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History Behind the Formation of Top Automobile Brands Logo

Getting stuck in traffic is always an irritating task because at one side where you are concerned about getting late to your office on the other side you also have to crawl your car hearing horns blown by your fellow drivers. But next time when you face any such situation this blog will undoubtedly hit your memory and you will enjoy getting stuck in traffic because it will give you a chance to impress your co-passengers telling them the history associated with different logos mounted on different cars.

Well, before preceding ahead it would be interested to ask yourself honestly that do you really know the history behind the evolution of brand logos that have become the replica of various car manufacturers. Definitely your answer would be no, because since out childhood, we had only known different cars with their logos only. So, today we bring you history behind the logos of your favorite cars to let you know the theory associated with the evolution of the brand logos.

Audi:
The initiative of Audi’s four circles initially goes to August Horch who by profession was an engineer, who in beginning started working for Karl Benz but in later years established his own company named as A. Horch & Cie. But almost after a decade, he was terminated from his own founded company and founded a new company continuing the brand name Horch. But after sometime one of his former partners sued against him and again A. Horch had to search a new name for his company. It was at that point, name of Audi came into existence for first time. It would be interested to know that all this also happened suddenly while Horch was discussing name of his company with his partner Franz Fikentscher, name of Audi was suggested by son of Franz.

You can also read: Top 10 Amazing Facts about the Audi

“During this meeting Franz's son was quietly studying Latin in a corner of the room. Several times he looked like he was on the verge of saying something but would just swallow his words and continue working, until he finally blurted out, "Father - audiatur et altera pars... wouldn't it be a good idea to call it audi instead of horch?". "Horch!" in German means "Hark!" or "listen", which is "Audi" in Latin. The idea was enthusiastically accepted by everyone attending the meeting. (Source: Wikipedia, A History of Progress (1996) - Chronicle of the Audi AG)”

In 1932 the Auto Union of four companies namely Audi, Horch, DKW, and Wanderer joined hands to form a group known as Audi. The four circles representing Audi symbol are replica of these four companies.

Aston Martin:
The corner stone of Aston Martin was laid by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford who founded a company in 1913 named as Martin & Bamford Limited, which in later years came to be known as Aston Martin. In the beginning their group developed singers racing cars, but as both of them wanted to developed their personal cars. As the result of which the first car developed by them was named as Aston Martin which was inspired by the names of Lionel Martin and Aston Clinton. The name of Aston Martin cars came into limelight in 1959 when director Ian Fleming got his super spy Jamers Bond driving Aston Martin DB Mark III. It would not be wrong to say that it was only after that the logo of Aston Martin got recognition amongst the car enthusiasts across the world.

BMW:
The origin of BMW dates back to 1931 when Karl Friedrich Rapp and Gustav Otto owners of two air craft manufacturing companies joined hands to form a company known as BMW or Bavarian Motor Works. But the initiative of establishing BMW as one of the renowned car manufacturing companies mainly goes to Josef Popp, Max Friz and Camillo Castiglioni. The circled logo of BMW is representative of rolling propeller installed in Bavarian Luftwaffe. The aircrafts developed at that time were garnished in regional car and the Bavarian Flag comprised of blue and white colors.

Ford:
The U.S. based company was founded by Henry Ford which was the third automobile company owned by him. It was in 1902 when Henry Ford laid the foundation stone of this new company named as Ford & Malcomson Ltd, but because of poor sales he was not able to even pay his mandatory bills. As an impact of which the suppliers of raw material to Dodge brothers, John and Horace. It was at that time when one of his partners tried to convince the Dodge duo to continue the supply and accept some shares in company which was later renamed as Ford Motor Company.

Fiat:
For car enthusiasts, Fiat is an Italian car manufacturing company. But do you know when this company was founded. It was back in 1899 when a group of investors founded a company known as Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino. The group in later years was headed by Mr. Giovanni Agneli investing his shares costing $400 in forming the group. The logo of Fiat, the “Scrabble Tiles” was developed in 1960 by its chief designer.

Mercedes-Benz:
The formation of this German luxurious car manufacturing company comprises of the then two renowned companies Daimler-Motored-Gesellschaft or DMG, founded by Gottlieb Daimler (along with Wilhelm Maybach), and Benz & Cie, founded by Karl Benz. The factories of Daimler and Benz was located at distance of 60 miles and they were unaware about their erstwhile work. After World War-I, the German economy was almost shattering and then it was at that time both of them developed a syndicate in 1924 under which both of them used to sale their products independently. After which it was in 1926 both of them jointed their companies as Daimler-Benz.

Renault:
At the age of 21 when every youth works hard to make his dreams come true, Louis Renault had succeeded in meeting his dream true by developing a car at the back portion of his house. Interestingly his car received an encouraging response from buyers and he started receiving orders for the same. It was in 1898 when Louis along with his brother and friends founded a company named as Société Renault Frères. In 1900 it was for the first time when the logo of company was generated comprising of three signatures from Renault brothers namely Louis, Ferdinand and Marcel. But after six years in 1906 the logo of company was changed comprising of front fascia of car merged with gear wheel. After that in 1925 the logo of Renault again underwent a change in diamond shaped and continues till date with modifications introduced in 1972 by Victor Vasarely.

Volkswagen:
After the World War-I the economy of Germany was almost disturbed and the prices of cars had gone to sky that it was not possible for car aspirants to buy a car. It was the time when Hitler was appointed as the Chancellor of Germany and then it was during the Berlin Auto Show 1933 that he asked car manufacturers to develop a car that is affordable for everyone.

It was during the same time when Ferdinand Porsche had also developed an un-usual but cheaper car which in later years was named as Volkswagen Bettle. It was in 193 when Porsche had a meeting with Hitler who asked him to develop a car with certain features comprising of top speed of 100 kmph, five seater comprising of two adult passengers and three children. And then finally it was in 1937 when Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH came into existence.

But in World War-II when Germany got defeated the ownership of Volkswagen factory went into the hands of British government, which after talking to various established car makers of that period to take over the charge of Volkswagen in their hands. But receiving disappointing reply from all of them the charge of company was handed back to the then ruling government of Germany. The current logo of Volkswagen was designed by Franz Xavier Reimspiess,, who worked with Porsche and participated in the competition organized for finalizing the logo of company.

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