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 the brand a sense of immortality.
Shelby: Brand overview
On August 17, 1962, in Enterprise, Nevada, USA, the renowned race car driver and designer Carroll Shelby founded Shelby American, Inc. This company quickly earned a reputation as a manufacturer of cars with exceptional performance, primarily focusing on creating modified versions of the Ford Mustang, such as the legendary GT350 and GT500.
Shelby American became the first automobile manufacturer in Nevada and is known for producing both original and replica versions of the AC Cobra with various engine configurations, including small and big block models. The company continues to produce the Shelby GT350 and the famous GT500 Super Snake, which are considered icons of the American automotive industry.
In 2003, Carroll Shelby International, Inc. was formed, a holding company that brought together Shelby American and Carroll Shelby Licensing. The latter is involved in licensing Shelby’s name and related trademarks. Since its inception, Shelby American has released a series of iconic models, including the Cobra and the Shelby GT350 Mustang, as well as other high-performance cars and trucks. Despite Carroll Shelby’s passing on May 10, 2012, his legacy and philosophy continue to inspire the company to create new innovative models, maintaining the traditions of American car manufacturing.
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.
The symbol was created by Pete Brock, an employee of the company. 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 the wheels and steering wheel of a car. The shape represents harmony, combining the beauty and performance of the vehicles. In some versions, the circle has a gray gradient, emphasizing the metallic base used in producing the emblem for the car’s bumper.
At the center of the logo is a cobra poised to attack. There are several reasons for choosing the snake.
- 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 snake skin – a very expensive finishing material. Shelby American cars are VIP autos with the best materials and technologies used in their production.
- Snakes are symbols of royal power, majesty, and immortality. The logo has become iconic for the company, which has 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.
Centered in the image, like a handle on a steering wheel, is the Shelby inscription. The name appears both in the title of every company founded by the racer and in every car model he was involved in developing.
Throughout its existence, Shelby American has created several cars in partnership with other companies, which used their own 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 in honor of 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 font of the inscription resembles Eurostile Unicase Pro Regular. The bends of the glyphs are like steel tubes from which each letter is created.
