The Evolution Of Car Logos

The three-pronged star that’s become synonymous with Mercedes-Benz was first introduced in 1909 and is designed to represent the brand’s domination of the land, sea and air.

The silver colour was chosen to reflect the close connection the brand has with racing, which began with the Grand Prix at Nürburgring in 1934. Legend has it that when one of their cars exceeded the eligible weight in the pre-race checks, the Mercedes-Benz team spent the night polishing off the white paint, stripping it back to its raw silver colour to make it lighter.

The Kia logo started out life wildly different from today’s version, in fact, you could say it had a closer resemblance to the Mitsubishi logo, rather than the badge we associate with Kia. The second design took another left turn, opting for an ‘upside down Q’ in an uncharacteristic green.

From 1994, the 4^th version of the logo remained relatively unchanged until 2020, becoming the most recognisable Kia badge. Since then, the brand has dropped the trademark oval and decided on a more streamlined look for the ‘KIA’ name.

Volkswagen is another entry on this list which features a relatively unchanged logo design since its first version. Consistently comprising of a ‘V’ sitting on top of a ‘W’ and a surrounding circle, the badge has become synonymous with reliability and quality.

Since 1967, the logo had included a variation of white, silver and shades of blue, however, the 2019 version opted for a sleeker style in just black and white, taking inspiration from the classic 1937-’60 designs.

Rolls-Royce has long been associated with class and quality, producing premium cars that have become something of a statement piece for their owners. Starting out as an elaborate crest-style design, the logo has since been hugely simplified to just two overlapping R’s.

Having become well-established as a luxurious brand, Rolls-Royce decided to let its cars do the talking, with its model design arguably becoming more recognisable than the logo itself. The Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstasy can take a lot of credit for the brand’s iconic status as it was introduced to every model in 1911.

Although the Audi logo borrows the same concept as the famous Olympics logo, featuring interlocking rings, the two aren’t related. The only similarity they do share though, is that the rings are used to represent the unity of separate things, or in Audi’s case, four different car manufacturers.

Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer merged to form Auto Union AG, with each of the rings associated to each company respectively. As of 2021, Audi was acquired by Volkswagen Group, alongside Lamborghini, Ducati and Bentley.

Porsche is one of the world’s most renowned sports car manufacturers with a range of stunning models under their belt, from roadsters to the more recent SUV releases. Contrasting their diverse lineup of models is their logo, which has remained largely unchanged since the 50s.

The design was originally inspired by Stuttgart’s coat of arms, which features a rearing black stallion. This iconography was incorporated into the 1952 design which also featured the Porsche name and antlers placed inside segments opposite black and red stripes. Undergoing its latest design updated in 2023, the Porsche logo was given a 3D and slightly metallic look.

When looking back at the evolution of these car logos, it's impressive to see how many have changed dramatically since their very first designs. If you’re keen to get your hands on any of the above badges (and of course the car it’s attached to), then explore our range of brand new cars to find your dream motor.

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