Wings carry a number of associations: they may accompany angels, fairies, spirits, freedom, flying, dreams, and more. In logos, wings represent the release of creative energy.
The wings on a car logo usually symbolize speed, freedom, dreams and exploring boundaries.
The wings are a symbol of beauty so that some car companies use the shape of wings in their car logos. What do these symbols mean?
Aston Martin is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars and grand tourers. It was founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford. The winged design was first adapted in 1927, with the company’s name placed on a pair of white wings. It has since been overhauled and simplified, keeping in line with contemporary design aesthetics. A wing is a traditional symbol of speed, freedom, dreams and exploring boundaries.
Bentley is a British company that designs, develops, and manufactures luxury motorcars which are largely hand-built. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG. The “Big B” emblem of Bentley consists of 2 flying wings that signify Bentley’s oblique, a proud claim which Bentley is the nearest a car can become to having wings.
MINI is a British automotive marque, owned by BMW since 2000, and used by them for a range of small cars. The Mini logo, used since 2001, is inspired by earlier logos and features the brand name, written in uppercase letters, placed inside an elegant black circle, which is embedded between the silver wings that symbolize speed and freedom of expression.
Chrysler is an American luxury car brand and the longstanding premium marque of automaker FCA US LLC. The latest edition of Chrysler’s famous winged logo sees a pair of elegant silver wings matched with a Chrysler inscription on deep blue background in the middle.
Genesis Motors is the luxury vehicle division of the South Korean vehicle manufacturer Hyundai Motor Group. The Hyundai Genesis logo is a "Flying Wing" badge.
Mazda is a Japanese multinational automaker based in FuchÅ«, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The current Mazda logo has been in service since 1997. It features the company’s name features the name underneath a stylized representation of the letter “M”. The distinctive and gently curved “M” is strikingly clever and elegant, developing into the shape of stretched wings.
Lagonda is a British luxury car marque established in 1906, which has been owned by Aston Martin since 1947. The Lagonda logo represents wings with the company’s name written over it.
Morgan is a family-owned British motor car manufacturer that was founded in 1910 by Henry Frederick Stanley Morgan. Morgan recently updated their logo, In their words, “This evolution is a combination of the existing Wings, the version of the Wings found on the front of our cars and an update to make it more contemporary.”
Suffolk Sportscars Ltd is the magnum opus of Roger Williams. Roger started the business over 20 years ago, which was initially dedicated solely to the production of SS100s, then C-types and over the years diversifying into sales, maintenance, restorative works and internationally touring a variety of classic cars.
London EV Company Limited (LEVC) is an automotive engineering company with its headquarters in Coventry, United Kingdom, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chinese automaker Geely. The company is famous for its London black taxicabs.
JBA Motors was a company based in Norwich, Norfolk that makes the JBA Falcon. The company was originally named JBA Engineering and the name came from the first letter of the surnames of the three partners who founded the firm, Kenneth Glyn Jones, John Barlow, and David George Ashley.
Rezvani Motors is an automotive designer and manufacturer of high-performance supercars based in Irvine, California. The Rezvani emblem uses wings to represent our roots in aviation; racing stripes and steering wheel represent the brand's passion and dedication to driving.
Hillman is a British automobile marque created by the Hillman Motor Car Company, founded in 1907. The company was based in Ryton-on-Dunsmore, near Coventry, England.
Hispano-Suiza was a Spanish automotive/engineering company and, after World War II, a French aviation engine and components manufacturer. It is best known for its luxury cars and aviation engines pre-World War II.
The Stutz Motor Car Company of America, Inc., was an American producer of high-end sports and luxury cars based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. Production began in 1911 and ended in 1935.
Duesenberg Motors Company (sometimes referred to as "Duesy") was an American manufacturer of race cars and high-end luxury automobiles. It was founded by brothers August and Frederick Duesenberg in 1913 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where they built engines and race cars. With the market for expensive luxury cars severely undercut by the Great Depression, Duesenberg folded in 1937.
Alta was a Greek manufacturer of light and heavier three-wheeler trucks, motorcycles, and passenger cars. The truck, featuring a pleasant design and high reliability became one of the most successful vehicles of its kind in Greece.
The Bottome Line
Overall, the wings on car logos can symbolize a variety of things, from speed and freedom to racing heritage and exploration. It ultimately depends on the brand and its specific history and values.