The Lowrider logo represents an avid car fanatic, not all models, but only lowriders with low ground clearance. It symbolizes coolness, chic style, and raw power in one package. With this emblem, the magazine showed it was on the same wavelength as its readers.
Lowrider is an American magazine dedicated to the car of the same name, as well as the cult and lifestyle it represents. Therefore, in addition to cars, it covered fashion, culture, and political issues and funded an annual scholarship program. This publication was first published in 1977. Three San Jose students founded it: Larry Gonzalez, David Nunez, and Sonny Madrid. The editorial office was located in Anaheim, California. In late 2019, the magazine ceased publication, though in the early 2000s it reached more than 200,000 copies in circulation.
Representatives of the Chicano movement founded Lowrider magazine. With his help, they wanted to share their culture with as many Bay Area residents as possible. The first issue debuted in the late 1970s. For some time, young people distributed the printed edition themselves. This continued until the fall of 1979, when it was decided to place not only lowriders but also beauties in bikinis on the covers. A David Gonzales comic book series, The Adventures of Hollywood, appeared in parallel. It became especially symbolic when the Homies toy line was launched.
Despite active progress and marketing measures, the magazine closed at the end of 1985. The reason was the printing house. It had just moved to another property. The periodical was revived in 1988. Its creator, Larry Gonzalez, helped make it happen. He found support from the Lopez brothers, Alberto and Lonnie. They moved the headquarters closer to the center of the city’s lowrider culture in Fullerton, California. At the same time, mostly customized trucks began to appear on the covers.
As a result, Lowrider’s readership increased significantly in the 90s, and interest among professionals grew. So, in 1997, the magazine was acquired by McMullen Argus Publishing, and in 2007, it was bought by Source Interlink Media, which is now known as TEN: The Enthusiast Network. Despite the change of ownership, the publication retained the original logo associated with the lowrider movement, its cult, and concept.
Meaning and History
The logo of this company is a direct demonstration of the lowrider style to which it is dedicated and after which it is named. That is why the magazine’s identity is conceptual, practical, and accessible to most people. Its symbolism is neither superfluous nor abstruse; it simply references the cult image. In particular, the emblem depicts a representative of this trend: an imposing, self-confident gentleman wearing tinted glasses.
This is a characteristic type in the Chicano and Aztec subcultures, where Lowriders are most widespread. They appreciate sleek cars with shiny finishes, bright colors, and a low stance, so the rear bumper’s low clearance kicks up sprays of water as they drive through city streets. In this case, speed and driving aren’t what matters; it’s chic and kitsch. As a result, the logo shows the head of such a dandy. He is depicted in full face. A thin black mustache is drawn on a round face. Moreover, the circle also represents a car wheel.
What is Lowrider?
Lowrider is an American magazine focused on lowrider culture (the cars and the lifestyle associated with them). Its debut was in 1977. The re-release date is 1988. The print edition was founded by three San Jose students passionate about this social and cult movement: Larry Gonzalez, David Nunez, and Sonny Madrid. The editorial office was located in Anaheim, California. The magazine closed in 2019 and has not been published again.
The glasses are slightly lowered on both sides, which is typical of the “aviator” model. A wide-brimmed gangster hat is pulled over the forehead. It is painted yellow, accented with a black stripe, and finished with a radiant gloss. The magazine’s name appears under the “portrait” of a representative of the lowrider culture. The inscription is bold, wide, and arch-shaped. All letters are in uppercase and are colored lemon with a gradient. At the bottom, the symbols are darkened, as if light falls on them from above, like a bright sun.
Font and Colors
For its logo, Lowrider magazine opted for bespoke, massive glyphs. In particular, it uses a grotesque as its basis. Some letters are directly connected even though they are far apart. For example, the legs of the central “R” are in the form of wide stripes directed in different directions: the left one is connected with “L” (it is located at the beginning of the word), and the right one is connected with “R” (it is located at the end).
The color palette combines different shades of yellow: lemon, mustard, honey, and amber. The logo also uses black, which complements the other colors.


