British Brands and Their Stories

Welcome to the "Brands and Their Stories" series where we examine the national brands of countries and the stories behind these brands. In the first part of the series, we will visit British soil and take a closer look at British brands that have left their mark in the automotive industry.

 

1.) Bentley

Founded in the early 1910s by W.O. Bentley and his brother, the Bentley brand stands out as one of the most valuable brands in Britain today. It continues its activities today as part of Volkswagen AG. The company, which was active in the aviation sector in the first years, entered the automotive industry in time and gained a rising momentum. In fact, the logo of the company still refers to its aviation-related history. The silver, white and black colours in the logo symbolize the detailed craftsmanship, attractive designs and elegant design features used in the vehicles, respectively. Wings, on the other hand, touches on its history in the aviation industry, in addition to this, the letter "B" in the middle draws attention to the company's self-confidence and pride.

 

2.) Lotus

Founded by Colin Bruce Chapman in the early 1950s, Lotus has set its focus on race car production. This goal was achieved in 1958, a short time after its establishment. The brand participated in world-famous Formula 1 races for the first time that year. Although they have achieved various successes over time, they have not only been satisfied with this, but they also developed themselves in the automotive industry. The vehicles and technological infrastructures they designed exhibited remarkable performances on the road. Thus, they have become one of the most important brands in the market in terms of performance (especially in the field of handling). If we look at the meaning of the logo of the Lotus brand, the letters in the triangle in the centre of the logo contain the initials of Colin Chapman, the founder of the company. The reason why the triangle is green is shown as the company's passion for the speed of the vehicle and the brand. The yellow colour around the triangle is said to represent the sun, which is seen as the source of energy.

 

3.) Jaguar

Established in England in 1922 by William Lyons and William Walmsley, Jaguar brand stands out as a brand where luxury designs and powerful engines come together in one body. Although it is now part of the Indian-based Tata Motors firm, it maintains its British roots. The company, which produced some types of accessories in the motorcycle sector in its early years, later took its place among the brands that made a breakthrough in the automotive field. The company, which uses Jaguar, one of the famous hunters of the animal kingdom as its name, as a symbol, places this logo on its vehicles in various styles. The reason why Jaguar is used as a symbol is shown in the company's vehicles as it offers its customers speed, agility and power, which are the most familiar features of Jaguar.

 

4.) Aston Martin

When Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford founded this company in 1913, they probably did not anticipate that the Aston Martin brand would become one of the brands that left a mark in the world. Aston Martin, which is known for its successes in luxury cars and motor sports, has become one of the values of England as a respected company. Besides these achievements, the spy car used by the famous agent in the famous movie series 007 James Bond was an Aston Martin model. It is a fact that this detail is a very effective point in increasing the popularity of the brand. Although the cars of the brand are impressive, the logo they use is equally impressive. The wings in the logo represent the infinite imagination, freedom and speed.

 

5.) Land Rover

Finally, on our list, we'll take a look at another Tata Motors company, Land Rover. The Land Rover brand, founded in the late 1940s, was founded by Maurice Wilks in the UK. The British company, which produces SUVs and 4x4 vehicles in general, has a very long history in this field. So much so that brand has many models that have proven themselves in the military and civilian field. The iconic logo owned by the company was also designed by company founder Maurice Wilks. The lines on the right and left of the Land Rover inscription are concrete examples of the brand's stereotypical "Above and Beyond" motto.