infiniti Logo - History, Design, and Meaning
Company Overview
Infiniti is the luxury vehicle division of Nissan, established in 1985 to create a new luxury product for the U.S. market. The brand was formed to produce high-end vehicles, and its name and logo were developed over two years. Infiniti has since expanded globally and is known for its stylish and performance-oriented cars.
Key Information
- Founded: 1989
- Founder(s): Bill Bruce
- Headquarters: Hopewell Centre, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
infiniti Logo Meaning and History
In 1985, a team of Nissan specialists was assembled with the mission to create a luxury car division aimed at the U.S. market.
The brand was developed to produce a new luxury product for Nissan, and it took two years to finalize the name and logo.
The last letter of the brand name was decided to be 'I,' making it unique and memorable. The Infiniti logo plays on the brand name, derived from the English word 'Infinity,' with 'I' symbolizing 'Me.' The brand sign stylizes the infinity symbol in a single line, with a cone inside the oval representing the road extending beyond the horizon.
It took an additional two years to manufacture and test the first car while developing the dealer network. Infiniti made its market debut on November 8, 1989.
In 2004, Infiniti cars became available in Canada, and in 2008, the brand announced its entry into European markets at the Geneva Motor Show, establishing dealerships in 21 European countries over the next two years.
Until 2012, Infiniti-branded cars were produced exclusively at the Tochigi plant in Japan. Today, Infiniti vehicles are manufactured at six plants: Tochigi and Kyushu in Japan, Aguascalientes in Mexico, Smyrna in the U.S., and Dalian and Sanyang in China.
The original Infiniti logo, introduced in 1989, featured an iconic oval emblem with a triangular cut at the bottom, drawn in bold black lines and accompanied by an uppercase wordmark in a narrow, stable geometric sans-serif typeface.
The 2004 redesign added volume to the Infiniti logo, making it three-dimensional and rendered in a gradient silver with darker shades. The emblem was enlarged, while the black lettering beneath it became more compact.
In 2023, Infiniti returned to its original minimalist style with a flat black logo, composed of the same two elements but with the lettering rewritten in a fuller sans-serif font with distinctive contours. The emblem was slightly enlarged compared to the original version.
The Infiniti brand maintains a connection to its origins, with the rounded shape of the logo resembling the iconic Nissan badge. The simplicity of the lines enhances the luxury subtext, effectively representing the brand and its philosophy.
The Infiniti wordmark uses all capital letters in a traditional sans-serif font similar to Josef Pro Bold, featuring straight lines and wide spacing, visually dividing the name into syllables.
The color palette of the Infiniti logo is monochrome, reflecting elegance and confidence, making it a fitting choice for a powerful and progressive company.
The iconic Infiniti emblem is the most recognizable aspect of the brand's visual identity, composed of a stylized infinity symbol that resembles a horizontally placed numeral 8.
The brand name features an 'I' instead of a 'Y' at the end, and the lemniscate sign has a sharp angle instead of the smooth curves of the '8.'
The symbol also represents a triangle formed by the first and last letters 'I' of the brand name, symbolizing the road extending into the horizon and Mount Fuji, a famous symbol of Japan.
When placed on vehicles, the Infiniti emblem is executed in metallic gray, enhancing its luxurious appearance. The brand also uses backlighting for the badge on some models, making the emblem appear vivid and chic.
Infiniti alternates between matte and glossy variations of the car badge depending on the model and color, reflecting an individual approach and custom design.
The Infiniti badge is rich in meaning and symbolism, exemplifying modern, stylish, and elegant automobile branding that is instantly recognizable.
What does the INFINITI logo mean?
The sleek minimalistic badge of the Infinity car marque is composed of a stylized triangle, inscribed into a horizontally-oriented oval frame, with the bottom side of the figure cut out. This badge was designed by the famous Lippincott Mercer design bureau and is supposed to represent a road, going to the horizon. The triangular shape of the main badge's element is also a symbol of growth and success. Another possible meaning of the Infinity badge is a tribute to the Fujiyama mountain, as the triangle resembles a mountain peak.
What is the font of the Infiniti logo?
Usually, the futuristic Infiniti logo is used without any lettering, but sometimes the company complements the iconic badge with the wordmark, set in the uppercase of a geometric sans-serif font, which is pretty close to Josef Pro Bold and has something in common with the well-known Frutiger Next Pro.