Citroën is one of the most iconic French automobile manufacturers that boasts a rich history marked by innovation and creativity. Founded in 1919 by Andre Gustave Citroën, it is the first automobile company in Europe to have adopted the assembly line production technique inspired by Ford. A key element of its brand identity has been its logo, which has evolved over the years while maintaining its distinct “double chevron” design. The logo symbolizes precision and engineering excellence, and reflects the heritage of the company in gear-cutting technology. The article delves into the various logo changes over the years.
The Genesis of the Citroën Logo (1919 – 1922)
The first Citroën logo was introduced in 1919 and featured a yellow double-chevron pattern or a double arrow design inside a dark blue oval. This design was a direct reference to the helical gears produced by the first company of Citroën. The colour combination of yellow and blue was chosen to represent reliability, strength, and innovation.
(1922 – 1932)
In 1922, Citroën refined its logo by incorporating a sharper and more stylised chevron pattern. The emblem evolved into an octagonal shape, and the lines were made more defined to give it a bolder look. Also, blue was made the dominant colour of the octagon, while the yellow colour was made bolder and brighter. This version of the logo was used on the early Citroën vehicles to help them establish brand recognition.
(1932 – 1935)
In this logo design, the symbol of a geometric white swan was introduced. It had black accents and was placed beneath massive double chevrons. The left-facing swan floating on blue wavy lines denoting water was surrounded by a golden circle. Besides, the blue wavy lines featured the company name “Citroen.”
(1935 – 1959)
In 1935, Citroën introduced a yellow circular emblem enclosed within a blue octagon containing a streamlined double-chevron pattern inside. The new logo had a more modern and futuristic feel and aligned with the design trends of that era. The brand name “Citroen” in uppercase and executed using a simple sans-serif typeface appeared below the chevrons. Also, the letter “i” featured a dot on its top to balance the double dots on top of the letter “e.”
(1959 – 1966)
In 1959, the wordmark was removed, and the chevrons (arrows) were made three-dimensional and larger in size. Devoid of any blue, the yellow chevrons with a shadow effect were surrounded by a horizontally oriented oval.
(1966 – 1985)
During this period, the original colour palette was brought back, but the three-dimensional chevrons of the previous logo were retained. Placed inside a blue square with a thick yellow outline, the chevrons enclosed within a white oval were accompanied by the brand name in uppercase placed at the bottom. Further, the brand name written in a thick blue typeface in uppercase was placed inside a small white rectangle.
(1985 – 2009)
In 1985, Citroën made one of its most significant logo changes. The brand introduced an emblem comprising a small red square background with white chevrons inside to symbolise energy, dynamism, and passion. The bigger brand name written in a black sans-serif typeface was placed below the emblem. This logo became one of the most recognisable versions in the brand’s history and was used extensively for over two decades.
(2009 – 2016)
As digital branding became increasingly important, Citroën redesigned its logo in 2009 to adopt a more modern and three-dimensional look. The new design featured silver chevrons with a chrome effect and a subtle gradient. This gave the logo depth and a contemporary aesthetic. The background was removed and the brand name with little curved letters was written at the bottom in a bright red colour palette.
(2016 – 2019)
In 2016, Citroën opted for a flat, two-dimensional version of the logo. This change aligned with the global trend of simplifying logos for digital use and ensured clarity and adaptability across different media platforms. Interestingly, grey was the sole colour used in the logo for the first time, be it for the chevrons or the brand name in a custom typeface.
(2019 – 2022)
The 2019 logo redesign was a refinement of the previous logo. It saw a darker and deeper grey tone to appear more professional. Besides, the chevrons appeared narrow and more compact to balance the whole design. The previous custom typeface for the brand name got the darker and deeper colour tone as well.
(2021 – 2022)
In the 2021 logo redesign, the small chevrons in solid black were placed to the left of the large brand name in black uppercase—all against a white background.
(2022 – Present)
The 2022 logo redesign saw the thick, solid black chevrons enclosed within an oval frame. Beneath this was placed a futuristic brand name, “Citroen,” in uppercase and executed in a sleek sans-serif typeface. The individual letters of the brand name appear to be horizontally extended.
The Elements of the Citroën Logo
Font
Although there is no official information about the font used in the Citroën logo, it appears to be a sans-serif typeface. The latest logo uses a sharper font, resulting in the letters appearing more curved. Modern and bold, the font is easy to read.
Colour
The latest Citroën logo features a black and white colour palette. However, the previous ones did experiment with a number of colours, namely, yellow, silver, blue, and red.
Finally
The Citroën logo has undergone multiple changes over the past century, wherein each change reflects the evolution of the brand in design and engineering. Despite these changes, the double-chevron symbol has remained a constant and represents the enduring commitment of the company to innovation and quality.