The mysterious story of Mr. Durant.
Every car emblem usually means something. BMW has the Bavarian flag, Mercedes–Benz has the company’s spheres of interest (on land, in the sky and at sea). They say that even the VAZ boat means something sublime and important, but we have already forgotten what exactly. But now, seriously: what does the cross–shaped emblem of the Chevrolet brand mean?
In America it is called a “bow–tie” and it is considered one of the most beautiful in the annals of automotive autoheraldry. The story of its appearance in general is probably the most confusing of all.
For the first time “bow tie” as a brand name for Chevrolet cars appeared in 1914, three years after the founding of the company. Prior to that, the trademark was … the autograph of Louis Chevrolet, the most famous racer at that time and one of the founders of the company. True, the paths of Louis Chevrolet and Chevrolet quickly parted ways. Having quarreled with partner William Durant, the proud Louis left the firm.
This departure did not affect the affairs of the company: it was Durant who was in mind, honor and conscience. Sales grew, fame multiplied, and the bow tie emblem became a familiar sight on the roads, first in America and then the rest of the world. And then one day it turned out that there is no logical explanation for the Chevrolet emblem … there is no.
Amazing consistency, isn’t it? Since 1914, the design of the Chevrolet logo has remained practically unchanged.
Many people habitually consider the cross on the logo to be a reference to the Swiss flag, because Louis Chevrolet is half Swiss. But this is not the case. The cross on the emblem appeared already when the relationship between Durant and Chevrolet was far from ideal. And William himself denied this version.
Once, tired of constant questioning, he “secretly” told the newspapermen that he had spied on the design of the corporate logo … on the wallpaper in one of the rooms of the Parisienne hotel. But this version will later be denied by members of the Durant family themselves, claiming that he came up with the design of the “bow tie“, looking through the newspaper after a hearty dinner. But, of course, no one could or did not want to find that very newspaper.
So until now, the hidden meaning of the Chverolet logo remains completely hidden for everyone, including the court historians of the company. In the end, the main thing is that the design is good, and the rest will follow.