# Understanding Car Emblems **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 24, 2000, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434 "2000-04-24T03:32:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2000, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434/21 "2000-04-25T09:21:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by vandal: > **The same with Toyota and Nissan. There is no Lexus and there is no Infiniti.** FWIW, Lexus _is_ a separate brand in Europe. Infinity isn’t, though. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2000, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434/22 "2000-04-25T12:49:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Volvo uses the male gender symbol (circle with an arrow protruding up from the top). I’m thinkin’ they must be a manly bunch of automakers. ## I once saw a show on The History Channel that said the “male symbol” is the symbol for iron, and that it was chosen by Volvo to imply the strength of their cars. “I must leave this planet, if only for an hour.” – Antoine de St. Exupéry Are you a turtle? ---
**Author:** ![Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df705f/32.png) [@Henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Henry)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2000, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434/23 "2000-04-25T14:28:00Z")
I’ve heard that the bow tie emblem of Chevrolet was a stylized outline of Switzerland. Louis Chevrolet was born there. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2000, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434/24 "2000-04-25T15:19:00Z")
It seems to me that prior to the mid-1980s or so, not too many Japanese brands had logos on the grille. Not all the American brands did either. Now, it seems like everyone has a logo on the grille. For example, my 1985 Toyota Corolla and my 1986 Camry didn’t have a “logo” anywhere. But Mercedes always had the logo on the grille or the hood ornament. IIRC, so did Volkswagens and BMWs. So did many of the American cars, like Buicks, Chevys and Cadillacs. When (and why) did the non-German and non-GM cars get so logo-happy? ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2000, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434/25 "2000-04-25T15:26:00Z")
For as long as I can remember, European cars _all_ have logo’s, save a few exceptions. I suppose the Japanese and American manufacturors thought it was the hip thing to do 🙂 Slight hijack - no, make that complete hijcack: are there any Canadian car manufacturors? I just realised I can’t think of any. ---
**Author:** ![Kiva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/d78d45/32.png) [@Kiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiva)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2000, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434/26 "2000-04-26T01:34:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by lunasea: > \*\*I don’t know if it is because I’m a girl, but I never even realized that all those symbols actually mean anything. Maybe they should make them a little more obvious for the likes of me. > On the subject of Japanese I was only taught the ichi ni san… system of counting. How many do they need? As if trying to learn hiragana, katakana & kanji weren’t enough to make me quit after the second year. Sheesh. > > \*\* Well, I’m female, and I always notice the car symbols. There’s just something wrong with you. 😉 You got through two whole years of Japanese without learning at least ten different counting systems? Lucky you. My teacher threw about five systems at us the first year, first _quarter_. That was a difficult class–one I nearly failed. I wrote: > [@](#): > > I believe the constellation in question is the Pleiades. Er, to clarify, the Pleiades is actually a big star cluster. I don’t think it’s really considered a constellation, though there’s a ton of mythology about the “Seven Sisters”, the seven easily visible stars of the group. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2000, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434/27 "2000-04-26T01:54:00Z")
> [@](#): > > For example, my 1985 Toyota Corolla and my 1986 Camry didn’t have a “logo” anywhere. My father had a 1974 Toyota Hi-Lux pickup. IIRC, it had a stylized “T” on the grille, but not the crossed ellipses used on modern Toyotas. His 1970 Toyota Corona wagon also had it, IIRC. > [@](#): > > are there any Canadian car manufacturors I think many Fords are made in Canada. 74% of my 1999 Jeep Cherokee is made from U.S./Canadian parts, but the sticker doesn’t say what percentage of that 74% is from U.S. and what percentage is from Canada. (FWIW, 15% of the parts are Japanese. The engine is of U.S. origin and the transmission is of Japanese origin. Final assembly was in Toledo, Ohio.) ## FWIW, Canada is the home of Bombardier, who builds Lear Jets and Sea Doos. DeHaviland is also in Canada, making aircraft. I think Rotax engines might be built there as well, but of that I’m not sure. “I must leave this planet, if only for an hour.” – Antoine de St. Exupéry Are you a turtle? ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2000, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434/28 "2000-04-26T04:12:00Z")
From what I can tell, the Japanese cars are the ones that came up with the emblem that is supposed to mean something, like the initial of the brand. I know other cars had emblems and symbols, but they either had the name (Ford) written out, or were just some recognizable symbol without particular connection to the brand (Cadillac has a shield, Buick with the kite, etc). Toyota had a different emblem for a long time (cannot remember now), then had an intermediary before the current interlocking ovals. I’m trying to decide if Infinity’s symbol is supposed to suggest an “I”. And yes, the Pleides (sp) is a constellation as well as a cluster. (Some people mistakenly call it the little dipper because it is very tiny and resembles a dipper shape, but it is not the Little Dipper.) ---
**Author:** ![Flang\_Dang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e4f/32.png) [@Flang\_Dang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flang_Dang)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2000, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434/29 "2000-04-26T14:48:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Omniscient: > **I’m not sure where many of the manes come from like Cadillac, Pontiac, Buick, Chrystler. I imagine many are mens names and as such the badge has little to reference. Ditto Mercedes. > .** Cadillac and Pontiac are Indian names (Pontiac was a chief) from the Michigan region. I don’t remember Buick and Chrysler. Mercedes, IIRC was the name of Karl Benz’ daughter. I think, like BMW, the Mercedes symbol references a propeller, but I could be mistaken. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434/30 "2000-04-27T12:19:00Z")
Random car names. I once called Toyota. They said that “Camry” is an Americanization of a Japanese word meaning “little crown”. “Paseo”, they said, is Spanish for “to take a walk”. “Infiniti” irks me because it’s misspelled. One Japanese car was the “Millenium” (Mazda?). Also misspelled. What’s with “X” in a model name? RX-7, Pulsar NX, (something)-ZX… MR-2. I heard that “MR” means “mid-engine, rear-wheel drive”. But I keep wanting to call them “Mister 2”. The original Porsche 911 was called the 901, but Pugeot had a trademark on “0” as a middle digit, or had their own car called the 901. I don’t remember. Either way, it’s because of Pugeot that Porsche changed the model to 911. (BTW, the “e” at the end of Porsche is pronounced. “POR-sha”.) When I first saw the Acura symbol, I thought it looked like the symbol for Star Fleet Command. Mitsubishi made the famed A6M “Zero” fighter in WW2. I’d like to see a commercial that has footage of the attack on Pearl Harbor, linking the modern car to the company’s excellent fighters. “60 years of innovation and excellence!” (British) Lucas electrical systems run on smoke. The “wires” carry the smoke from one component to another. If the wires leak (i.e., the smoke escapes from the system), it stops working. 😃 Henry Ford was a noted anti-Semite. My ex-g/f used to call Volkswagen busses “Dumbo Rides”, after the ride at Disneyland, because they were big and slow. They remind me of rolling bread loaves. I like them. The re-introduced Porsche 924 (I don’t remember the year. Late 80s?) was faster than the basic-model 944. This is because both cars used the same engine, but the 924 was “slicker” without the flared bodywork. I saw a 60s Ford Mustang on the road. It had cool-looking “intakes” on the sides. They didn’t do anything. They were completely non-functional. What’s up with that? * * * “I must leave this planet, if only for an hour.” – Antoine de St. Exupéry Are you a turtle? ---
**Author:** ![concrete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bbce88/32.png) [@concrete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/concrete)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434/31 "2000-04-27T12:29:00Z")
someone kindly explain this… [http://www.cybercomm.net/~fiorella/logos/cars/SWE/volvo.jpg](http://www.cybercomm.net/~fiorella/logos/cars/SWE/volvo.jpg) No women allowed? ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434/32 "2000-04-27T12:34:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Johnny L.A.: > **The original Porsche 911 was called the 901, but Pugeot had a trademark on “0” as a middle digit, or had their own car called the 901. I don’t remember. Either way, it’s because of Pugeot that Porsche changed the model to 911. (BTW, the “e” at the end of Porsche is pronounced. “POR-sha”.)** They didn’t have a 901, but they had a 203 and a 403 at the time. And it’s _Peugeot_, by the way. They still only make cars with “_0_” names. Mine’s a 306, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434/33 "2000-04-27T12:58:00Z")
Coldfire, I wasn’t sure about the spelling. I knew the middle-“0” had something to do with Porsche’s decision. ## Concrete, The symbol is “iron”, IIRC. “I must leave this planet, if only for an hour.” – Antoine de St. Exupéry Are you a turtle? ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434/34 "2000-12-17T01:15:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by J String \* > \*\*IIRC, Subaru was formed after the merger of six automakers. \*\* Subaru is an Australian company, I believe. Their logo looks like the Southern Cross (The Southern Hemisphere’s equivalent of the North Star), which is also on Australia’s flag. ---
**Author:** ![Lawmill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lawmill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lawmill)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434/35 "2000-12-17T06:08:07Z")
> [@](#): > > What’s with “X” in a model name? RX-7, Pulsar NX, (something)-ZX… In the case of the RX series from Mazda and the CRX, the “X” signifies a car that’s apparently experimental. It’s also used because it sounds futuristic and sexy. In the case of the RX series, the “R” denotes the use of a rotary engine. > [@](#): > > MR-2. I heard that “MR” means “mid-engine, rear-wheel drive”. But I keep wanting to call them “Mister 2”. Actually the MKIII MR2(the Boxster lookin’ one) settles this debate. On the engine cover, IIRC, it says "Mid-engined runabout, 2 seater. However, I’m still curious about what the MR2 Thunderbird hood ornament means. Even the hardcore guys on the MR2 BBS’ didn’t seem to have a definitive answer. I guessing it has some to do with Toyota’s racing department. > [@](#): > > Subaru is an Australian company, I believe. I’m 99.9% sure they’re Japanese. You might be getting confused because Paul Hogan is their advertising spokesperson for the Subaru Outback. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434/36 "2000-12-17T06:21:53Z")
> [@](#): > > When I first saw the Acura symbol, I thought it looked like the symbol for Star Fleet Command. > [@](#): > > Acura (Honda’s luxo line) is basically a squished “H” with the top nearly pinched making a clear “A” I guess I should have pointed out months ago that the Acura “A” could be a pair of draftsman’s dividers, indicating a degree of engineering went into the vehicle. > [@](#): > > The Chevy bowtie is non-sensical. IIRC, the Chevrolet “bowtie” is actually a modification of a cross as used by the French (a few hundred years ago?). ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434/37 "2000-12-17T07:15:23Z")
Somebody dug up this old thread… I reread through. I was going to make some correcting comment to stuff. Then I saw someone made the comment, so I wouldn’t have to. _Then_ I saw it was me. According to this site, Subaru is a division of Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd. [http://www.fhi.co.jp/english/](http://www.fhi.co.jp/english/) See Subaru logo there. That is six stars. This page gives the history of Subaru. [http://www.fhi.co.jp/subaru/bodb00.htm](http://www.fhi.co.jp/subaru/bodb00.htm) It says: > [@](#): > > Subaru is the name of a star cluster in the Taurus constellation. Six of its stars are visible to the naked eye, but about 250 bluish stars can be seen if one uses a telescope. > In the West the cluster is called Pleiades, in China, Mao, and in Japan, Subaru (“to govern” or gather together"). In Japan, it also goes by the name Mutsuraboshi (“Six Stars”), under which title it appears frequently in very old Japanese documents such as Kojiki and Manyosyuand literature such as Makura-no-soshi. Clearly, this is one of the clusters much loved by the Japanese from ancient times. Interestingly enough, FHI was created by the merger of six companies, so you can see what a truly evocative name Subaru is. So it is NOT the Southern Cross. Australia’s flag: [http://www.csu.edu.au/australia/flag.html](http://www.csu.edu.au/australia/flag.html) Soutern Cross: [http://members.tripod.com/NZPhoto/scenery/asoutherncross.htm](http://members.tripod.com/NZPhoto/scenery/asoutherncross.htm) As you can see from the description, the sixth star (the seven pointed one) is not part of the constellation, but is a different symbol. I can see why it might lead to confusion, though, as both fly six stars. (Side note: where do they get off calling that a cross? It’s just an oblong box or a kite.) According to this site, the MR-2 could mean a variety of things: [http://www.mr2.com/MR2Desc.html](http://www.mr2.com/MR2Desc.html) > [@](#): > > There are several opinions on the origin of the name “MR2”. I haven’t listed all the variations, but here are some of the most popular interpretations of the name: > > ``` > "Mid engined, Runabout, 2 seater" > "Midship Runabout 2-seater" > "Mid engined, Rear drive, 2 seater" > "Midship-engine, Rear-wheel drive, 2 seater" > "Midship Racer 2 seater" > > ``` I started looking around, but I can’t even figure out what ornament you mean, much less what _it_ means. I’m too bored to keep looking. ---
**Author:** ![lurkernomore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@lurkernomore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkernomore)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434/38 "2000-12-17T14:42:42Z")
Johnny, ``` The "domestic content" of US cars includes Canada because there are a LOT of factories for US carmakers circling Detroit. A number of them are in Windsor and surrounding areas, too. When they plan to build a car, they may have, say, transmission plants on both sides of the border, and use whichever has stock ready. Labelling domestic content to include Canada prevents possibly jiggling the numbers for individual cars. "Hey, my 2000 Explorer says 57% content, and Mike's says 55%, and we bought them from the same dealer.." ``` ---
**Author:** ![Lawmill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lawmill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lawmill)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434/39 "2000-12-17T21:42:21Z")
[http://www.hdrogers.com/ttmr2.jpg](http://www.hdrogers.com/ttmr2.jpg) is one place to see the MR2 badge I was talking about. I’m having trouble finding a picture of where it says"Mid engine runabout, 2 seater" on the MR2. It may actually be somewhere in the front trunk. ---
**Author:** ![beerman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85e7bf/32.png) [@beerman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beerman)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434/40 "2000-12-17T22:01:25Z")
chrysler is a guys last name Walter J. Chrysler and The Dodge Bros. I read in car trivia book a while back that the Mercedes 3 pointed star was land sea sky they were like BMW in that they made multiple engines/vehicles also read that Mercedes is spanish but was Benz’s daughters name [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-car-emblems/16434.md?page=1)