sunbeam Logo - History, Design, and Meaning
Company Overview
Sunbeam was a British automaker, originally part of Sunbeam Motor Car Company Ltd., founded in 1905. It gained prominence in the early to mid-20th century for its luxury vehicles and success in racing. Eventually, Sunbeam became part of the Rootes Group. Based in the UK, the company had a global presence, including sales and racing activities in Europe and the Americas. After experiencing multiple ownership changes, production ceased, and the brand is currently inactive.
Key Information
- Founded: 1888
- Founder(s): John Marston
- Headquarters: Wolverhampton, England
sunbeam Logo Meaning and History
Sunbeam Motor Car Company Ltd. was founded in 1905 by John Marston, initially known for bicycles. The company became well-known in the early 20th century for producing luxury cars and achieving success in motor racing, including setting land speed records. Based in the UK, Sunbeam was part of the Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq (STD) conglomerate before being acquired by the Rootes Group in 1935. Notable achievements include winning various Grand Prix races and producing aviation engines during WWI. The brand underwent several ownership changes and became part of Chrysler Europe in 1967. Currently, the brand is inactive and remains a historical name in the automotive industry.
What is Sunbeam?
Sunbeam was a British automaker founded in 1905, known for manufacturing luxury cars and participating in motor racing. It was part of the Sunbeam Motor Car Company Ltd. and later acquired by the Rootes Group. The brand is currently dormant after undergoing various ownership changes.
The original Sunbeam logo, created in 1905, featured a horizontally-oriented metallic oval with voluminous script lettering. The last letter of the inscription had an elongated tail that bent under the wordmark, ending beneath the lowercase 'n'. This logo was used for thirty years.
The 1935 redesign introduced a completely new Sunbeam logo, consisting solely of graphical elements without lettering. It featured a solid blue roundel with a gray heraldic lion and crown. The lion stood on a red and white platform, which was the most prominent part of the design.
Three years later, the logo was redesigned again, featuring a blue roundel in a shiny metallic frame, set between two stylized geometric wings in silver. The 'Sunbeam Talbot' lettering was placed in the wings, in bold uppercase characters. The red and white element from the previous logo was redrawn in blue and white, becoming less prominent.
The 1954 redesign introduced a surprising new logo. It was a roundel with a bright blue background and a golden stylized sun with thin sharp rays extending outward. The uppercase wordmark was positioned along the bottom of the logo in white sans-serif capitals.
For the last twenty years of its existence, the Sunbeam brand used a minimalistic geometric logo from Chrysler, the Pentastar. It was a solid black pentagon divided into five triangles with a white five-pointed star in the center. The badge was not accompanied by any lettering and appeared solid and stylish.
