Today, car logos have become a powerful representation of brand identity. While some logos depict abstract shapes and hidden meanings, one symbol stands out among the rest – the wings. Wings have long been a popular choice in the automotive industry, symbolizing speed and majesty. Many car brands incorporate wings into their visual identity, capturing the essence of their brand. In this article, we will explore some of the most popular and lesser-known automakers that have wings in their logos. Interestingly, most of these brands originate from Great Britain.
Mazda: A Subtle Japanese Interpretation
Let’s begin with Mazda, a Japanese automobile manufacturer that takes a unique approach to incorporate wings into its logo. Mazda’s logo, introduced in 1997, goes beyond traditional wings and instead stylizes the wings as the letter “M”. At first glance, it may appear to be simple wings, but upon closer inspection, the letter “M” becomes distinct. This logo perfectly embodies Mazda’s individuality and innovation.
Genesis: South Korean Elegance
Next on our list is Genesis, a luxury car manufacturer based in South Korea. This brand, established in 2015 as a division of Hyundai, has gained rapid popularity worldwide. The Genesis logo incorporates delicate silver wings into a sleek plaque with the brand name. This design exudes elegance and sophistication, reflecting the brand’s commitment to luxury.
MINI: Paying Homage to British Heritage
MINI, the iconic British brand acquired by BMW in 2000, also features wings in its logo. While the wings may not be immediately noticeable, a closer look reveals their presence. The modern MINI logo, introduced in 2001, showcases silver wings alongside the brand name written in capital letters on a black background. This badge symbolizes the brand’s values of speed, independence, and a unique approach to life.
Aston Martin: British Luxury and Ambition
Aston Martin, a renowned British high-end brand, has had wings in its logo since its inception in 1927. The emblem consists of a pair of white wings with the brand name placed in the middle. These white wings symbolize speed, independence, and ambition. Known for its luxurious and sought-after cars, Aston Martin’s logo represents its status as a prestigious brand.
Bentley: Wings of Wealth and Luxury
Another British luxury brand, Bentley, also incorporates wings into its emblem. Currently part of Volkswagen AG, Bentley showcases two rising wings in its logo. The emblem signifies Bentley as a pioneering brand, the first to soar with wings. These wings symbolize wealth, luxury, and a commitment to excellence. The Bentley logo is undeniably one of the most recognizable car badges ever created.
Chrysler: Iconic American Elegance
Chrysler, the American car brand owned by Italian Fiat, is known for its elegant logo. The Chrysler logo features two long silver wings with the brand name in capital letters set in the middle. It exudes professionalism and refinement, attracting those who appreciate timeless American craftsmanship. While British brands are often associated with wings, Chrysler proves that elegance knows no borders.
Stutz: Vintage American Luxury
Stutz, a historical American automaker from the early 20th century, also adopted wings in its logo. Established in 1911 and known for producing luxury cars, Stutz showcased a circular red emblem with a white wordmark and two small but noticeable blue wings. Although the brand ceased operations in 1935, its logo remains a symbol of its vintage American luxury.
Duesenberg: Retro American Excellence
Duesenberg, another historic American automaker, created iconic cars that are still highly sought after by collectors today. Its logo featured a sleek image of an eagle with elongated wings and a voluminous wordmark placed over it. Although Duesenberg closed its doors in 1937, its logo continues to represent the brand’s excellence and vintage appeal.
Rezvani: California Dreaming
Moving towards more contemporary brands, we come across Rezvani Motors, a progressive company based in California. Rezvani’s logo incorporates wings to emphasize its roots in aviation. The logo also features racing stripes and a steering wheel, symbolizing the brand’s automotive presence. Rezvani combines modern design with a bold and distinct logo.
London EV Company: Iconic London Cabs
Returning to British brands, we introduce the London EV Company (LEVC). This automotive engineering company, previously known as The London Taxi Corporation Limited, specializes in producing iconic London cabs. The LEVC logo features a glossy black circle with rounded silver wings on the sides. This design represents the company’s dedication to mobility innovation.
Lagonda: A Winged Heritage
Lagonda, a British luxury car brand established in 1906, has a logo similar to its famous owner, Aston Martin. The Lagonda logo showcases wings with the brand name written in the middle. This emblem signifies the brand’s long-standing heritage and connection to Aston Martin. Lagonda’s logo is a timeless representation of British automotive excellence.
Morgan: Evolution and Progress
Morgan, a family car company, has been crafting automobiles in Great Britain since 1910. The brand recently refreshed its logo, fully embracing wings as the central element. The logo represents the evolution and progress of the Morgan brand. Despite its simplicity, it holds a deep connection to the brand’s longstanding heritage.
JBA Motors: Retro Charm
JBA Motors, a UK-based company founded in Norwich, specializes in producing retro cars. The JBA Motors logo brilliantly reflects the essence of the brand, showcasing a horizontally oriented oval with silver wings and lettering enclosed within a thin oval frame. This logo perfectly captures the nostalgic charm of JBA Motors’ vehicles.
Suffolk Sportscars: Classic Elegance
Suffolk Sportscars, founded by Roger William in the 1990s, initially focused on production of the SS100s model. Over the years, the company expanded its portfolio, and today, it produces a range of classic cars. The Suffolk Sportscars logo represents elegance and sophistication with a red geometric crest, silver “SS” lettering, and two prominent silver wings.
Hillman: Geometric Wings
Hillman, a historical British automaking company, captured attention with its sharp geometric wings logo. Established in 1907 and closed in 1931, Hillman’s logo showcased triangular wing contours and a red hexagon in the middle, crossed by the wordmark. This logo exudes a sense of modernity and style.
Hispano-Suiza: Spanish Elegance
Hispano-Suiza, a Spanish automaker from the early 20th century, produced luxurious cars until 1936. Although the company did not survive World War II, its logo remains one of the most beautiful representations of winged insignia designs. The Hispano-Suiza logo features a red circle with a white Swiss cross and delicate curved wings in gold. This logo epitomizes Spanish elegance and craftsmanship.
Alta: Greek Stylishness
Alta, a Greek brand known for its reliable trucks and motorcycles, boasted a sleek winged emblem in red and silver. Its logo resembled a bat, with well-defined wing contours and a modern sans-serif typeface for the “Alta” inscription. This logo captured the essence of Greek style and reliability.
American LaFrance: Elegant Fire Vehicles
American LaFrance, a brand focused on the production of fire vehicles, lived from 1893 to 2014. Its logo featured a fancy silver badge with an elegant eagle sitting atop the nameplate. The graceful green bird exuded a sense of smoothness and elegance, reflecting the brand’s dedication to excellence.
American Austin: Mythological Wings
American Austin, a historical American automaker from 1929 to 1956, showcased a badge with a mythological creature outlined in a thick oval frame. The creature, facing left, featured smooth wings as the main element of the insignia. This logo added a touch of mythology to the brand’s image.
Anteros: Luxury Sports Cars
Anteros, an American luxury car brand, specializes in the production of high-performance sports cars. The brand’s logo features wings with a racing stripe motif, emphasizing its commitment to automotive excellence. The silver emblem and distinctive typography exude luxury and power.
Arash: Yellow and Black Finesse
Arash, a relatively young British car brand established in 1999, focuses on the production of high-performance sports cars. The Arash logo boasts a yellow and black crest with a stylized bird in flight, its wings elegantly spread. This logo exudes power and dynamism.
Arrinera: Polish Engineering Excellence
Arrinera, a Polish automaker established in 2008, specializes in the design and production of sports cars. The company’s logo features a sharp and stylish winged emblem with a silver stylized design. The wings, spread upward, represent progress and forward-thinking. Arrinera symbolizes the growing reputation of Polish engineering excellence.
Avion Voisin: French Elegance
Avion Voisin, a historical French automobile manufacturer from 1905 to 1946, focused on producing elegant and luxurious cars. Its logo showcased a massive car emblem on the bonnet, symbolizing speed and finesse. Avion Voisin’s logo exemplifies the brand’s commitment to elegance and sophistication.
Bandini: Italian Sports Cars
Bandini, an Italian automaker established in 1946, had a logo with bright red and gold accents. The logo featured a red and gold badge with a stylized image of wings on a bright yellow background. The blue and white nameplate on the bottom part added a touch of sophistication.
Bianchi: A Bicycle Legacy
Bianchi, one of the oldest and most renowned European bicycle manufacturers, originated in Italy in 1885. While the brand primarily focuses on bicycles, it also featured an ornate heraldic eagle with massive wings in a secondary logo. This logo pays homage to Bianchi’s rich heritage and reputation for quality.
Bignan: French Grace
Bignan, a French automaker established in 1918, had a logo that perfectly captured the brand’s elegance and grace. Its logo showcased a circular badge with a stylish stork, its graceful wings visible, placed on a banner with lettering. Bignan’s logo represents the brand’s commitment to sophisticated design.
Biddle: Classic American Appeal
Biddle, a historical American automaker, existed from 1915 to 1922. While the primary logo featured a minimalist modern design, their cars showcased a winged badge. This logo added a touch of charm and classic American appeal to the brand.
Bizzarrini: Italian Power and Style
Bizzarrini, an Italian automaker established in 1964, gained recognition for its powerful and stylish cars. The company’s logo featured a burgundy circle with a light bluebird in flight, its triangular wings representing freedom and independence. Bizzarrini’s logo embodied the brand’s commitment to creating unique automobiles.
Cole: American Nostalgia
Cole, an American automaker that operated from 1909 to 1925, captured the essence of nostalgia in its logo. The logo showcased a winged badge in silver, reflecting elegance and classic American craftsmanship. Cole’s logo represented the brand’s legacy and timeless appeal.
Changan: Chinese Innovation
Changan, one of the oldest automobile manufacturers in China, was established in 1962. The brand’s logo featured a stylized V-like wings emblem enclosed within a circular frame. This design, executed in a bright blue color, symbolizes innovation and the brand’s commitment to automotive excellence.
Donkervoort: Dutch Performance
Donkervoort, a progressive company from the Netherlands, specializes in designing and producing high-performance supercars. The Donkervoort logo combines wings with racing stripes and a steering wheel, representing the brand’s automotive presence. This logo signifies power and performance.
Durant: Timeless American Design
Durant, an American automotive manufacturer that existed from 1921 to 1931, showcased a logo with a classic and elegant design. The logo featured a vertically stretched crest in red, white, and blue, with a winged mythological creature placed in the upper blue section. This logo exemplified Durant’s commitment to timeless design.
FAW: Chinese Automotive Prowess
FAW, a Chinese manufacturer of commercial vehicles, has been a prominent automaker since its establishment in 1959. The FAW logo features a stylized V-like wings emblem in red over a smooth blue background. This logo represents the brand’s commitment to innovation and technical excellence.
Gumpert: German Engineering at its Finest
Gumpert, previously known as Apollo, is a German sports car manufacturer renowned for its high-performance vehicles. The Gumpert logo, in eye-catching red and yellow, features a white-winged mythological creature facing right. This elegant and modern crest elevates traditional elements to a new level.
Haima: Chinese Expertise
Haima, a Chinese automaker established in 1992, specializes in producing vehicles for various companies. The Haima logo consists of a stylized spear wing emblem over a small circular outline. The brand’s name is displayed in dark blue capitals, adding to the logo’s sleek and modern appearance.
Hawk Cars: British Charm
Hawk Cars, a relatively unknown British automaker, captures attention with its logo. The logo features a flying hawk enclosed in a circular frame, symbolizing the brand’s commitment to British charm and style. The bird’s wings, delicately spread in smooth rounded lines, add a touch of elegance.
Heinkel: German Ingenuity
Heinkel, a historical German automaker, excelled in both car and aircraft engine production. Its logo featured an italicized uppercase wordmark placed under a stylized letter “H” with a black wing extending from its horizontal bar to the left. This logo represented German ingenuity and craftsmanship.
Invicta: Timeless British elegance
Invicta, a not widely known British automaker, showcased a logo that exuded timeless elegance. The badge consisted of two wide wings and a vertical banner with the wordmark placed through its middle. Invicta’s logo captured the essence of classic British automotive style.
ISO Rivolta: Italian Pride
ISO Rivolta, an Italian automaker from 1953 to 1978, emphasized its pride in its logo. The logo showcased a white crest with thin Italian flag lines and a golden griffin with wings in clean distinct lines. The wordmark, placed on the bottom part of the crest, used narrowed black sans-serif capitals. The ISO Rivolta logo embodied Italian excellence and craftsmanship.
Isdera: German Innovation
Isdera, a German high-performance car manufacturer, has embraced innovation in its logo. The logo features a vertical rectangle with rounded corners, a sky-blue background, and a bold black bird image with enlarged wings. The lowercase wordmark sits beneath the winged emblem. Isdera’s logo embodies power and forward-thinking design.
Jensen Motors: British Heritage
Jensen Motors, a historical British automaker that existed from 1922 to 2011, showcased a logo with a stylized representation of wings. The circular logo featured a winged emblem with straight lines and sharp angles. The brand name was usually placed in the middle of the winged image. Jensen Motors’ logo symbolized British automotive excellence and heritage.
Laraki: Moroccan Luxury
Laraki, a luxury automaker from Morocco established in 1999, boasts an elegant and modern logo. The logo consists of a black circular emblem with a silver wing and framing. The custom wordmark, displayed to the right of the emblem, exudes luxury and style. Laraki’s logo captures the essence of Moroccan craftsmanship and luxury.
Packard: Time-Honored American Legacy
Packard, a historical American automaker that existed from 1899 to 1956, had a logo with a classic and ornate design. The logo showcased an intricate crest in gold and red with many details and vignettes. The delicate image of a bird with its wings spread upright was placed on the crest, resembling a crown. Packard’s logo represented the brand’s legacy and timeless appeal.
Panther: British Style and Ferocity
Panther, a British automaker established in 1972, captured attention with its logo. The logo showcased two prominent wings and a vertical banner with the brand name placed in the middle. This logo exuded British style and a touch of ferocity.
Peerless: Timeless American Design
Peerless, a historical American automaker from 1900 to 1932, showcased a logo with classic American design elements. The convertible logo featured both a minimal modern emblem and a winged image when placed on the cars. This logo added a touch of charm and classic American appeal to the brand.
Qvale: Italian Elegance
Qvale, an Italian automaker established in 2000, had a sleek and elegant logo. Its logo featured a black oval with silver wings and silver lettering enclosed within a thin oval frame. This logo captured Italian elegance and style.
Rossion: American Power and Precision
Rossion, an American automaker specializing in high-performance sports cars, had a logo that represented power and precision. The logo featured a monochrome crest with arched sides and a white eagle with its wings spread upward and left. The custom white lettering along the upper border of the badge added to the logo’s impact.
Russo-Balt: Russian Excellence
Russo-Balt, a Russian historical car brand from 1909 to 1923, showcased a logo based on the heraldic symbol of the Russian Empire. The logo featured a golden eagle with two heads, sharp wing angles, and a crown above the two heads. Russo-Balt’s logo represented Russian automotive excellence and a sense of grandeur.
Simca: French Grace
Simca, a French automaker from 1934 to 1970, captured elegance and grace in its logo. The logo showcased a bright blue and pink crest with white lettering and a stylized swallow with elongated wings and sharpened ends. Simca’s logo represented French elegance and style.
SsangYong: Korean Reliability
SsangYong, a renowned Korean automaker established in 1954, had a logo that represented reliability and innovation. The logo featured a wreath of wings in silver and the brand name displayed in stable lettering. This logo exemplified SsangYong’s commitment to excellence and technical prowess.
Stoewer: German Craftsmanship
Stoewer, a historical German automaker from 1899 to 1945, showcased a logo that captured German craftsmanship. The logo featured a white griffin’s head with straight thin wings, symbolizing power and elegance. This logo demonstrated Stoewer’s commitment to excellence and automotive mastery.
Trojan: British Charm
Trojan, a British automotive manufacturer that existed from 1914 to 1965, showcased a logo with classic British charm. The logo featured a horizontal banner with lettering enclosed within a circular frame. The geometric wings on both sides added a touch of elegance to Trojan’s logo.
UAZ: Russian Durability
UAZ, a Russian automobile manufacturer established in 1941, showcased a logo that represented durability and ruggedness. The logo featured a stylized V-like wings emblem over a circular outline. This logo captured the essence of UAZ’s commitment to engineering excellence and rugged performance.
Vauxhall: British Heritage
Vauxhall, one of the oldest British car manufacturers established in 1857, showcased a logo that embodied British heritage and style. The logo featured a sleek silver winged griffin with a single wing, enclosed within a circular frame. This logo exuded a sense of power, determination, and timeless elegance.
Virago: Yamaha’s Legacy
Virago, an iconic model by Yamaha, had a logo that represented the brand’s legacy. The logo featured a winged emblem accompanied by the corporate Yamaha wordmark. The Virago emblem centered around a smooth black wing with its left part elongated, adding a touch of elegance to the logo. This logo encapsulated the Yamaha brand’s power and allure.
Venturi: French Precision and Style
Venturi, a luxury automaker from Monaco established in 1984, had a logo that represented precision and style. The logo featured an emboldened letter “V” with bars slightly extended on the ends, resembling two wings. This logo, combined with a bold custom typeface, encapsulated Venturi’s commitment to innovation and technical excellence.
Wanderer: German Durability
Wanderer, a historical German brand, showcased a logo that represented durability and strength. The logo featured a yellow badge with wings, emphasizing Wanderer’s commitment to endurance and quality craftsmanship. This logo symbolized German engineering excellence.
Wuling: Chinese Reliability
Wuling, a relatively young Chinese automaker established in 2007, showcased a logo that represented reliability and technical excellence. The logo featured an abstract geometric winged badge executed in red parallelograms. Wuling’s logo symbolized the brand’s commitment to innovation and quality.
Conclusion
Car logos with wings are not only visually appealing but also carry a rich symbolism. They represent speed, elegance, and the essence of automotive excellence. From the renowned British luxury brands to the hidden gems of the automotive world, these logos capture the spirit and values of each brand. Whether it’s the classic charm of British heritage or the innovation of Chinese automakers, wings continue to soar as powerful symbols across the global automotive industry.
