Renault New Logo - 2021- Profile
Since 1899, Renault has been creating automobiles and it is the well known European Automobile manufacture in the world. The logo of Renault has been changed or modified as a requirement of time and generation. Since the inception of the company, the logo has been changed from an oval shape to a round logo to a diamond shape as the year progressed.
The Renault diamond has undergone an evolution following a two-year collaboration with global brand transformation company Landor & Fitch. The new visual identity is without signatures or typograms, embodying Renault’s renewal and bringing the brand into the modern and digital era.
While Renault’s visual identity has evolved over time, the immediately recognizable diamond-shaped logo has been in place since 1925. The previous emblem, created in 1992 and with a minor redesign in 2015, needed to transform and reflect the new challenges of a modern international brand.
Karl Saffre, Brand Identity Chief Designer at Renault, explains: “Our mission was to develop an identity that embodies the changes of the Renault brand towards more modernity and internationality. This co-creative work between Renault design teams and Landor & Fitch was guided by the obsession to create a polymorphic and living icon.”
Today the lines of the new sign, present in the brand’s heritage for almost a century, overlap to create a new dynamic brand in perpetual motion. The logo is an open-ended shape, intertwining without joining to create a symbol of inclusiveness, transparency and openness.
Jérémie Barry, Executive Creative Director at Landor & Fitch, explains: “This logo is like a still image of a brand in motion. It sets a new rhythm, a new line that builds on Renault’s heritage to redefine its future. We thank the Renault design teams for giving us this opportunity to be associated with a historic moment for the brand.”
The History of Renault logo
1900 – 1906
The first company logo was created only in 1900. The emblem consisted of the company’s founder’s initials (brothers Ferdinand, Marcel, and Luis Renault), which were enclosed in an oval, decorated with a patterned ribbon on top
1906 – 1919
In 1906, the initials of the founders disappeared from the Renault logo. A car appeared in their place. The car, resembling an old carriage, was located in a circle, the inside of which resembled a gear.
1919 – 1923
At that time, a tank replaced the car in the logo. And this was due to the fact that during the First World War, the factories of the French company Renault changed their specialization. The company started producing military equipment. Such significant changes in production simply could not be unreflected in the company’s logo.
1923 – 1925
The first Renault brand logo that adorned the company’s car was created in 1923. It had a round shape and was simply the inscription “Renault”, placed on the radiator grille.
1925 – 1930
The first diamond logo was designed. The company’s emblem gained angular forms and turned into a rhombus. The grille pattern remained as well as the brand’s nameplate. In 1946 Renault started using yellow colour for its visual identity. And since then the colour became synonymous with the brand.
1930 -1945
In 1930 the Renault badge was redesigned in a modern and confident manner, though keeping the geometric Diamond idea. The framing was gone, and black became the main colour, being used for thick parallel lines, and the main central banner with the bold white inscription on it. The “Renault” logotype was written in the uppercase of a strong and elegant serif typeface with thick lines and massive serifs
1945 – 1946
In 1946 the crest was removed from the Renault visual identity, keeping the iconic emblem as the single element again. The Renault Diamond was now drawn in yellow, white, and black colour palettes which evokes a sense of joy, lightness, and happiness. The thin black horizontal lines were accompanied by a bold and modern sans-serif lettering in the uppercase.
1946 – 1958
In 1946 the crest was removed from the Renault visual identity, keeping the iconic emblem as the single element again. The Renault Diamond was now drawn in yellow, white, and black colour palettes which evokes a sense of joy, lightness, and happiness. The thin black horizontal lines were accompanied by a bold and modern sans-serif lettering in the uppercase.
1958 – 1967
The next redesign was held by the brand in 1959. The wordmark remained in its place but was executed in finer lettering. The diamond war refined as well, it became narrower and more elegant and got a new name — Pointe de Diamanté, which means “diamond tip” in French.
1967 – 1972
In 1967 a completely new concept for the Renault visual identity was introduced by the designers. A bright yellow square had two white arrow-like figures, placed from angle to angle and creating a yellow rhombus in the negative space. The black narrowed “Renault” inscription in the uppercase of a traditional bold sans-serif was set under the yellow squared enclosed between two black horizontal lines.
1973 – 1982
In 1972 Renault hired a famous artist Victor Vasarely to redesign the logo. He created a three-dimensional emblem, which was dynamic and clean with its angular lines. The name of the brand was removed from the logo.
1982 – 1990
The redesign of 1982 refined the contours of the previous insignia and added some white touches to the Diamond, which made it look sleeker and more stylish. The shade of yellow was switched to a darker one, and the typeface of the logotype — to an elegant and stable serif, with thick distinct lines and massive serifs on their ends
1990 – 2004
In 1992, a new appearance of the Renault logo was developed. The text returned to this version of the emblem again. But, being already recognizable, the rhombus ceases to be the center of the composition. A more simplified geometric figure was positioned above the Renault lettering, exactly in the middle.
2004 – 2015
The emblem was slightly modernized and the wordmark got a new typeface. The yellow square appeared on the logo as a background. The nameplate was executed in black, which gave a great contrast with the bright background and silver-tone of the emblem.
The wordmark was designed by Eric de Berranger. It was powerful and elegant, combining both thick and thin lines
2015 – 2021
The Renault logo is bolder and more modern. The wordmark in a custom typeface is minimalist and stylish. The brand’s visual identity today is a reflection of the progress and reliability of the company. It evokes a sense of trust and expertise, while the yellow adds playfulness and warmth.
2021
Landor & Fitch and Renault developed a film revealing this polymorphous logo. Using 3D and motion design, the symbol is celebrated and vibrates to the sound of music — a track taken from Renault’s brand heritage and remastered by the Start-Rec agency. The film showcases the multisensorial aspect of the new brand through the play of textures and movement. A perfect balance between recognizing its heritage while projecting it into the future.
History of Renault Logos got from https://allcarbrandslist.com, https://1000logos.net & www.renaultgroup.com/
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