The history of automotive firms is linked to their emblems, which certify the passage of time and are the best example of the trends of each era. Mazda celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2019 , with the launch of special editions and a compilation of its most important moments. During the last return to the sun we discovered the Mukainada spirit that resides in their cars, a way of understanding life and overcoming as a result of the worst episode that its people suffered: the Hiroshima bomb. We also did a review of its most iconic models, paying special attention to the Mazda-Go. This three-wheeled microcar was commissioned to start the production of rolling vehicles in a factory specializing in the treatment of cork. It was also the first to sport the Mazda logo.
Mazda Motor Corporation started as an automobile firm on January 30, 1920 and did so under the name Toyo Cork Kogyo Companyo. At that time, they were dedicated to the production of cork and it was not until 1931 that the Mazda-Go motorcycle car left its manufacturing line. After the impact of the bombs and the boost of the economy of the area, he bequeathed the R360 coupe in 1960 . The name “Mazda” first appeared in 1934 in homage to Ahura Mazda, the Persian god of wisdom, intelligence and harmony . The founder’s name, Matsuda, was also pronounced in much the same way.
First emblem
The first Mazda logo was inspired by Hiroshima, as the hometown emblem has three wavy white lines on a green background. The image of the city represents the three branches of the river Ota , which flows into it. It was reinterpreted by the firm with a straighter image and introducing a subtle M in the center. This visual game represented Mazda and the extensions of the emes were supposed as wings that symbolized “agility, speed and the ability to ascend to new heights.” This resource was used from the beginning of the Mazda-Go and throughout the postwar period, until 1959.
Success was not long in coming at Mazda and soon they began to export motorcycle cars abroad . In 1959, the minimalist logo was registered in 21 countries around the world, at which point they lent themselves to the launch of the R360, its first passenger car. It did not arrive until 1960 but it marked a before and after in the brand, which created a kei car admired by its people. Its design, reliability and comfort catapulted it to the leadership of registrations and with it the new Mazda emblem.
Car builder
The logo on the Mazda R360 was a chrome circle with an M inside, also chrome and had elongated ends to touch the circumference. The changes followed the success of the R360 and in the Cosmo, presented in 1964, the M was inscribed in a Reuleaux triangle . This evolution made some sense if we remember the rotary engine that was hidden under the hood of this automotive icon, while Mazda’s non-rotating cars maintained the circular structure.
In the early 90s Mazda took a step forward with its logo but modified it months later to differentiate itself from Renault. We can see the end result, still today, in the first generation MX-5s that have been preserved for so long. In 1997 came the current image with the V-shaped wings , which represent “growth and the best.” In 2015, a revision was introduced to this emblem, with silver typography and a bluish tone on the edges that is used both in subsidiaries and in the dealer network.
