American cars are amongst the most popular cars in the world. There were over 1.800 automobile manufacturers in the United States from 1896 to 1930. However, only few of them survived, while many new ones were started after that period.
Car logos are an important part when it comes to advertising and brand identity, but they can also provide excellent visual image for the auto consumers.
Check out our list of the most popular American car logos and their meanings!
Chrysler
Chrysler is one of the biggest and most popular American automobile manufacturers.
The Chrysler Corporation was founded by Walter Chrysler in 1925, but the company greatly expanded in 1928, when it acquired the Fargo truck company and the Dodge Brothers Company and began selling vehicles under those brands. The Chrysler logo underwent many changes over the years. Today’s logo is very different from the original one. In 2007, Chrysler revived the Pentastar logo, but in updated form. Chrysler cars retained a modified version of the winged logo.
Dodge
Formally known as the Dodge Division of Chrysler Corporation, Dodge is another famous American car brand. The Dodge Brothers Company was founded by brothers Horace Elgin Dodge and John Francis Dodge in 1900, and was originally a supplier of parts and assemblies for Detroit-based automakers. The company began building automobiles in 1915, predating the founding of Chrysler Corporation.
The original Dodge logo was a circle with two interlocking triangles forming a six-pointed star in the middle. An interlocked “DB” was at the center of the star, and the words “Dodge Brothers Motor Vehicles” encircled the outside edge. However, since than the Dodge logo underwent several changes. 2010, with the separation of the Ram brand, two new Dodge logos were unveiled. The first logo features the word “Dogde” with two inclined stripes, while the second one was the same five-point shield-shaped outline of the old emblem, but the ram’s head was replaced with a chrome cross reminiscent of the brand’s signature cross-haired grille.
Ford
Ford is one of the largest and most successful American automakers. The Ford Motor Company was founded by Henry Ford in 1903. The Ford blue oval logo is one of the most recognisable trademarks in the world. The original logo was designed by C. Harold Will at the very beginning of the company. The first Ford oval logo was used to advertise the Ford as the “hallmark for reliability and economy” in 1907. By combining the script and oval, the Ford company created their definitive logo in 1911. The logo was last updated in 2003, on the company’s 100th anniversary. Ford’s simple and elegant logo is widely considered as one of the best car logos in the world.
Chevrolet
Chevrolet is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM) and one of the leading car brands in the world. The company was founded by Louis Chevrolet and William C. Durant in 1911 as the Chevrolet Motor Car Company. The Chevrolet logo was designed by the founder of Chevrolet and General Motors, William Duran. There are many different stories about the history of the Chevrolet logo. According to one, Durant saw the pattern on a wallpaper of a hotel in Paris. However, his wife has stated that he saw the logo in a newspaper during their vacation and he thought that this could be a good logo for the Chevrolet. Other explanation attributes this design to a stylized version of the cross of the Swiss flag. The first bowtie logo without embedded text first appeared in 1985, as a part of an ad campaign. In 2004, the company began to phase-in the gold bowtie that today is the brand identity for all Chevrolet vehicles.
Cadillac
Cadillac is a division of General Motors Company, that markets luxury vehicles worldwide. Cadillac is the second oldest American car brand and among the oldest brands in the world. Cadillac was founded from the remnants of the Henry Ford Company in 1902. The company was named after Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac, who is the founder of Detroit, Michigan. The Cadillac logo has undergone many changes over the years, but the Crest has always remained as a consistent symbol of this iconic brand. In January, 2014 the Cadillac logo underwent a re-design and the company unveiled their completely new logo. The new Cadillac logo is sleeker, widens the crest and drops the iconic wreath symbol that first made its debut in 1902.
