Europe is the birthplace of the automotive industry. It was there, in 1886, that the great German inventor Carl Friedrich Michael Benz invented the world’s first gasoline-powered vehicle. Then his idea was picked up by many enterprises, which reoriented their business to the production of cars with internal combustion engines. For example, Opel started with sewing machines, and ABT Sportsline started with forging metal parts for carts. As a result, they switched to auto production and took the lead along with other brands.
What is European Car Brands?
The automotive industry in Europe is represented by German, British, Italian, French, Swedish brands, which are leaders in the world market. But besides them, there are car manufacturers in other European countries.
The automotive industry’s rapid development was prevented by the Second World War when all factories were forced to produce equipment for the armed forces. In the post-war period, they had to “gain momentum” from scratch so that the European car market could recover only by the 1960s fully. Now there are clear favorites that own dozens of brands. These manufacturers include BMW, Volkswagen Group, PSA, Peugeot Citroën, and Volvo.
Germany
The largest center of the European car industry in Germany. German car companies are so mature that they have overseas subsidiaries and brands. For example, Volkswagen owns Lamborghini (Italy), Bentley (UK), and Bugatti (France), while BMW owns Rolls-Royce and Mini (UK). In addition to them, manufacturers are active in Germany, which focused on several major brands. They manufacture cars of different classes – from the luxury segment to the mass market.
Porsche
Porsche is the market leader in luxury cars and supercars as one of the most successful car manufacturers globally. Its rich tradition dates back to 1900, when Ferdinand Porsche, an engineer, introduced electric vehicles’ drive. At the same time, the company itself was founded much later – in 1931. The most striking feature of its cars is the sporty design. It can even be seen in the Cayenne premium crossover and the Panamera fastback.
The expensive and prestigious sports cars produced by Porsche are in great demand internationally. Annual sales are growing every year: as of 2008, it was just over 86%. Releasing sports models, the manufacturer does not forget to take part in auto racing. Now he has over 28 thousand victories on his account.
Mercedes-Benz
The legendary flagship model Mercedes-Benz 600, known as the “600th Mercedes”, challenged Rolls-Royce’s executive cars. This became possible thanks to the merger of Benz & Cie and Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft in 1926. For a hundred years of its existence, the company has become famous for its collectible limousine and other equally prestigious cars. Its lineup is considered one of the widest in the German car market. It includes brutal SUVs, compact minivans, stylish crossovers, luxury convertibles, comfortable sedans, and other vehicle types.
BMW
BMW is a pioneer in the automotive industry. He invented the digital motor, introduced the ABS, and developed many other technologies. And his cars have become a symbol of reliability and quality.
The first German roadster with a twelve-cylinder engine was created under the BMW brand. This company, also known as Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, has produced many cars over a century and a half that have left a noticeable mark on the automotive industry’s history. But once, she did not even have a license for the production of vehicles: she received the corresponding permit only in 1928. Until that moment, aircraft engines were produced at her factories.
Audi
State-of-the-art technology and sophisticated design are what Audi cars cannot do without. The history of this brand began in 1909 with the appearance of the Audi Automobil-Werke company. The first car, called Audi-A, came out in 1910. After 21 years, the manufacturer merged with three car manufacturers to form Auto Union AG. In this union, he was responsible for the manufacture of sports cars and participation in racing competitions.
In 1964, the Audi brand became part of Volkswagen. After the change of owners, the model range was replenished with cars with innovative technological solutions. Such developments include a variator with metal bands, an aluminum body, and a proprietary all-wheel drive.
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is known for its divisions, which are open in many countries around the world. It owns brands from Spain (SEAT), Czech Republic (Škoda Auto), Great Britain (Bentley), France (Bugatti), Italy (Lamborghini, Ducati), Germany (Porsche), Sweden (Scania). The main industrial sites are located in the city of Wolfsburg. The first Volkswagen cars were produced in 1935. The rapid development of the concern began in the second half of the 20th century when it began to buy up other enterprises. Simultaneously, the manufacturer began to actively create new models, the most famous of Scirocco, Passat, and Golf.
Opel
Opel’s main industrial sites are located in Rüsselsheim. This car company was created by five brothers who decided to continue their father’s business – the owner of a factory to produce bicycles and sewing machines. They used a common surname for the name. In 1900, the production of ICE carriages began under the Darracq license. Then the brand developed its models. From 1929 to the 1940s, Opel was owned by General Motors. After World War II, the factories were devastated: all equipment was exported to Russia. But this did not prevent the company from regaining lost positions and becoming number 1 in the international market.
United Kingdom
In the UK car industry, the leading brands are known for their prestigious luxury passenger cars: Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Jaguar. At the same time, they are matched by luxury sports car manufacturers such as Land Rover, McLaren, and Aston Martin. The mass-market segment is also well developed. Local companies offer quite a few inexpensive cars available to consumers. Also, the factories produce a lot of commercial vehicles. As for the car market, imports still exceed exports.
Rolls-Royce
The Rolls-Royce brand belongs to the German concern BMW. The British company’s main specialization is the production of luxury cars, which it has been doing for over a hundred years. At the beginning of its existence, the company became famous for its participation in the rally, where it managed to occur. Then she became a supplier of vehicles for the Royal Court of Great Britain. But the resounding success was followed by a fall: the company went bankrupt in 1971. It was only possible to save it thanks to state funding and the intervention of BMW.
Bentley
Bentley Motors is one of the many Volkswagen Group brands. She is known for her luxury cars, which have given her the image of the most expensive and elite automaker in the world. The company was founded in 1919 and literally, three years later, began to win first place in prestigious races. In the 1930s, she became part of the Rolls-Royce concern. The manufacturer’s lineup includes executive sedans, full-size convertibles, crossovers, and SUVs. Bentley plans to start manufacturing luxury sports cars and electric cars shortly.
Aston Martin
Aston Martin’s prestigious cars are represented in different market segments. These are dominated by sports and racing models, including super-powerful premium supercars. Now the brand belongs to a consortium of investors, and before that, it was part of the Ford Motor Company. The name Aston Martin is a tribute to a race car driver named Martin, who overtook all the competition on the Aston Clinton circuit.
Land Rover
Land Rover is renowned for making the world’s most luxurious SUVs. At the same time, she is looking for unusual technical solutions to make all-terrain vehicles. The body of her first car, built-in 1948, consisted of a cheap alloy because there was a shortage of steel in Britain at the time. Their reliability and stylish design distinguish modern models. The Range Rover has even been exhibited at the Louvre in Paris as an example of high art. At the moment, the English brand belongs to the Indian conglomerate Tata.
Jaguar
Jaguar’s success story began in 1925 with the production of motorcycle sidecars. Existing developments allowed her in 1931 to start manufacturing luxury cars. Until 1945 the company was called Swallow Sidecar (abbreviated – SS). It received its current name in the post-war period so that there would be no associations with the German SS. The Ford concern, which temporarily bought out the enterprise, tried to make a tuning agency out of it. But executives abandoned the idea, so in 1996 Jaguar had a new race car of its design. The brand is now the property of Tata Motors.
Mini
The modern company Mini, owned by the German concern BMW, continues the old Mini brand tradition, which existed until 2000. In the distant past, it had a different name – Cooper Car Company. The sales of the first cars (racing models) started in 1959. Further modifications of them have entered the history of motorsport forever. Being part of BMW, the automaker is not limited to compact cars. He also has classic crossovers and even limousines.
Italy
Italy is rightfully considered one of the leaders of not only Europe but also the world car industry. Moreover, cars’ sale occupies a leading place in the country’s economy: its contribution to GDP reaches 8.5%. The automotive industry in Italy began at the end of the 19th century. In the 1910s, it was represented by dozens of companies, some of which are still operating. In the post-war period, local manufacturers have relied on elitism. They are expanding their assortment now, adhering to three principles: luxury, speed, and high cost.
Ferrari
Ferrari sports cars are examples of engineering that have delighted fans of luxury cars since 1946. The company’s vehicles are firmly established in celebrity garages. Sheiks and emperors rode them, the race track’s creator, Pierre Bardinon, the American football player Lionel Messi and the German race car driver Michael Schumacher.
Since Fiat has owned 1989 Ferrari, this brand’s sports cars are produced not only in series but also in a single copy. In the latter case, their price reaches several million dollars.
Lamborghini
The most important decision in Lamborghini’s history was the lineup change. The company, which started as a conventional tractor manufacturer, has gradually moved to high-speed supercars. Its first sports car made its debut in 1963. The brand owner created it to compete with Ferrari and prove its superiority.
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian sports car manufacturer that originates from Officine Alfieri Maserati. This was the name of the small garage business of the Maserati brothers. They started a private company in 1914 to make racing cars and compete. And in the 1930s, the assortment now includes prestigious cars for everyday travel. Once in the hands of Fiat, Maserati almost lost its identity. The executives wanted to merge it with Ferrari but then changed their minds and decided to leave it as an independent brand.
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo’s predecessor was a company that produced cars under the Darracq license. But business owners wanted to move away from simple copying and create something unique and embody new technologies. So in 1910, the first Alfa Romeo vehicles appeared, known under the A.L.F.A. brand. Noticing the success and prospects of the company, the Fiat concern bought it out in 1986.
Fiat
Fiat is one of the largest and oldest automotive corporations in Italy. It was founded by investors who teamed up in 1899 to create a joint venture. At first, the plant produced various equipment – from wagons to tractors. But over time, Fiat’s main goal has become the production of SUVs, city cars, and middle-class cars.
Abarth
The Abarth brand, founded by Carlo Abarth in 1949 in Turin (Italy), stands out separately among the Italian automakers. The main type of its production were sports cars built based on Fiat and unique sports tuning. Today the company is part of Fiat Group Automobiles. The brand stands out with its original and edgy visual identity. Its logo is presented in the form of a four-sided coat of arms of a complex shape, bearing the main symbol of the company – an abstractly executed black heraldic scorpion in a thin white border, providing effective visual contrast. The main field of the shield is divided diagonally and filled with yellow and red colors. The top ridge is filled with black and separated from the main field by a thin line in the colors of the Italian flag. The comb space is black. It is filled with the text of the company name in a white sans-serif font.
Lancia
The first car was produced by the Italian manufacturer Lancia Automobiles S.p.A., founded by Vincenzo Lancia in Turin a year after its founding in 1907. During the First World War, the brand produced military and armored vehicles, returning to the civilian automotive industry in the 20s, releasing the world’s first car with a monocoque body in 1921. Having decided in 2015 to stop promoting the brand, production since 2017 has been producing only the Lancia Ypsilon model. Being conservative in relation to its identity, the brand has left its logo unchanged for many years in the form of a triangular coat of arms in dark blue with curved sides. There is a silvery circle in its center, and the entire edging of the shield, around which the brand name is placed, is made in condensed white lower case type. But the central circle has two wedge-shaped elements located at the top and bottom, which creates a visual perception of it as a steering wheel.
Pagani
The Italian auto brand Pagani is known worldwide as a manufacturer of luxury sports cars and cars using carbon bodies. Founded by Horacio Pagani in 1992 in Modena, it has made a name for itself with its ultra-light and fast new generation models. The brand expressed these features and its corporate spirit with the help of a progressive and somewhat aggressive logo. The sharpness and brutality of the execution of the emblem lines ensured its individuality and ease of memorization. The oval silver badge bears a convex three-dimensional brand name. Above it, in the upper left corner, in the shape of a car windshield, a sector is made in an attractive blue gradient color that softens the overall coldness of the metalized emblem. A large letter P is formed by convex lines to the right of it. The upper and lower sectors around the inscription have dotted elements resembling the riveted fastening of the hull elements.
France
French cars are known worldwide for their technological excellence, exquisite design, and high quality. Dozens of enterprises produce them, but two companies are monopolists: Groupe PSA (formerly Peugeot Citroën) and Renault. They account for about 90% of the total automotive industry and almost 100% of exports. The rest of the manufacturers are represented mainly in the country’s domestic market, except Bugatti, which belongs to Volkswagen France.
Bugatti
The Bugatti luxury supercar brand has a long history that began in 1909. As far as is known, the brand was created by the engineer and artist Ettore Arco Isidoro Bugatti. Popularity peaked in the 1920s when the world saw the new Type 35 GP. This model became the record holder for the number of race wins, taking first place more than 1,500 times. After the war, the business fell into disrepair. The situation was saved by the super-fast machine EB110, which appeared in the 1980s. And at the end of the century, the company was bought out by the German concern Volkswagen.
Renault
Nationalization did not go unnoticed for Renault. Having passed into state ownership in 1945, this company received its current name and changed its activity course, releasing the world’s first hatchback. Then the company acquired a division of trucks (Renault Véhicules Industriels), but it was sold to the Swedish concern Aktiebolaget Volvo. By the end of the 20th century, financial difficulties began. To save Renault from bankruptcy, it was merged with Nissan.
Peugeot
Peugeot is a prominent representative of the mass market in the French car market. Moreover, the range of the company is not limited to cars of the middle price category. The range includes small commercial vehicles, crossovers, racing cars, and more. In 1941, an attempt was made to create an electric car to save gas, but the government banned it. Then the company realized its ambitions by releasing the Peugeot 106 and presenting three concept cars. In the 1970s, a significant event took place: the automaker merged with Citroën and became part of PSA Peugeot Citroën.
Citroen
Citroën, which has represented the Groupe PSA concern since 1976, was founded in 1919. It has never changed its traditions; therefore, from the very beginning, it produced inexpensive and high-quality mass-consumption cars: crossovers, sedans, hatchbacks, and other models. This manufacturer also became famous for its unusual approach to advertising because, for almost ten years, it used the main attraction of Paris – Tour Eiffel as a billboard.
Aixam
The French auto brand Aixam is little known outside the country. But those who are familiar with the company’s products appreciate its offerings – miniature cars, classified in some countries as ATVs. The company was founded in 1983 in Aix-les-Bains, Savoie. Its cars are distributed in almost all European countries, where the brand emblem – an enlarged bold letter A in a circle, is quite famous. The color scheme of the logo contains the colors of the French flag – blue-white-red. The last is a thin edging of the round element of the emblem. White, in practical use, is replaced by metallic silver, which makes the logo attractive and memorable.
Ligier
The French automaker, Ligier, is considered one of the pearls of the domestic auto industry, which is also not very well known worldwide. The brand was founded in 1968 by driver and rugby player Guy Ligier in Abrest, Allier, Auvergne, France. The brand’s fame was brought about by its first sports model – Ligier JS2. The JS prefix was a tribute to the founder’s best friend, Jo Schlesser. In 2008, the company was transformed into the Ligier Group, known for its quality race cars and microcars (Microcars). The company logo is presented in the form of an image of two crossed flags – the country and the starting checkered racing flag. Below them is the brand name in a large sans-serif typeface with a slight right slant, symbolizing speed and acceleration. The letters are made in the corporate dark blue color.
Venturi
The Venturi brand is very well known to Europeans for its high quality and luxury products based on Porsche and Ferrari. Founded by Claude Poirot and Gerard Godefroy in 1984 in Fontvieille, Monaco, it today produces one of the most expensive and aesthetic types of electric cars, having suffered bankruptcy in 2000 after the production failure of luxury racing cars. The brand has released a limited edition Venturi Fétish. The company’s cars are distinguished by a cute sparkling design with high technical performance. Like the design of the company’s products, its logo is distinguished by its brightness and sophistication. The main corporate color is bright red, which fills the entire space of the oval logo with a silver border. The central element of the emblem is a figure in the form of a triangular blue shield with a light gray frame and a gray bird in the center with spread wings, reminiscent of the image of a heraldic phoenix bird with a head in the form of the sun. Above it, repeating the oval curve, there is an inscription of the brand name in gray in a specially designed elegant font.
Microcar
The Microcar brand was formed as a division of Beneteau in the early 80s of the last century. But already in 2000, it became part of Ligier as a division while maintaining its production profile in full. Microcar has a bright and smooth-shiny performance in the form of an elongated oval. The red color, shape, and design resemble lollipops, effectively echoing the shape of small but colorful cars in our production. The oval is horizontal. Its inner space is occupied by a gray-silver inscription of the name, executed in a capital font of a modern design without serifs, with sharp, rounded corners. Two silvery orbits frame it.
Sweden
Automotive manufacturing in Sweden began in 1927 when Volvo produced the first passenger car. This “delay” could be because there was no branched road junction due to the difficult terrain. This also explains why 80% of manufactured vehicles are sold abroad and not in Sweden itself. Despite the current situation, there are enough local producers who are in no way inferior to competitors on the international market. The most famous of them are Scania, Saab Automobile, and Volvo.
Koenigsegg
The Swedish car industry is not limited to the mass market. This country has developed the production of luxury cars, and one of the representatives of this segment is Koenigsegg, a private company that produces luxury models. She specializes in powerful and fast supercars and plans to break the world speed record for production cars. The headquarters of the company is located in the suburb of Ängelholm.
Volvo
Volvo is a luxury car manufacturer from Sweden. The first model of this brand rolled off the assembly line in 1927. Then, one after another, revolutionary innovations followed. Moreover, the company became famous for its cars and technological developments that provide increased safety while driving. They have become the basis for modern international standards. Volvo changed owners several times: after briefly staying with Ford Motor Company, it became part of Geely Automobile Holdings Limited.
Saab
SAAB has a tragic history: having worked in the automotive market for 75 years, it went bankrupt and was closed in 2012. Its commercial success began in 1959 with the release of the famous Saab 95 station wagon. Then it became a pioneer in the field of safety, developing several technical innovations. In 2000, the enterprise was completely taken over by General Motors. Several unsuccessful decisions of the new owner started financial problems for SAAB. In 2012, the brand was acquired by National Electric Vehicle Sweden and immediately discontinued.
Scania
Scania buses and trucks are renowned worldwide because this manufacturer pays attention to quality and modern technology. The company has been working for a long time in cooperation with the Spanish company Irizar. Together they created a model of the Century 3000 bus, where the body was from Irizar and the chassis from Scania. Also, the company produces engines that consume biogas, rapeseed biodiesel, and ethanol.
NEVS
The Swedish car manufacturer NEVS is the heir to the world-famous Saab, declaring itself immediately after the venerable brand was closed. He retained some of the features of his predecessor but chose a different direction – the development and production of electric cars. The company also reflected its progressiveness in its own visual identity. Its logo represents the text name of the company, executed in a specially designed lowercase futuristic font from capital letters. The minimalist style, the rounded corners of the letters, and the softness of the end of the stripes made it especially attractive and memorable. An important role in creating the required visual perception was played by letter spacing, which ensured the creation of a large amount of air, imparting lightness and freshness to the composition.
Polestar
Electric vehicles from Polestar are known all over the world today. As a product partner of the world famous brand, Volvo Cars Flash in 1996. In 2015, the brand became part of Volvo, which is today part of Geely’s Chinese concern. The company’s name comes from the sports racing team STCC Polestar, which founded Polestar Performance AB, which was acquired in 2015 by Volvo Cars. Production of high-end electric vehicles began in 2017 with introduction of a concise yet sophisticated logo. The composition is made up of two triangular checkmarks. Their diagonal placement towards the center of the image forms a four-cornered silver star in a gradient rendering. The shape creates the accepted symbolic image of the North Star. The futurism of the execution brings something cosmic and extraterrestrial into the spirit of the image.
Lynk & Co
Cooperation between the Swedish and Chinese car industry culminated in the creation in 2016 of a joint venture in Gothenburg – Lynk & Co. Its founders were Geely and Volvo Cars. During the current time, the brand announced the creation and demonstrated the concepts of three models – the 01 crossovers, the 03 sedans, and the model on the Volvo XC40 platform. The company’s emblem was developed as the logo of a trendy modern brand. It is a text inscription – the name of the company in monochrome. The font is made in a modern geometric style without stripes on some letters. The letter “O” is especially distinguished by its execution, with a missing segment on the left side. This graphical move creates the attractiveness of its combination with the neighboring letter “C,” providing visualization individuality and ease of remembering.
Uniti
The Swedish car industry has rejuvenated a lot. It is characterized by the emergence of many young companies that create successful competition for venerable world leaders. Among such companies is the 2016 Uniti auto brand. His mini-class electric digital city cars are distinguished by their modern, highly aesthetic design and the original 2+1 landing pattern. To immediately break into the market and attract attention, the brand paid special attention to its visualization. The depth of study and style distinguishes its emblem. Made in strict black color, the logo is a textual name of the company, which uses a non-standard sans-serif font, made in the style of electronic fonts. Along the entire length of the inscription, a thin white strip cuts the letters, which draws special attention to the inscription. This execution brings to the perception of the typeface the feeling of its appearance from the distant future, which echoes the company’s main goal – to acquaint customers with its projects that represent the future today.
Spain
The Spanish auto industry is less widely popularized than the same direction in other European countries. This leads to the erroneous belief that this type of production in the country was founded by the Italians when in 1919, the FIAT concern created its branch near Barcelona. However, the first Spanish car saw the light back in 1904, with the advent of the Hispano-Suiza company, whose luxury models have long been successful competitors to the advertised British Rolls-Royce in the same category. Even though the development of this type of industry in the country depended on the political situation, and the domestic market could not effectively compete with foreign manufacturers, which led to the massive deployment of products from leading world brands, the history of Spain’s automotive industry deserves special attention. In addition to the previously existing, world-famous, but already closed companies, the country’s auto industry is represented today by a dozen recognizable brands – domestic formations and divisions of the world’s leading concerns.
SEAT
Founded with the help of the Italian concern Fiat by the Spanish National Industrial Institute in 1950 with a factory in Martorell, SEAT introduced its first car in 1953. The brand focuses on racing models, which Spanish racers have used since 1972. In 1990, the company completely merged into Volkswagen. The brand logo has also been constantly evolving, which today is represented by a symbol familiar to the whole world – the letter S, the first letter of the company name. It is available in steel gray or metallic gray with serrated cutouts at the top and bottom. The top and bottom are separated, resembling two blades pointing in different directions. Under the sign is the text of the company’s full name, made in red. This logo’s execution symbolizes the company’s constant development, and its desire for overall balance and stability, reflecting practicality against the background of red, as an emotional element of the composition.
Irizar
In 1889, Irizar appeared on the Spanish car market, which later became a successful bus manufacturer. The first bus came out in 1926. Today, the company is famous for modern models with internal combustion engines, electric, hybrid and integrated. Over the years of the brand’s existence, its logo has changed while maintaining a commitment to its glorious history. Today, the emblem meets all the requirements of modern rules for its formation and is a sign consisting of a symbolic image of a wheel, inside of which there are stylized “ir,” made with a slight inclination to the right and a slight symmetrical bend. They form the appearance of the spokes and are made in gray with shadows that add volume to the image. The full name of the brand is also made in this style.
Tauro Sport Auto
In 2010, Valladolid entered an enterprise focused on producing modern luxury sports cars. The enterprise resulted from a joint project between Spanish entrepreneurs and a British automaker. Tauro racing models are produced in small batches due to the constant need to manufacture new machines for each model, with most of the operations carried out by hand. The most famous line of the brand is Tauro V8. Its round logo is made in red, black, and yellow colors and is impressive and easy to remember. The central element of the logo is the black silhouette of a strong-horned bull in a combat reversal at a bullfight. His figure is highlighted with a light yellow outline, which ensures clarity of visual perception. The bull is depicted on a rich red background in the center of a small circle. On the black field of the outer circle, the brand’s name is inscribed in yellow letters, separated by a floral ornament of stylized tulips.
Spania GTA
The full name of the Spanish manufacturer of sports racing cars – Spania GTA, founded in 1994 in Valencia – SPANIA GTA TECNOMOTIVE S.L. The founder of the company was the Spanish racing driver Domingo Ochoa, the creator of the GTA Motor Competicion team. The most famous model was the GTA Spano, a 2005 car whose concept car was unveiled in 2010. It combined the best of sporting technology with elegance and exclusivity in design. Brand recognition was ensured by the originally executed emblem, which became a reflection of the founder’s family coat of arms. The contours of the emblem follow the shape of the coat of arms with rounded lower corners. In its upper part, on a white field, there is a heraldic figure of a black wolf ready to jump, personifying courage and strength, devotion to the clan and its values, and the ability to stand up for its interests. The accent element of the figure is a red tongue protruding from the mouth. The field below it is divided into white – with the inscription of the first word of the brand name, made in black and red, where GTA is applied in white. Below are the white checkered starter flags of racing competitions, showing the brand’s activity area.
Tramontana
Spanish Atelier Tramontana was founded in 1995 by Josep Rubau in Barcelona, Catalonia. She owns a registered trademark of the same name – Tramontana. The company aimed to revive the classic Spanish car industry of the last century in the field of sports models while at the same time putting an end to traditionalism. In 2005, the brand introduced its most famous car, the Tramontana Car. The new family of supercars is hand-crafted in small series. The brand logo is fully consistent with the brand’s spirit, reflecting its main goals and objectives. The black oval has a figure resembling the mathematical symbol of infinity while echoing the accepted stylized image of the race track. A departure from traditionalism in visualization, a symbolic demonstration of the desire for continuous development, and the main focus of production are reflected in this emblem.
Aspid
The brand and model of the Spanish sports car from the IFR consulting group – Aspid – was first introduced in 2008. His task included the desire of the manufacturer to demonstrate its capabilities and available technologies. The name was chosen in honor of the small and fast snake, which became especially famous after its use to kill the Egyptian queen Cleopatra. In this way, the manufacturer decided to express its main task – despite its low fame, to be able to defeat the world’s most famous leaders in the global automotive industry. The name became the basis for creating the brand’s original round emblem, the outlines of which are in gray and the interior in sandy yellow, which refers the viewer to the sands of the escariot habitat. Against this background, the head of a snake with an open mouth and a protruding tongue at the time of the attack is made with black strokes. Beneath it, in black modern lower case type with a slight right slant, is the name of the trademark.
Benimar
Having appeared in 1974, the Spanish automaker Benimar demonstrated its debut project four years later. The company’s name was made up of two words – the first letters of the name of the city in which the brand was founded – Benicarló, Castellone and an indication of its coastal location – Mar. In 1984 the company changed its name to Ocarsa. In 2002, it became part of Trigano, becoming a subsidiary. Her motorhome immediately became a leader in this segment in 1978. This type of car, as well as the company’s caravans, is especially in demand today. The brand emblem is made in the form of a text sign – the name. A round sans-serif typeface was chosen, such as Blippo Std Black by Linotype, whose structure makes it easy to remember. The roundness of the letters echoes the smoothness and roundness of the shapes created by the car brand.
Hurtan
The Hurtan car brand was born due to the desire of its founder – Juan Hurtado González, to realize his dream – to create a modern sports car in retro style. The first car was born in the early 80s of the last century, which was very successful. On this wave, the founder created the company Hurtan Desarrollos SL. Her first model, the Albaycín T2, came out in 1992. Today, the brand is located in Granada, carrying out, among other things, the production of electric vehicles. The brand emblem consists of a combination of a letter character and the brand name. The sign is simultaneously the first letter of the name – H. From the upper part of the left leg of the letter and the lower part of the right leg, semi-arcs extend, which forms the visual unity of the composition. The emphasis on unity is also made with the help of connections between each letter of the name.
Cupra
Cupra is a trademark of SEAT Sport of Abrera Catalonia, which was created in 1985 as an additional sports division of the brand, today part of the Volkswagen Group. The company produces cars for the rally and sports racing. In 2018, the brand was renamed Cupra, gaining full independence and starting the production of hybrid cars. The name has become a combination of two words – Cup and Racing. Its logo was the company’s name, made in a font like Hyperspace Race Extended Heavy by Swell Type, stretched horizontally. The emblem is represented by a unique sign with a complex shape, effectively forming a new corporate identity of the updated brand in the spirit of the symbols of Marvel heroes or transformers.
Hispano-Suiza
Hispano-Suiza, a joint venture between Spanish entrepreneur Juan Castro and Swiss engineer Damián Mateu, was founded in 1904 in Barcelona, Spain. Until 1914, the brand stood out, especially for its luxury cars, which continued after the war. In 1944, the company became part of ENASA, refocusing on the aerospace direction. An attempt to return to automotive production was made in 2010 and 2019. The brand has established itself with the high quality and stylish design of its cars, ensuring recognition of its logo worldwide. The emblem reflected the brand’s aviation orientation. It had a stylized symbol of a rotating propeller with open gray bird wings extending from it and a round white element in the center. In the background was a red oval with a yellow stripe to the center – the color of the Spanish flag, the lower part of which contained a white Swiss cross in a gray outline.
Pegaso
Founded in 1946 in Barcelona, the Spanish car brand Pegaso, which was the sports division of Enasa, ceased to exist in 1994, merging with Iveco. In addition to the direction of the sport, he produced tractors and armored vehicles, trucks, and omnibuses. At the old Hispano-Suiza factory. The logo of the automaker was distinguished by its original design and memorability. The silhouette of a black horse in a jump, with a developing mane and a tail, stretched horizontally, breaking the black circle that closed it, was known worldwide. The emblem reflected one of the brand’s main goals – the desire to enter the international market, ensuring the production of equipment whose strength, power, and nobility were symbolized by the silhouette of a proud and freedom-loving animal.
Abadal
In 1912, a new car brand appeared in Barcelona, Spain – Abadal, founded by Francisco Abadal – a famous Spanish racer. The brand purchased “Imperia” cars from Belgium, selling them under its brand. After buying a local branch of Buick in 1916, the brand launched its models, equipping them with the power plant of this manufacturer. After the First World War, the brand resumed production. One of the most famous models was the Imperia-Abadal. The start of Imperia’s collaboration with General Motors led to the decline of the brand, which closed in 1930. Its emblem was a triangular heraldic shield with outward curved sides. His field was divided into three stripes and made in the rules for applying colors on the Spanish national flag – in red-yellow-crane. In its upper part, repeating the curve of the arc, the company’s name was inscribed in white rounded-convex type. In the central part, between two curved white dashes, there was a Y sign, under which was the Cia symbol, with the last two letters inside the first letter and the underscore of the last. The shield had a contrasting yellow border with black lines.
Other European Countries
Germany, Italy, Great Britain, France, and Sweden are not the only European countries with the developed car industry. Of course, they are leading the world market, but other nations are also betting on the automotive industry. Moreover, many brands belong to famous German concerns, so they have every chance of staying afloat. For example, the Czech Škoda Auto and the Spanish SEAT are part of the Volkswagen Group.
Škoda
Škoda is one of the oldest and largest car manufacturers in the Czech Republic. It was created in 1925, but its predecessor, Laurin & Klement, began work in the middle of the 19th century. A resounding success came to Škoda after Volkswagen became interested in it. Having become part of the German concern, the Czech manufacturer has released its most famous novelty at Octavia.
Lada
The automobile brand Lada was founded by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and has been owned by AvtoVAZ since the times of the Soviet Union. The main plant is located in the city of Togliatti and was built jointly with the FIAT concern. The automaker has a wide range of all-terrain vehicles and front-wheel-drive cars. The latter include vehicles of the Priopa, Kalina, and Samara families.
McLaren
McLaren is the flagship brand of McLaren Automotive Limited. The designers have developed a logo for it, combining the black inscription with a wide red arc, similar to an inverted swoosh.
Lotus
The sports car company Lotus was founded in 1952. It uses a yellow circle logo monogrammed with the letters “A,” “B,” and two “C.” All elements are inside a dark triangle with rounded corners above the bright yellow word “LOTUS.”
10 Most Popular European Car Brands in the U.S.
Despite the developed automotive industry within the country, many European brands are in demand in the United States. Moreover, Americans buy imported vehicles in different segments – from the mass market to the premium class. The best-selling German Mercedes-Benz remains, which attracts the attention of connoisseurs of luxury. And in second place is BMW – also a luxury brand from Germany. She managed to overtake Volkswagen, aimed at the consumer class.
What is the best European car brand?
The best car brands in Europe are Porsche (Germany), Mercedes-Benz (Germany), Maserati (Italy), Lamborghini (Italy), Jaguar (UK), Ferrari (Italy), BMW (Germany), Bentley (UK), Aston Martin ( Great Britain), Audi (Germany).
What are European luxury cars?
This category includes luxury cars made in Europe. They are distinguished by a high degree of safety and maximum comfort. Luxury car brands include Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche from Germany, Mini, Jaguar, Land Rover, McLaren and Aston Martin from the UK, Alfa Romeo from Italy, Bugatti from France, Volvo and Koenigsegg from Sweden.
