Most car logos are so popular that drivers can instantly recognize a world famous brand simply by glancing at them while they’re on the road. Car logos are the car makers’ equivalent to an artist’s signature. And while they don’t offer anything in the way of functional parts, they do represent the designer and the speed and power of any particular brand. But how well do you know your car logos? Could you tell an Audi from a BMW or vice versa? Take this quiz and find out!
Most car logos are so popular that drivers can instantly recognize a world famous brand simply by glancing at them while they’re on the road. Car logos are the car makers’ equivalent to an artist’s signature. And while they don’t offer anything in the way of functional parts, they do represent the designer and the speed and power of any particular brand. But how well do you know your car logos? Could you tell an Audi from a BMW or vice versa? Take this quiz and find out!
The brand was founded in 1902 by Henry M. Leland and it is considered one of the oldest car companies on the planet. Their current logo uses a variety of colors which represent passion, excellence and creativity.
In 1988, Francis Ford Coppola made a film called “Tucker: The Man and His Dream.” But a lot of Americans were already familiar with Tucker, the man, and the company that gave us vehicles like the Tucker 48.
The sports cars manufacturer was founded by Ferdinand Porsche. Their logo symbolizes wealth, status and car performance. But the Coat of Arms of Stuttgart that they borrowed for their logo also represents where the company is headquartered, which is in Stuttgart, Germany.
The German manufacturer designs and manufactures luxury cars that are fitted with the most advanced technology in the industry. The four rings symbolize the four manufacturers of the Auto Union which include Audi, Horch, DKW and Wanderer.
August Horch was a German engineer who came up with the company in 1909, which is one of Germany’s greatest car manufacturers. But he decided to translate his last name to Latin, which is Audi.
They were founded in 1897 and joined General Motors in 1908 and they were the first company to offer their clients vehicles with automatic transmissions. Despite this, Oldsmobile went out of business in 2004.
The company was founded in 1954 after Nash and Hudson realized that they couldn’t make it on their own. So, they joined American Motors Corporation to compete with the Big Three. Despite this merging, they went out of business in 1988.
The Japanese company was founded in 1917, and the three diamonds represent integrity, reliability and success— three traits that have kept the brand in business. Another interesting fact about the company’s name is that it translates to diamond or rhombus.
The manufacturing company was founded in 1967 and is considered the 7th largest car maker in the world. The logo represents two humans, one of which is the customer and the other is the company, united as one. This was designed to symbolize trust and respect.
This sports car has been produced since 1953 and is still in production today. And since the Corvette is America’s most iconic sports car, the logo had to represent the bold style and cruising speed of the vehicle.
The manufacturing company was founded in 1911 and is America’s pride and joy thanks to its high-performance vehicles. As far as the logo is concerned, it is known as a bowtie, despite its cross-like appearance.
The American car manufacturing company was founded in Indiana in 1900 and remained in operation until 1937. One of the biggest hits the brand took was from the stock market crash of 1929 which made it difficult to continue making their high-end cars.
The manufacturer owned by General Motors initially operated independently before being reintegrated into GM. At the time, they marketed themselves as a different kind of car company, but that didn’t prevent them from later going out of business.
RAM Truck Division was founded in 2010 and it is a spin-off of the Dodge brand. Ironically, their logo, which features a sheep, representing strength, once belonged to Dodge.
The German car manufacturer was founded in 1937 and is one of the largest automakers in the world. In fact, their vehicles have a reputation for being both affordable and reliable.
This Japanese automaker was founded in 1946. In 2015, they became the eighth largest motorcycle and internal combustion engine manufacturer on the planet. Their headquarters are in Minato, Tokyo.
The American car maker was located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and went under the name Nash-Kelvinator Corporation from 1937 to 1954. Then they managed to survive until 1957 by merging with Hudson to create AMC.
They used to produce one of the most interesting cars in Central Europe, but now, they only exist as a truck company in the Czech Republic. In fact, their headquarters are in Koprivnice. They’re also considered the 3rd oldest car manufacturer in the world.
Although they went bankrupt in 1988, AMC was responsible for producing a number of muscle cars. And AMC is actually an acronym for American Motors Corporation.
The Hudson Motor Car Corporation began production in 1909 with the goal of selling cars for under $1,000. And after a year in production, they became the 11th largest carmaker on the planet. But their success was only momentary and they went out of business in 1954.
In 1928, Yoshisuke Aikawa founded a company called Nihon Sangyo, which later became Nissan. When Aikawa became part of the automotive world in 1933, he renamed the company Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Established by Walter P. Chrysler was the Plymouth brand, who were responsible for making cars that were attractive and affordable for younger buyers in North America. Unfortunately, Plymouth faced a lot of competition in the late 1990s and they couldn’t take the heat.
Delahaye was founded in 1894, but ended production in 1954 after 60 years in business. And yet, anyone who still has their hands on one of their car models, particularly the Bugatti or Citroen, is considered very lucky.
Badge engineering is when car manufacturers expand their lineups by using cars from an affiliated manufacturer and slapping their own badges on it. GM was known for doing this with the German brand Opel, which was owned by GM between 1929 and 2017.
The sub brand was founded in 1928 and was considered the most famous brand in the 1960s. But in 2010, the Great Recession took its toll and the brand went out of business.
The French car brand was established in 1810, and its logo goes all the way back to 1847, making it the oldest car logo in human history. The lion on the logo was used to represent the strength of the company.
Austin controlled 29% of the British car company. But in 1952, they merged with Morris Motors. And yet, this logo hasn’t been used by them since 1987.
The Japanese company was founded in 1970, but is now part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. However, its name is a combination of the words mitsu and hishi. Mitsu means three while hishi means diamond.
The company was originally called "Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens" but was later shorted to "Volkswagenwerk." Its origins came from 1930's Germany, but when WWII ended, the company became a leader in automotive manufacturing. Their original name translates to the People’s Car Company.
In 2014, the largest car manufacturer in Italy bought the remaining Chrysler shares and created the new company, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Their current logo made its debut in 2007 and it represents ongoing change.
The company is a luxury division of Nissan which started selling cars in North America way back in 1989. The logo represents various things, including the company’s approach to reaching new horizons in the world of automobiles.
The company’s name is an acronym and the business itself was founded in 1950. They became part of the Volkswagen Group after the manufacturer went public.
Zagato Milano was founded in Milan, Italy, in 1919. Over the years, they collaborated with various other companies, including Aston Martin. With their help, they were able to release unforgettable vehicles like the 1960 Aston Martin DB4 Zagato and the more modern DBS GT Zagato.
This car manufacturer became a subsidiary of Fiat Group Automobiles in 2007. Their logo is considered one of the best car logos in graphic design history. But the current version was modified in 2015 and had the colors reduced to dark blue, red and green.
The company’s logo origins date back to the 20th century when Italian fighter pilot Count Francesco Baracca painted a black horse on his plane. Then, Enzo Ferrari painted the same horse on his race cars for good luck. But he also added the yellow color of Modena, which was his birthplace, on the logo.
The company was created by Edsel Ford in 1928. By the 1940s, their primary mission was to make cars that would appeal to middle-income buyers. They were considered a sub brand of a major American car company and they stayed in business for 70 years until 2011.
The company was founded in 1852 and they were considered America’s most important car manufacturing company by the 1930s. But Studebaker began to struggle in the 1950s. The company finally closed its doors in 1967, but not before creating some of America’s most epic classic cars.
In 1929, Cadillac bought the Fisher Body Company in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania. This coachbuilder manufactured bodies for luxury car brands at the time.
Car enthusiasts may recall that Buick was responsible for muscle cars like the Riviera GS and the Skylark. And although their logo has undergone various changes over the years, they still keep the three shields that represent purity, dignity and grandeur.
The automaker was named after its co-founder. The other co-founder was William C. Durant. They’ve been around since 1911 and at the time, everyone thought that the brand name was foreign and exotic.
This formidable British car manufacturer was the country’s landmark in the automotive industry during the 20th century. But they stopped producing cars and now they produce motorcycles after the acquisition of Leyland Motors in the 1960s tanked their business.
Although Oldsmobile was the oldest American car company, it was named after its founder who started the company in 1897. The company was owned by General Motors before the automaker declared bankruptcy in 2004.
Fiat produced its first car, the Fiat 4 HP in 1899. Most people don’t know that Fiat is an acronym that honors Turin, the Italian city that the company was founded in.
BMW made its debut in 1912 after three German manufacturers merged to create a new company. The name is also translated from Bayerische Motoren Werke, which pays tribute to Bavaria, where the company was originally founded.
Before WWII, Packard Motor Car Company ranked high in the American automotive industry with their broad square frame cars. But after the war, they weren’t able to keep up with the Cadillac when it came to luxury vehicles.
The steel gray logo contains an L encased in an oval shape, which represents Lexus, one of the largest automakers of premium cars in Japan. It has slowly but steadily become a force to be reckoned with when compared to German luxury brands like BMW and Audi.
In its humble beginnings, Mazda was a tiny automaker. But when they released the Miata roadster, they became one of the 15 largest auto manufacturers. And their logo symbolizes the Hiroshima River and the letter M, and emphasizes the metallic nature of their vehicles.
Chrysler debuted the Hemi name in 1951 to represent their state-of-the-art engines with hemispherical combustion chambers. This type of engine provided stronger performance and was far more efficient than any other engine at the time.
Pininfarina is the Italian car design studio that was exclusively partnered with Ferrari for nearly 70 years. All Ferraris made between 1951 to 2017 were designed by Pininfarina with the exception of two models.
Dodge was the family name of the company’s founders, Horace Elgin and John Francis Dodge. The founders were brothers who created this American brand that is linked to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. The brand’s first vehicle was built in 1914.