Every so often someone asks what Toyota’s logo means. You know, that stylistic shape that consists of three superimposed ovals? So I thought I’d look into it. At the suggestion of our archives folks, I started with a site titled,...
Every so often someone asks what Toyota’s logo means. You know, that stylistic shape that consists of three superimposed ovals?
So I thought I’d look into it. At the suggestion of our archives folks, I started with a site titled, "A History of Car Logos." Whatever it is you’re looking for, from Abarth to Volvo (nope, no Zagato – they were tuners, rather than manufacturers), there’s a pretty good chance that you’ll find it here.
This site’s entry for Toyota informs us that the logo consists of, "Three ellipses depicting the heart of the customer, the heart of the product, and the ever-expanding technological advancements and boundless opportunities that lie ahead."
Well, OK - a bit flowery, maybe, but fine. Trouble is, that might not be completely correct. I also found an official Toyota version of the logo’s meaning. It’s just a little different from the one listed above.
It explains, "The two perpendicular center ovals represent a relationship of mutual trust between the customer and Toyota. These ovals combine to symbolize the letter "T" for Toyota. The space in the background implies a global expansion of Toyota's technology and unlimited potential for the future."
The bottom line, of course, isn’t what blue-sky designers think a logo represents. It’s what you think it represents. Value, reliability and a strong environmental ethic are characteristics we strive to build into every one of our vehicles. We can only hope that those are the characteristics that shine through, past that logo, for our customers.
Oh, by the way: Cash and prizes (virtual, of course, not actual) if you can name manufacturers whose names begin with the letters Y and Z. For the letter W, of course, there’s Wanderer, the pre-war German marque, and Willys-Overland, which dates from 1912 and which made, among other things, a version of the WWII Jeep. And probably there are others. But what about the letter Y? And no, for Z, Zonda doesn’t count, and neither does Zephyr – both are model names, not marque names.
- Jon F. Thompson, Editor, Open Road
More...
Every so often someone asks what Toyota’s logo means. You know, that stylistic shape that consists of three superimposed ovals?
So I thought I’d look into it. At the suggestion of our archives folks, I started with a site titled, "A History of Car Logos." Whatever it is you’re looking for, from Abarth to Volvo (nope, no Zagato – they were tuners, rather than manufacturers), there’s a pretty good chance that you’ll find it here.
This site’s entry for Toyota informs us that the logo consists of, "Three ellipses depicting the heart of the customer, the heart of the product, and the ever-expanding technological advancements and boundless opportunities that lie ahead."
Well, OK - a bit flowery, maybe, but fine. Trouble is, that might not be completely correct. I also found an official Toyota version of the logo’s meaning. It’s just a little different from the one listed above.
It explains, "The two perpendicular center ovals represent a relationship of mutual trust between the customer and Toyota. These ovals combine to symbolize the letter "T" for Toyota. The space in the background implies a global expansion of Toyota's technology and unlimited potential for the future."
The bottom line, of course, isn’t what blue-sky designers think a logo represents. It’s what you think it represents. Value, reliability and a strong environmental ethic are characteristics we strive to build into every one of our vehicles. We can only hope that those are the characteristics that shine through, past that logo, for our customers.
Oh, by the way: Cash and prizes (virtual, of course, not actual) if you can name manufacturers whose names begin with the letters Y and Z. For the letter W, of course, there’s Wanderer, the pre-war German marque, and Willys-Overland, which dates from 1912 and which made, among other things, a version of the WWII Jeep. And probably there are others. But what about the letter Y? And no, for Z, Zonda doesn’t count, and neither does Zephyr – both are model names, not marque names.
- Jon F. Thompson, Editor, Open Road
More...
