Shelby Logo PNG
The Shelby logo looks elite and expensive. The emblem hints at the brand’s prestige and the enduring interest in its cars over many decades, granting it a sense of immortality.
Shelby: Brand overview
Legendary racer and automotive designer Carroll Shelby founded Shelby American, Inc. on August 17, 1962, in Enterprise, Nevada, marking the start of this iconic journey. Already renowned for his motorsport achievements, Shelby set out to create a company dedicated to building high-performance cars.
The company’s first major project was the iconic Cobra, which combined a powerful American Ford V8 engine with the lightweight British AC Ace roadster. This car quickly became a symbol of power and speed, setting new standards in the automotive industry.
1965, the company began collaborating with Ford Motor Company, resulting in the GT350, a modified Ford Mustang. This car transformed the Mustang into a street racing machine and elevated the brand’s reputation.
1967, they introduced the GT500, powered by a Ford 428 engine. It became one of the most celebrated muscle cars of its time and remains highly sought after by collectors.
Although the company paused automobile production in the 1970s, Carroll Shelby continued consulting for automakers, including Ford and Dodge.
The 1980s and 1990s marked a revival with limited-edition vehicles and involvement in new automotive ventures.
In 2003, Shelby American and Carroll Shelby Licensing merged to create Carroll Shelby International, Inc., streamlining brand and licensing management.
From 2006 to 2012, a renewed partnership with Ford resulted in modern GT500 models and other high-performance vehicles.
After Carroll Shelby’s passing in 2012, the company continued to honor his legacy by preserving the spirit of his original designs in new models.
Between 2013 and 2020, Shelby American introduced increasingly powerful Mustang variants, including updates to the iconic GT500 Super Snake.
As of 2023, the company remains dedicated to producing high-performance vehicles, blending Carroll Shelby’s traditions with modern technology.
Over the years, this brand has created a lineup of legendary cars that have redefined performance standards and become cornerstones of American automotive culture. Each vehicle bearing Carroll Shelby’s name is a tribute to his enduring legacy.
Meaning and History
The emblem appeared after the auto parts store began focusing on producing modified cars, which Shelby assembled using AC Cars chassis and Ford engines.
Pete Brock, a company employee, created the symbol. The choice is linked to the first car released by the manufacturer – the Shelby Cobra. The emblem became associated with the brand and specifically with this car. The logo, designed in an animalistic style, draws a parallel between the animal’s strength and the characteristics of the cars.
What is Shelby?
A brand of elite modified car manufacturer Shelby American (since 2003 Carroll Shelby International). The company is most known for collaborations with Ford, such as the Shelby Mustang, and with Chrysler for the Dodge Shelby Charger.
1962 – today
For the logo, racing driver, engineer, and brand founder Carroll Shelby used the image of a cobra and his name. He was passionate about producing lighter and faster cars based on standard chassis to improve the performance of race cars.
The circular sign symbolizes a car’s wheels and steering wheel. The shape represents harmony, combining the vehicles’ beauty and performance. In some versions, the circle has a gray gradient, emphasizing the metallic base used to produce the car’s bumper emblem.
The logo’s center features a cobra poised to attack. The snake was chosen for several reasons.
- The expanded hood and sharp venomous teeth evoke a sense of power and danger. They hint at the reptile’s lightning-fast strikes, symbolizing the speed of racing cars. They are formidable competitors on the track.
- The Cobra is associated with snakeskin, a very expensive finishing material. Shelby American cars are VIP autos, using the best materials and technologies in their production.
- Snakes are symbols of royal power, majesty, and immortality. The company’s logo has become iconic, having closed and been reborn several times throughout its history.
- The image corresponds to the name of the first model, Cobra, that came off the assembly line at Carroll Shelby’s factory in Los Angeles.
The Shelby inscription is centered in the image, like a handle on a steering wheel. The name appears in the title of every company founded by the racer and in every car model he developed.
Throughout its existence, Shelby American has created several cars in partnership with other companies, which used their logos on the vehicles. Often, the Shelby inscription was the only indication of the firm’s involvement in the development process. It was executed in blue lines and complemented by the letter S in the form of a road curve.
In 2003, the company was transformed into Carroll Shelby International. One of its divisions, Shelby Automobiles, adopted the name Shelby American in 2009 to honor the 45th anniversary of the Cobra’s release, allowing the Cobra symbol to continue living.
Font and Colors
The combination of black and white in the logo looks stylish and expensive. Dark lines add brutality and power to the emblem, while light lines indicate the rarity of the models. Sometimes, the black inscription is replaced with red, as the company’s original models were developed for racing. The bright shade is a prototype of speed.
The inscription’s font resembles Eurostile Unicase Pro Regular. The glyphs’ bends resemble steel tubes from which each letter is created.
