History of Car Marque Logos
January 2002 - Some are bold, some... elegant. Automotive logos -- also known as badges or emblems -- have been around since the creation of cars.
Marty Bufalini has been researching cars for 40 years. He says emblems help automakers set their cars apart - giving them their own personality. Today logos may be designed with lots of research, but that wasn't the case at the turn of the century - especially for the Chevrolet "bowtie."
"Story has it that William Durant who founded GM, saw a similar pattern on wallpaper in a Paris Hotel, took a liking to it for some reason and adapted it for the Chevrolet emblem," said Bufalini, an automotive historian and author.
The first Pontiac logo was named after Indian Chief Pontiac and featured his profile. It later evolved into a red arrowhead. And while some logos have changed quite a bit over the years - the trend seems to be heading back to the original styles.
"Whether you're 8 or 80 you recognize the Cadillac symbol," said Greg Wallace of the Cadillac Historical Collection. "The crest comes from the Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac family, the French explorer who discovered the straits of Detroit in 1701."
The Cadillac Crest has been modified about 30 times during its 100-year history.
