holden Logo - History, Design, and Meaning

The visual identity of one of the oldest Australian car marques has always been centered around the image of a lion, an animal symbolizing power, courage, and majesty. However, the Holden logo carries a more intriguing meaning.

The badge, affectionately nicknamed 'Lion and the Stone,' graphically represents the invention of the wheel. According to legend, the wheel was invented after people observed lions rolling stones.

The original Holden logo was designed by Rayner Hoff in 1928 and depicted a lion in profile, sitting with its paw resting on a rounded stone. This image was enclosed in an ornate oval frame, featuring an arched 'Holden' wordmark in all capitals above it. The emblem was executed in monochrome, with black as the primary background color.

In 1969, the logo was redrawn for the first time; the framing and inscription were removed, and the lion with the stone was refined. The animalistic emblem was now rendered in red and placed on a white background, and this version can still be seen on some of the brand's materials.

A modern emblem was introduced in 1994, featuring a white lion on a red circle, enclosed in a double white and red frame, with a black wordmark beneath it. The lines of the mascot were refined and softened, creating a sleek and elegant image balanced by a strong yet smooth inscription in all capital letters using a modern sans-serif font with rounded angles.

In 2014, the badge became three-dimensional, incorporating gradient shades of gray and red. The lettering was redrawn in a more massive and robust typeface, and this version of the logo included the motto 'Let's go there' beneath the nameplate.

The 2016 redesign simplified the Holden color palette to silver and black. The three-dimensional badge in gradient metallic gray retained its contours from the previous version but appeared entirely different without the usual red background, resulting in a lighter and more elegant look.

When the wordmark was used alongside the emblem, it was rendered in black, featuring title case lettering in a smooth sans-serif typeface with softened angles and diagonal cuts on the vertical bars of 'L' and 'D.' Sometimes, the inscription was accompanied by the motto in a lightweight italicized font.

The Holden logo introduced in 2019 maintained the same contours and style as the badge but was now flat and executed in black. Placed on a white background, the lion evokes a sense of power and might, portraying the brand as reliable and confident.