Logos - Automobile Industry - VIII

Renault

(Source: www.dinesh.com)

Who would have imagined that a mere bet from friends would result in the formation of a huge auto giant - Renault. On the Christmas Eve of 1898, when Louis Renault was with his friends and brother Marcel, they made fun of his creation, called as Voiturette, that was parked outside. Louis Renault took up the challenge and drove on the steep hills of Rue Lepic several times bagging the order for twelve cars from his impressive spectators on the spot. This marked the beginning of the company, Renault Frères, in 1899, by Fernand and Marcel Renault with Louis Renault taking up the job of designing and building of the cars.

The royalty received from other companies for the use of the three-speed gear with reverse patented by Louis Renault that was introduced in the 1899 Voiturette Type A cars provided the funds for the expansion of the company.

In the year 1900 the company introduced its first emblem featuring the initials of the three brothers placed in a medallion.

(Source: www.dinesh.com)

Diversification to Type B, the first saloon, Type C, the first commercial vehicle and Type K with the improved features including speed of more than 60 kph, brought the company to the notice of the people worldwide.

It was the 1902 patent of Louis Renault of the 'supercharged engine' that made the entry into F1 possible, seventy five years later.

Renault began its first mass production in 1905 with the order from Compagnie Francaise des Fiacres Automobiles for the first Parisian taxi, popularly called as Marne Taxi, during the war.

1906 saw a transition in the logo with it depicting a car in the center of a gear wheel.

(Source: www.dinesh.com)

In 1907, Louis Renault recognized the potential of aeronautics and developed light-weight air craft engines with 45 and 100hp.

After the death of Marcel Renault in 1903 and Fernand Renault in 1908, The Société des Automobiles Louis Renault got formed in 1908 when Fernand Renault sold his stakes to Louis Renault.

The company undertook the mass production of trucks, tractors, ambulances, shells and air craft engines in 1914 at the request of the France's Ministry of War. In 1916, the company built its own air craft Avant Renault and FT17 tank in 1917 that played a major role in crossing the German lines. The supreme role played by the company in the Allies victory brought a modification to the logo with it picturing the FT17 tank in 1919.

(Source: www.dinesh.com)

In 1923, the company name in a circle denoting a radiator grille became the new logo.

(Source: www.dinesh.com)

The diamond-shaped emblem was introduced on the top-end model vehicles in 1925.

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Renault bought the French airplane company, Société des Avions Caudron in 1933. In 1935, when Citroën went bankrupt,the French Government offered Renault the opportunity to take over the company, which was declined by Louis Renault.

When France surrendered to Germany in 1940, Renault went under the control of three German administrators led by Eberhard von Urach who represented Daimler-Benz. On 23 Sep, 1944, Louis Renault was arrested for joining forces with the enemy and Pierre Lefaucheux was made the temporary administrator of the company when the council of ministers seized the plant. A great era under Louis Renault, however, came to an end on his death in Oct, 1944.

16 Jan, 1945 saw the creation of Régie Nationale des Usines Renault under Pierre Lefaucheux.

(Source: www.dinesh.com)

Renault's turbine-powered Étoile Filante (shooting star) created a world speed record in the year 1956 by moving at a speed of 308.9 kph that still holds good till today.

The logo saw another change under the hands of the graphic artist Pampuzac in 1959.

(Source: www.dinesh.com)

In 1962, the company diversified its business through the launch of a runabout boat RP1, the production of which was stopped the following year on account of the lack of demand for the same.

Vasarely designed another logo for the company in 1972.

(Source: www.dinesh.com)

From 1974, the company started a saga of partnerships and acquisitions. In 1974, Renault bought Berliet, Michelin's truck division, to form Renault Vehicules Industriels.

This was followed by the entry of Renault into F1 in 1977 and the year 1985 witnessed its exit from the game. In 1989, the company returned back to the game as an engine manufacturer for UK Williams team. Ayrton Senna was one of the greatest drivers of the team.

In 1989 Renault entered into a partnership with AMC, that continued till 1975, in the production of 'Jeep'. But in 1987 Chrysler purchased AMC from Renault even though the right to import and distribute 'Jeep' to the European countries continued with Renault till 1992.

Alliance was set up with Volvo in 1990 with Renault taking a 20% stake in the company.

A new modified logo was launched in 1992 created by Style Marque agency.

(Source: www.dinesh.com)

In 1994 the French Government made its plan to privatize Renault partially, with the state taking 52.98% stake in the company.

Renault entered into a partnership with Nissan in 1999, followed by the takeover of Samsung Motors in 2000. 2001 saw it increasing its stake in the Romanian 'Dacia'.

In 2002, Renault made a comeback into F1 under its name, a decision that was followed by the notching of six pole positions and seven wins by its driver Fernando Alonso in 2005 and another victory in 2006.

Volkswagen

The 1933 Berlin Auto Show witnessed the plans of Adolf Hitler to introduce a car as a part of his preparation to 'motorize' Germany - a car that is affordable by the ordinary man. Legend says that he approached Ferdinand Porsche who was then working as a freelance automotive consultant and constructor with his specifications for 'Volkswagen". It was to be a low-priced people's car, spacious for five people, cruising at a speed of 62 mph and returning 33mpg. Porsche who was working on a small car design, then combined his prototype with the specifications provided by Hitler for the Volkswagen. It was Erwin Komenda, the chief engineer of Porsche who developed the prototype of the body of the car known as the "Beetle" today.

Before the auto exhibition of 1938, Hitler renamed it as 'KdF Wagen' or the 'Kraft durch Freude' meaning 'strength through joy' to the dismay of non-political Porsche. It is said that the first emblem opted by KdF was the Swastika surrounded by the cogged wheel.

(Source: www.littleoilspot.com)

The portrayal of the letters 'VW' in the cogged wheel was submitted for trademark in the year 1938 by Franz Reimspiess after a logo design competition.

(Source: http://www.dastank.com)

Postwar Volkswagen logo
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As a part of the "Sparen f ür den KdF -wagen" or the "Save for the KdF wagen" campaign, the makers of the car, the German Labor Front, issued stamps wherein the redemption of a count of 200 stamps made one eligible for a car. However, it was never realized as the company turned its attention in pumping out military vehicles on the onset of the Second World War from its campus.

The fall of the Germans in the Second World War saw the transfer of the remains of the company to the British Military Government in June, 1945. Under the guidance of Major Ivan Hirst, they restarted the production of the cars and the period around 1945 also saw a change in the name of the company to 'Volkswagen'.

Later the British Government tried to transfer the control of the company to able hands; an offer which was rejected by the French Government, Ford Motor Company as well as Fiat. On 8 Oct, 1949, the government of the Federal Republic of Germany was made the trustee of the company Volkswagenwerk.

Though the initial days after this event, including its first entry into America in the 1950s was a struggle, the mid-1950s brought with it newer models leading to a spurt in the sales in the domestic and export market.

(Source: broomvroom.blogspot.com)

(Source: www.zlok.net)

The origin of the Volkswagen logo has been a matter of dispute until recently. Nikolai Borg, who had won an award for designing the logo for the Reich's Youth Hostel Association during the period, said that he was approached by Fritz Todt, who was in the ministry, to design the emblem for the company building motorways and the cars. Though the judges in the Vienna Business Court do not deny the part played by Borg on the emblem of the company, records reveal the existence of the same prior to his actions. It also saw an expert from the Copyright and Patent Law's making a statement that a person named Ludwig Hohlwein as the designer for a similar emblem in 1920, even though the records claim Franx Xavier Reimspiess as the originator of the drawing.