big wall)
• Infinity (Road running to the horizon)
• Lada (Slavic boat)
• Plymouth (Mayflower boat)
• Callaway (Three stripes resembling cars, red/white/blue for America, resembles Netherlands flag)
• Saturn (Planet Saturn)

Category 3: Abstracts

• Renault (Rhombus shape)
• Opel (Lightning bolt, originally from the Opel Blitz truck)
• Chevrolet (Bowtie, rumored inspiration from Parisian hotel wallpaper)
• Toyota (Three overlapping ellipses, representing unification of hearts)
• NIO (Top symbol: sky, bottom: earth)
• Tog (Two arrows, representing where East and West meet)
• Rivian (Four arrows, points of a compass)
• Audi (Four rings, representing the four merged companies of Auto Union)
• Mercedes (Derived from Benz logo and Daimler's three-pointed star)
• Lincoln (Continental star)
• Polestar (Two chevrons, disputed with Citroën)
• Volvo (Circle and arrow, symbol for iron in alchemy)
• Mitsubishi (Three diamonds)
• McLaren (Papaya color evolution from checkered flag chevrons)
• Dodge (Three triangles, referred to as "Fratzog"; also had a Ram logo)
• Alpina (Throttle body and camshaft)

Category 4: Animals

• Ram (For Dodge)
• Jaguar
• Eagle
• Peugeot (Lion, originally for pepper mills)
• Holden (Lion rolling a stone)
• Ferrari (Prancing horse, originally for Italian flying ace Francesco Baracca)
• Lamborghini (Bull, chosen by founder Ferruccio Lamborghini)
• Shelby (Cobra, named by AC, logo designed by Peter Brock)
• Saab (Griffin - half eagle, half lion, from the coat of arms of Scania)

Category 5: Crests / Emblems

• Königsegg (Christian Von Königsegg's family coat of arms)
• Gordon Murray (Murray family crest)
• Buick (David Dunbar Buick's Scottish family crest)
• Cadillac (Antoine De La Mothe Cadillac's family crest)
• SSC (Created crest with checkered flag, stag, Latin "In Veritate Victoria")
• De Tomaso (Used Argentinian flag and a cattle brand symbol)
• B.A.R. (Created crest with Italian tricolors, yellow for Murano, red for racing, and a scorpion for founder's zodiac sign)
• Bugatti (Emblem called "Macaron," with founder's initials and dots)
• Porsche (Derived from the seal of Stuttgart and the state of Württemberg-Hohenzollern)
• BMW (Roundel, based on the flag of Bavaria)
• Alpha Romeo (Red cross of Milan and the Biscione snake symbol)