Lamborghini Takes 7th Place in the Best Car Logos of All Time

Lamborghini, alongside Ferrari, was one of the flashy cars that I dreamt about driving when I was a kid. Back then and still today it’s one of the most famous luxury car manufacturers in the world. The Lamborghini emblem itself is likewise seen as a symbol of style, sophistication, and automobile elegance.

Lamborghini’s presence as a leading luxury car manufacturer from Europe is known across the globe. When one thinks about Lamborghini, images of sleek or outrageous designs and stunning, sporty aesthetics spring to mind. Lamborghini is an icon in the niche and produces elite-performance cars, rightly considered to be among the fastest, most desirable and most impressive in the world.

When the company first came on the scene in 1953 it earned attention in the industry with its unique approach to car creation, featuring a rear-wheel, rear mid-engine drive layout. The business’ growth grew significantly during the first decade, but sales dived in the financial crisis of 1973. Lamborghini dealt with this by adding new lines and models to its portfolio, helping attract a wider range of buyers. Today, the Lamborghini logo is undeniably one of the most recognisable in the world, associated with sophistication, style, and class. Now, let’s take a closer look at its history.

Lamborghini history: The Lamborghini logo today

The Lamborghini car logo as it is today is easily recognisable. It is in the shape of a black shield with a gold outline. At the top is the name of the Lamborghini brand, gleaming in gold, bold letters. Though what really stands out in the emblem is the central golden bull; a sign of strength, grace, and exceptional performance. It has been carefully designed to convey motion, with its hooves poised and head dipped, the Lamborghini mascot is ready for action. In many ways, the Lamborghini car symbol is neither complex nor simple, but it is undeniably one of the most memorable.

Lamborghini logo evolution: Lamborghini symbols

The Lamborghini insignia has changed only a few times over the years. You can see from the image below that the old Lamborghini logo was nothing like the one we know today. Yet, when the Lamborghini team found its true visual identity, it gripped onto the image for as long as possible.

1953

When Lamborghini was first established by Ferruccio Lamborghini, the logo was a basic monochrome pyramid, divided into three triangles within. Each triangle had its own letter in a block capital: F, L, and C (Ferruccio Lamborghini Company) A simple sans-serif was chosen as the typeface. 

1963

It was in 1963 that Lamborghini introduced the world to the iconic bull on its logo. The design isn’t a million miles away from the emblem today; the bull is in motion on a red shield. The name “Lamborghini” is written beneath in italic, sans-serif lettering. Sharp, silver lines, curving elegantly.

1972

In 1972 the emblem introduced the gold and black colour options, with the brand name brought inside the shield, above the bull. The shield’s colour went from red to black, the bull from white to gold. The typography also changed from a handwritten italic style font, to sans-serif capital letters.

1974

In 1974 Lamborghini went back to the bold sans-serif brand name underneath the shield. The colours were also changed, to a plain monochrome design. 

1998

Since 1998 the Lamborghini logo has remained the same. The figure of the golden bull is more detailed, using shade to showcase its strength and power. These muscular elements used a number of gradients to help them appear more vivid and realistic, visualising Lamborghini’s energy of motion.

The inscription of the Lamborghini name is as clear as it has ever been, signifying clarity and consistency in capital gold lettering. Against the black background, both the name and bull, enclosed within the gold outline, perfectly represent a luxury brand.

Why Lamborghini chose a bull as its symbol

The golden bull is the centrepiece of the Lamborghini car logo, but why did Ferruccio choose it? Animals are often used to represent speed and passion in the automobile industry, and according to today’s Lamborghini team the company’s founder was a Taurus and had a passion for bullfighting.

He regularly attended bullfighting events in his lifetime, and respected the bull as a powerful and elegant creature – an ideal symbol for an automobile brand. The bull shared a number of characteristics with the style and design of Lamborghini cars; powerful, fast, and elegant.

The bull is well-known for its strength and dominance, and is fittingly the symbol of Zeus, the leader of all Gods in mythology. The Lamborghini bull is poised for action, a shape that has remained almost exactly the same throughout the brand’s history. It’s a mascot that helps underline the unique identity of the Lamborghini, setting it apart from competitors.

When Ferruccio Lamborghini first introduced the bull into his Lamborghini logo, controversy ensued and he faced harsh criticism. This was due to the similarities between the logos of Lamborghini and their rival Ferrari. This was by no means an accident on Lamborghini’s part, he was always clear and open about his rivalry with the Ferrari brand. The similarities are seen in the shape of the shield, the use of gold and black, and that both logos feature an animal, although the Ferrari logo is a horse, not a bull.

Lamborghini logo colours

The colours used in the Lamborghini logo have changed a few times over the years. The designers have experimented with monochrome versions and used red and white as a way to signify passion and strength.

They ultimately decided that black and gold were the best colours to symbolise strength, sophistication, and status. They are extremely effective colour choices, with the golden elements linking the brand to luxury, wealth, prestige, and beauty.

Lamborghini logo font

The Lamborghini logo font has changed a little over the years, with a few iterations appearing in sans-serif variations. The Lamborghini name has been shown in all capitals and sentence type.

When talking about the Lamborghini logo today, it is best known as “La Macchina” (The car), which sometimes appears on the cars themselves, as well as their marketing campaigns.

The font of Lamborghini above the bull is a sans-serif font written with all capital letters. It was chosen to capture the attention of the viewer with feelings of power, class, and sophistication. The italic logo, however, is connected more with luxury. 

Celebrating the Lamborghini logo

The Lamborghini logo has rightfully earned its place as one of the best and most memorable designs in history. While the black background portrays power and strength,  the golden colour helps to highlight style, excellence, and indulgence.

The use of the bull or “Taurus” as the emblem is meaningful, as it helps connect the company to ideas of power and performance. You would be hard pushed to find anyone who couldn’t instantly recognise the Lamborghini logo.

Click here to find out which car logo came in 6th place in the best car logos of all time.