Car Brands A­Z Car Brands Full List Car Brands By Country Car Logos » History About Us Privacy Policy Contact Us Search the site Search An Introduction to Car Brands CAR LOGOS For the majority of people across the world, cars are a part of everyday life, and for most of CAR BRANDS us a necessity. This particular everyday commodity is produced by several car brands, and they come in just about any color imaginable. Every person has their own unique Six Retired Designers Showcase characteristics and there’s a kindred car soul out there to take you on the path of life’s Their Dream Car Design journey in comfort and style. The VW Diesel Scandal: Like a soul mate, you just have to find it. So how do you choose from this almost endless Everything You Need to Know pool of possibilities? Well it’s a different process for everyone, but we’re here to help guide you through the world of automobiles. Enjoy the Ride: The Rise of the Driverless Car Toyota Ushers in Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars in 2016 The Southern 500 Goes Back to Darlington Raceway The Top 10 North American Race Tracks The Mad Max Cars – Beneath The Metal and Spikes This decision can be tough to make with so many different types to choose from. It all becomes easier when you have a clear idea of what you want from your car. For example, if you are a single man with money to spend, you may want to go with a luxury car brand that oozes with style, while the family man may be looking for a model that is known for having top of the line safety features. There’s good news for consumers though, all most all of the work that needs to be done in differentiating these types of cars can be done online. The start of the process is choosing the type of vehicle that best fits your personal lifestyle For example, if you decide on a midsize sedan, you will soon discover that your desired vehicle class comes in many different options. All of the major brands have a vehicle represented in this class, because it is one of the most popular types of vehicles on the market. Automobile Logos Finally, another thing that you should pay attention to is what each brand brings to the table. Just as some are experts in creating luxury models, others are better known for producing great fuel­efficient compact cars. Do a little research on the brand, as well as the models that they manufacture, and you may very well find the perfect fit for you and your life. Clearly there are a lot of choices when it comes to automobiles. One way that different companies establish their brand is by the car logo. Car logos represent a symbol for brand names of cars. Some logos have evolved over the years and some haven’t changed much. The Ford Motor Company Logo Ford Logo The logo for the American made Ford started with a more intricate design displaying “Ford Motor Co., Detroit, Mich.”. In 1912 it was revolutionized into the one word “Ford”, which is similar to the design logo we now recognize today. Interestingly the way that the Ford was written was stylized based on Henry Ford’s signature, the founder of Ford Motor Company. The oval shaped logo design of the current Ford logo was first introduced in 1912. This shape was the bases for all its predecessor. The BMW Logo BMW Logo The logo for the German made BMW started with a very similar design to the one that we see today. On today’s BMW logo we see a silver lined circle with silver lettering, and in the original design it was gold lined with gold lettering. The logo’s design was created by Ottmar Rapp, who was Karl Rapp’s brother. Karl Rapp was the founder of Rapp Motorenwerke GmbH, which later became BMW AG. The blue and white sections of the BMW logo were originally created to symbolize the Bavarian national flag which has a white and blue pattern. In the late 1920s, the blue and white sections were perceived to represent a rotating propeller. This interpretation was formed because the BMW brand actually started out manufacturing aircrafts. The Volkswagen Logo Volkswagen Logo The logo for the German made Volkswagen started with a “V” and a “W” integrated together surrounded by what appears to be a rotating propeller design. This original concept was pre­ World War II. The “V” and “W” in the design represent the word Volkswagen, which is German for “people’s car”. The design was modified in 1945 into a variation of the circular logo that we know as Volkswagen today. The logo has had several variations and small changes made over the years. Many of them included the blue and silver colors, and every single design included the “V” and “W”. The Peugeot Logo Peugeot Logo The logo for the French made Peugeot started in 1847 as a lion standing on an arrow. The Peugeot family originally started, this now automobile company, as a coffee mill company in 1810. The Peugeot family reinvented the company as an automobile manufacturer in 1882. The lion symbol trademark was applied for in 1858, by Emile Peugeot. Over the many years the Peugeot brand logo has evolved, but it has always incorporated the lion as the main focal point. We first saw the upward standing lion design in 1948, which is now a part of the present Peugeot logo. The Kia Logo Kia The logo for the South Korean made Kia began in 1944 as a triangular design with the word “Kia” written within the middle of the logo. The word “Kia” is taken from the Sino­Korean word ki, which means to come out and the “a” is a representing of Asia. Put together the word symbolizes to come out of Asia. The design took a drastic change in 1964, and was changed to a green circle with a half slash through the top part of the circle. In 1986 the company reverted back to incorporating the word “Kia” within the design. We began to see a similar design to the present logo in 1994, which still keeps the word “Kia” as the main focus. History of Automobiles To truly appreciate how far automobiles have progressed, it helps to have knowledge of their history. Non­traditional automobiles such as the first steam powered automobile, capable of human transportation, have been around since the late eighteenth century. The automobile has gone through several eras of progression to provide us with the modern day multi­ capable powerhouse machines, which we now encounter and rely on daily. There was the Brass era, as known as the Edwardian era, which began in 1905 and continued through until World War I. During the Brass era, automobile technology was rapidly advancing thanks to a great number of manufacturers and their competition for recognition. After this era there was the Vintage era. The Vintage era began at the end of World War I and continued on until Wall Street Crash of 1929. This era was predominantly known for the front­engine and closed body design. Internal combustion engine designs were quickly developing, creating V8, V12, and V16 engines. During this era, Malcolm Loughead, the co­ founder of Lockheed (now known as Lockheed Martin) invented hydraulic brakes. The first automatic transmission and tempered glass were also invented during the Vintage era. Following the Vintage era was the Pre­World War II era. This Pre­World War II era was the first part of the Classic era of cars, and began with the Great Depression in 1930 and ended around 1946. This era integrated fenders, running boards, headlights, and fully closed bodies into the design. Front­wheel drive and independent suspension was re­invented for automobile during this era. The second part of the Classic era was the Post­War era. This era started after the end of World War II and continued throughout the 1970s. The Post­War era revolutionized the body style of cars to the Ponton style. During this era, car speeds increased as well as their engine power. Many automobile brands began marketing internationally, causing a boost in car importing and exporting. The last era is the current Modern era. This era picks up where the Classic era left off and begins us to today’s cars. This era added new technology and style designs to what we now see today for automobiles. The Modern era has given us all­wheel drive, computer­aided design, SUVs, hatchbacks, better fuel efficiency just to name a few things. History of Different Automobile Brands There are some people that will simply choose a car based on the design. However, in order to get the best value for your money, you should dig a little deeper into each of the automobile brands and their history. You may find two vehicles that look similar and are priced the same, when in reality, they are quite far apart when it comes to details like standard features and fuel economy. Another thing to consider when looking at cars is how well they hold up over the years. The truth is that some automobile brands tend to have a better resale value than others, which is something that can be important if you plan on doing a trade­in or selling the vehicle at a later date. This can be valuable information to have as well if you’re looking into purchasing a pre­owned car.