More than one motor enthusiast will have noticed through the advertisements on television, marquees or newspapers. Peugeot has changed its logo : it has gone from a full-body lion to one that only shows its head.
At the beginning of the year, the PSA Peugeot-Citroen group merged with FCA Fiat-Chrysler giving birth to the motor giant Stellantis. On the occasion of this important maneuver, the feline brand has changed its logo, having a more powerful, qualitative and elegant image”, according to the company itself.
Visually, it is a return to the first shields of the French company . The foreground of the lion is recovered, silhouetted and on a black crest, which is very reminiscent of the 1960s.
All the brand’s new vehicles, as well as dealerships, derived products, advertising or web portals will adopt this new image.
The French car company has also launched its first brand campaign in 10 years with the slogan ” The lions of our time “, focusing on all ages, cultures and horizons.
But the effigy of the lion has undergone many changes over the years, which is normal in a brand that has been around for so many years. This is the eleventh change since its inception. We review the logos that Peugeot has had:
19th century: the origins
The brand originally did not build cars. It started in 1810 producing coffee grinders. At the end of the 1940s, it expanded its manufacture to tools, such as saws, blades or corset closures. It would not be until 1885 when vehicles began: starting with bicycles. Already then, its products were identified with the image of a lion, since it represented the values of its products: resistance, speed and dynamism.
1905: first logo on cars
Peugeot made its first car, the Type 2, in 1889. Curiously, it did not even have a lion on the front at first. The feline logo would not begin to be used until 1905.
This first shield was on the radiator grille and, in keeping with the designs of the time, it was very classic, with references to the brand and to Paris, the company’s headquarters. The lion was very realistic and stood out for its gold. In the background you can also see a wheel with its spokes and it is that the bicycles also showed this shield.
1923: the lion takes center stage
Radical change in appearance and position. There were two variants, designed by the sculptors Max and Baudichon. One showed a lion ready to jump and another one roaring. The figure of the lion is key and does not carry anything else. The movement has great prominence with a head with the mane in the wind and by the tail in the back. It was no longer on the radiator grille, it was placed on the radiator cap.
1933: the lion is stylized
Silver and much more stylized, it only represents the head of a feline roaring. This logo inspires even more speed and provides more image of distinction. It was placed on the radiator grille of the car in models 301, 401 or 601. The figure of this shield varied slightly in the forties with the 402.
1948: the ‘aristocratic’ lion
The feline once again shows its entire body on a flat surface, looking more like a heraldic shield. In fact, the lion shown is a symbol of the Franche-Comte region (Franche-Comte), the origin of the Peugeot family and a representation of the Gallic industrial aristocracy. It is the first time that the feline appears supported on its two hind legs. In models such as the 203, this shield coexisted with the previously described one.
1955: the head disappears from the capo
For security reasons, the logo on the hood was removed and only the grille remained. Franche-Comte’s lion now takes center stage, although the background is simplified. On the black crest, the name of the brand appears with a typography that will remain for many years. The Peugeot 403 carried this shield.
1960: An advance of the current logo
The lion stops coming out again with the whole body. His head is now shown with his hair blowing in the wind. It maintains its gold and the brand name. The brand’s new logo is very reminiscent of this one, although more stylized and in silver. Model 404 premiered this shield.
1968: the lion leaves the frame
Very similar to the previous one except for the lack of the frame and for some contours with more edges and much flatter. I use the 504. In this case the color could vary: it was gold or chrome.
1975: the silhouette of the feline
The brand takes up the Franche-Comte coat of arms, but this time it is only its silhouette in chrome. Receive the name of outlined lion. It is possibly one of the most recognized logos and the one that has lasted the longest. All their models from the late 70’s, from the 80’s and almost all from the 90’s had this shield on their radiator grille.
1998: The silhouette fills
out The lion now has its entire body with a slight intermediate crease. The chrome also becomes brighter. This logo will be used until 2010.
2010: A more dynamic lion
It is very similar to the one from 1998, but it has a somewhat different posture: it is more dynamic and gives more sensation of movement with a mane that stands out more. It is also brighter and its finishes give an image of greater modernity.
