A universal symbol of speed and freedom, wings are among the most often used themes on car logos. Interestingly, many winged logotypes bear a striking resemblance to the so-called winged sun, an ancient occult symbol.
1. Genesis
Part of the Hyundai Motor Group, Genesis is known for its luxury vehicles. The wings on the emblem are neither too realistic nor too abstract. From the one hand, they do look like wings, beyond doubt. From the other, they aren’t cluttered with unnecessary realistic details.
2. Mazda
The Mazda logotype, on the contrary, is on the abstract side. While “wings” can be one of the most obvious interpretations of the emblem, it is abstract enough to be interpreted in other ways, too.
The original Mazda badge, which was introduced in 1934, didn’t contain wings of any kind. The 1936 version was the first one to have wings of some sort. The wings were made up of three horizontal lines and looked even less like wings than the current emblem. According to the company, the wing theme was introduced to reflect the brand’s “agility, speed, and ability to soar to new heights.” The versions used in 1951-1997 didn’t have any wings, though. It was only in 1997 that the now-iconic curvy “v” made its debut.
The Mazda logotype stands out among other winged car badges. For one, it’s formed by a single line. Also, the ends are curved upward, which adds dynamism and optimism and goes well with the “continuous growth” brand identity theme.
3. Bentley
The badge represents not just wings, but almost a whole bird. It’s probably among the most impactful winged emblems. If you compare it side-by-side with the badges of Aston Martin, Lagonda, LEVC or JBA (all of them resembling the winged sun), you may get the feeling that the Bentley badge looks more complete and professional. The wings themselves are made up of three rows of feathers of different sizes, which add a lot of volume to the emblem. You may also notice a tail – not just a hint on a tail, like on the Genesis badge, but a pretty realistic tail made up of seven feathers.
Putting the company name between the wings appears to be the most natural (and generic) option. And yet, here, it doesn’t look that generic due to several factors, including the choice of typography and the fact that there’s a single letter.
4. Chrysler
This one looks streamlined and sporty. The authors of the logo opted for a comparatively abstract design. Interestingly, Chrysler was among the first car makers to have put wings on its badge – you can see the wings on the radiator cap developed in 1924 by one of Chrysler’s engineers, Oliver Clark. However, it was only in 1996 that the wings became part of the main logotype.
5. Aston Martin
Another winged badge pioneer, Aston Martin introduced its first winged emblem in 1927. Today, the logotype of the British carmaker depicts two totally flat wings joined together within a single shape. While there’re a lot of “feathers,” like in Bentley’s emblem, they don’t look as impactful due to the lack of depth.
6. Skoda
This is one of the most unusual badges in this list. Some may even say it’s not exactly a winged emblem. Instead of the bird’s wings, Skoda opted for an arrow with a Native American feathered headdress, which looks like a wing.
7. Wuling
The level of abstraction here is the same as on the Mazda badge. It looks pretty different, though. The Chinese car company opted for a complex geometric shape consisting of five 3D diamonds. The shape represents a bird in flight. The bright red is another characteristic feature of this emblem.
8. Austin
There’re two pairs of wings at once: the larger wings belong to a bird, while the smaller wings belong to an aircraft. After the company went bankrupt, the so-called “flying A” emblem and name of the brand changed owners several times until they became the property of SAIC Motor.
9. Mini
The badge on Mini cars is a combination of a circle in the middle and two wings with pronounced sharp angles. While you can perceive the emblem’s retro elegance, it also looks modern due to the minimalistic typography.
10. Jiefang
China’s largest manufacturer of heavy trucks, FAW Jiefang is a wholly-owned subsidiary of FAW Group. What makes the emblem unusual is that the wings are asymmetrical. Also, there’s the number “1” in the middle.
11. Lagonda
The badge of the British luxury car marque looks very much like a simplified black-and-white version of the Aston Martin’s emblem. Hardly a surprise, taking into consideration Lagonda has belonged to Aston Martin since 1947.
12. Morgan
The wings here are sharper and at the same time curvier than on most other emblems on this list. The badge is recognizable due to the blue cross in the middle.
13. SsangYong
According to the company’s official explanation, its logotype symbolizes two intertwined dragons rising to heaven. And yet, don’t they look like a good old pair of wings?
14. LEVC
London black taxicabs are probably the most known product of London EV Company. While there’re a horse and a pair of wings on the badge, we can’t say for sure whether the wings belong to the horse or not.
15. Rezvani
The California-based designer and manufacturer of high-performance supercars, Rezvani has a highly stylized emblem. In addition to a bird flying to the sun, it also reminds a steering wheel.
16. Vauxhall Motors Limited
While the previous version of the British car brand’s emblem featured a wing in a more obvious way, the current one still has a curvy line, which can be interpreted both as a wing or a tail.
17. Arrinera Automotive S.A.
The highly abstract shape on the emblem of the Polish supercar manufacturer reminds a pair of wings.
Historic badges
18. Suffolk Sportscars LTD
The sophisticated 3D blue and the hexagon in the middle make the similarity with the Bentley emblem slightly less obvious.
19. Hillman
These look a bit like the wings of an angel, due to their color and the small strokes resembling the rays of light. You can also perceive the royal theme.
20. Gumpert
The old logotype of the German sports car manufacturer now known as Apollo Automobil depicted a winged mythological creature.
21. Continental Motors Company
The fact that the American manufacturer included wings in its badge reminds that the company’s interests lay in the field of aircraft, too.
22. SAAB
Airplane wings could be seen on the 1950s bonnet mounted emblem and on the old logo of the former Swedish automobile manufacturer.
23. Jaguar
The 1935 version of the emblem depicted the wings of an eagle. The company also used a badge featuring a cat’s muzzle over a pair of wings.
24. Ducati
On the list of the brand’s old emblems, you can come across a colorful badge with two brown wings featuring the text “Ducati Meccanica Bologna.”
25. Hispano-Suiza
Quite a cluttered emblem depicted a pair of grey wings with the inverted Saint George’s Cross, a wheel, and a yellow ribbon.
26. Alta
The Greek manufacturer was known for its trucks and passenger cars. The wings on its emblem are nothing like those used by most other car brands. The sharp angles, the bright color, and of course, the scales, bring to mind the dragon’s wings.
Models and individual cars
One of the most famous cars on this list is probably the Chevrolet Corvette. While originally, the two flags on the Corvette badge were just flags, the current emblem has the wing theme.
The list of models and individual cars featuring wings on their badges is very long. It includes the 1950s Chevrolet, the Ford Thunderbird, Ford Fairlane, the 1950s Ford Country Squire, and several other Ford models, as well as the 1931 Chevy, the Chrysler Town and Country, the 1967 Chrysler Imperial, the 1951 Mercury and the 1955 Mercury, as well the 1949 Packard, to name just a few.
