Story by: Joe Parker
Manufacturer and model logos and emblems like the Ferrari prancing horse, Ford’s “blue oval,” or the slanted “M” attributed to the sportiest of BMW models are emblematic (excuse the pun) of the brand or model’s history. Sometimes these emblems can change drastically over time, receive a refreshed look, or even revert to their previous style for marketing or nostalgia. Some emblems even reach iconic status, and certainly among that group is the iconic American sports car, the Corvette. So, what does the Corvette’s emblem represent, and how has it changed over the ‘Vette’s 70-year history?
The Chevy Corvette’s emblem has undergone some significant updates over the past seven decades. Still, several elements have remained constant — dual flags, the Chevrolet bow-tie badge, and, in all but one generation, a fleur-de-lis.
The fleur-de-lis is perhaps the most unexpected element of the Corvette logo, given the sports car is a General Motors product and therefore is decidedly American. So, why does the Corvette logo incorporate the symbol of a tri-petal lily bound at its base, popularized by its former inclusion on the French coat of arms?
Though we may associate Chevrolet with the red, white, and blue — er, the star-spangled version, that is, considering those are the same colors featured on the French flag — its founder was from across the Atlantic.
Louis Chevrolet spent the first two decades of his life in his home country of Switzerland before settling in France, where he began tinkering with motors and developed his mechanical prowess. According to GM Authority, the fleur-de-lis was included on the Corvette logo as an homage to the country in which Chevrolet’s family descended and where he first made his mechanical strides before starting the company that bears his name in the U.S. in 1911.
The Corvette’s use of a black and white checkered flag, popularized by motor racing, is more evident given its sports car pedigree. However, the use of a second flag bearing the fleur-de-lis and often the Chevrolet logo was never originally intended to be included in the Corvette logo.
The original Corvette emblem that never saw the light of day, at least proverbially, called for the checkered flag to cross with a U.S. flag. However, due to legalities surrounding the use of the American flag on commercial products, the star-spangled flag was dropped and replaced by the fleur-de-lis and the Chevy logo-bearing banner.
How has the Chevy Corvette emblem changed?
…… For the full original article please click here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/other/the-history-and-meaning-of-the-corvette-logo/ar-AA1eKz0Y
