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British car brands: The ultimate list of British car logos
Popular around the world for their performance, aesthetic appeal, and sophistication, British car brands have earned quite the reputation over the years. British car logos frequently appear on some of the globe’s most sought-after luxury cars, from Aston Martin to Jaguar and Lotus.
Many of the top British car companies have expanded overseas throughout the years, attracting customers from around the globe. You can see everything from Land Rover badges to McLaren emblems on roads worldwide.
There are even people who seek out and collect British cars exclusively.
If you have a soft spot for British automakers, and you’ve always wanted to learn a little more about then, you’re in the right place.
Here’s your guide to the top British car brands!
Luxury car brands from Britain
The first area we’re covering in our list of British cars are luxury vehicles. Luxury car brands from Britain often divide their creations into two sections: ultra-luxury cars, and standard luxury vehicles.
Let’s take a look at some of the British car logos you may be familiar with here…
1. Bentley
Easily one of the best-known British car brands in the world, Bentley was first launched in 1919. Today, the company continues to attract car enthusiasts from across the globe. The organisation frequently designs both luxury motorcars, and sports cars.
Bentley’s logo features the “Big B” emblem. The unique “B” is encased within a black circle and surrounded by a wider silver badge. Bentley’s emblem also features a set of inspirational wings intended to create ideas of freedom and aspiration.
Learn more about the Bentley logo here.
2. Rolls Royce
Another unforgettable example of British car brands with presence worldwide, Rolls Royce is an icon of sophistication and luxury. The British passenger car company is wholly owned by BMW at the time of writing, but it was previously associated with Bentley.
Today, Rolls Royce belongs to the “Ultra-luxury” category for car manufacturing, with a highly sought-after range of vehicles. The Rolls Royce logo is simple but elegant, featuring two “R”s in serif font placed atop each other on a silver rectangle.
The name “Rolls Royce” is also visible in sans-serif type.
3. Lagonda
Lagonda stands as one of the most popular British car brands globally. Established in 1906, the company belongs to Aston Martin, and is responsible for producing some of the world’s most iconic vehicles. Although the business has been dormant for a few periods during its existence.
Lagonda’s logo is as eye-catching as the company’s cars, featuring the name of the brand in a badge with a circle to the center. The image expands to form a set of wings, similar in style to the Aston Martin logo.
4. Land Rover
Creator of luxury sports utility vehicles and high-performance cars, Land Rover has made a name for itself as a true innovator since launching in 1948. The company, now belonging to Tata Motors, manufacturers a host of special vehicles, from four-wheel drive trucks to SUVs.
The logo of these British cars is simple but effective, featuring the name of the company in a sans-serif font on a green background. The choice of a deep green as the primary color of the brand helps to highlight Land Rover’s ability to enable exploration.
5. Jaguar
Another well-known company on our list of British cars, Jaguar is most famous for its creation of sleek, sophisticated, and incredibly attractive performance cars.
The brand, which launched in 1922, has produced a range of vehicles over the years, starting with sidecars, and evolving into luxury passenger cars.
Jaguar’s logo features a leaping Jaguar depicted in silver. The image highlights ideas of strength, virility, and speed – all factors important for a car brand.
Learn more about the Jaguar logo here.
6. Mini
Although not always seen as a luxury car brand by some consumers, Mini has earned its position in this sector for its creation of unique vehicles. Mini started as a simple series of cars for the Rover Group, before developing into an independent brand.
Mini’s logo is easy to recognize anywhere in the world. The name “Mini” features in all-capital sans-serif letters inside a black circle. On either side of the circle are a set of wings similar in style to the front grille of a car.
Learn more about the Mini logo here.
Sports car brands from Britain
With a strong focus on performance and speed, Britain has developed a number of iconic sports cars over the years. Some of the British automakers below are ranked among the developers of the fastest cars in the world.
Let’s take a closer look at sports car brands from Britain…
1. Aston Martin
Probably the most famous of the British car companies responsible for making sports cars, Aston Martin is an unforgettable British brand. The company launched in 1913, and despite a few problematic periods during its growth, has achieved significant success in recent years.
The current version of Aston Martin’s logo features a green rectangle on top of a set of white wings. The name of the company is also evident in uppercase sans-serif letters. The colors of green, white, and black convey luxury, wealth, and prestige.
Learn more about the Aston Martin logo here.
2. McLaren
Another unforgettable name in the sporting landscape, McLaren is one of the few British car brands focusing specifically on sports car and nothing else. The founder of the company is the Formula One racer, Bruce McLaren, which helps to add to the heritage of the company.
Currently, McLaren’s logo is simple but eye-catching, featuring the name “McLaren” written in a sans-serif font. The “M” looks as though it’s leaning forward into motion. There’s also a unique accent on the end of the name to highlight passion and drive.
3. Lotus
An innovator in sporting vehicles, Lotus Cars has produced some of the most incredible racing vehicles in the world, winning multiple Formula One championships. Known for creating light and easy-to-move vehicles, Lotus has taken the world by storm.
The Lotus logo is one of the most eye-catching of any British automaker thanks to its choice of colors. A bright yellow background immediately grabs attention. The deep green of Lotus also helps to convey ideas of luxury and prestige.
Learn more about the Lotus logo here.
4. Morgan
One of the slightly lesser-known British car companies on this list compared to some of the icons we’ve mentioned, Morgan has a long and incredible history dating back to 1910. Currently, the vehicle brand is owned by an Italian Investindustrial Group.
Known for manufacturing cars by hand, Morgan doesn’t produce a lot of volume, but they’re experts in quality. The Morgan logo features the name of the company in a cross with a circular background.
On either side of the name are a set of sleek wings, designed to convey ideas of freedom and speed.
5. Noble
A much smaller name on the list of British car company logos we’re sharing today. Noble is a company from Leeds in England, founded in 1999. The company makes a handful of sports cars each year, producing vehicles on-demand, rather than for mass market purposes.
The Noble logo shares the bright eye-catching yellow of the Lotus emblem. This symbol also features a set of stylized “Ns”, designed to look like a crown – highlighting the luxury of the brand.
6. Arash
A name you may not recognize without a deep knowledge of British car brands, Arash is a private company known for creating a small volume of vehicles. At first, the company was named “Farboud” Limited, but was later renamed to take on the first name of the founder.
The logo for the Arash Company grabs a lot of attention, with its swooping bird drawing to mind ideas of action and movement. The whole design of the emblem is intended to look like a shield, conveying concepts of sophistication and heritage.
7. TVR
Launched in 1946 as TVR Motors company Limited, TVR is a British sports car company mostly responsible for supplying Europe. The company is best-known for the creation of coupes and convertibles, and it was once the third-largest sports car manufacturer in the world.
TVR’s logo is a symbol showing the three letters the company is known by, in a stylized design made with a series of lines connected together.
8. Ginetta
Ginetta, created in 1958, is a company from Leeds, West Yorkshire, in the UK. The company continues to operate today as a specialist builder of sports and racing cars. The Ginetta brand is well-known for the G60 two-door sports car.
Ginetta’s logo is a yellow circle with a white and grey border. Inside, there’s a large G, and the name of the company written in a slightly italicized sans-serif font, conveying the idea of motion.
9. Lister
Lister, launched in 1954, is best-known for its original Lister Storm and Lister-Bristol vehicles. The company is named after its founder, Brian Lister, a famous race car driver. Although not as well-known as some British car brands, Lister is popular among global fans.
The Lister logo features a set of 3 swords in silver on a yellow background. This yellow circle is surrounded by a silver and green border, featuring the name “Lister”.
10. Zenos
Still in its relatively early stages of growth, the Zenos Company only produces a single model of car at this time – the Zenos E10. Launched in 2012, Zenos Cars hasn’t had much opportunity to create a name for itself in the automobile industry.
The Zenos logo features a unique-looking Z made with two curved shapes which don’t quite connect, placed inside of an oval. The overall image is strong and angular.
11. AC
Launched by the Weller Brothers in 1901, the AC Cars Limited Company is a specialist automobile manufacturer. This brand is also one of the oldest independent car makers in Britain. The company is also known for the creation of the AC Cobra.
The official AC logo is an interesting badge, showing the letters “AC” in a warped serif font. The logo includes deep blue and white, colors associated with prestige and reliability.
12. Atlanta Motors
If you know your history around British cars, and British car brand logos, you may know the new version of Atlanta Motors from 2011 is actually a relaunch. The company previously appeared in the 1930s but stopped production during the Second World War.
Atlanta Motors uses a minimalist and elegant logo, featuring the name of the company in a serif font, with two larger A’s at the beginning and end.
13. BAC
Better-known by some as Briggs Automotive Company, BAC was founded by a pair of brothers – Ian and Neil Briggs. The organisation hasn’t produced a large number of vehicles over the years, but some of their vehicles are sought-after today.
The BAC logo features a series of unique lines shaped to form a lower-case B in the white space, and an M in the black elements.
14. Ronart
Responsible for creating unique racing cars within the UK, Ronart is a designer and manufacturer of racing and sports cars, produced to order. The portfolio of vehicles offered by this company include sports cars for tracks, as well as roadsters.
Ronart’s logo features the name “Ronart” in sans-serif font, placed within an oval. The letters “R” and “T”, help to form a border around the name.
15. Ultima
The Ultima Sports Ltd brand is responsible for the ultra-lightweight Ultima GTR, a sportscar two-door coupe with incredible appeal around the globe. The company was introduced in 1992 and continues to produce low-volume vehicles to this day.
Ultima’s logo is one of the most eye-catching on this list, as it uses an actual sports car, with the wordmark of the company’s name displayed above.
16. Gardner Douglas
Launched in 1990, Gardner Douglas has been producing specialist sports cars for over 30 years now. The company produces hand-crafted vehicles, with an enduring respect for the design of the 60s.
Though not as well-known as some brands, Gardner Douglas is earning attention among collectors.
The logo for this company features the letters “G” and “D” almost fused together within a black oval with a silver border.
17. Marlin
Best-known for the production of classic-looking sports cars. The company launched in 1979 in England and continues to build one-off vehicles to this day. The brand even sells unique “Kit cars”, although they’re lesser known for mass production.
Marlin’s logo shows a Marlin leaping over a sleek version of the company’s name, written in handwriting-style red font.
Performance car brands from Britain
Performance, or “Roadster” cars are another category popular in Britain and the UK. These vehicles are essentially designed to take elements from sports and racing cars onto the roads, for all kinds of drivers to access.
Here are some of the top Roadsters from Britain…
1. Elemental
Founded in 2012, Elemental is one of the newer British car brands on this list. The enterprise was opened specifically to develop a certain kind of sports car, known as the RP1. The company, located in the Hambleton area of the UK, belongs to the Elemental Group LTD.
The Elemental brand logo showcases the name of the company, with a set of semi-circle shapes above, similar to wings. The overall appearance of the logo creates an idea of both strength and agility.
2. Caparo
Caparo produces the “Road legal race car” in the UK, a kind of vehicle intended to offer the speed of the racing track on the road. The Caparo Vehicle Technologies brand launched in 2006, and is best-known for its use of high-quality technology, materials engineering, and design services.
Caparo’s logo features the name of the brand in sans-serif text, written with a focus on texture to make the design look like it’s almost shining. There’s also a series of four curved lines above in black and gold.
3. Caterham
Caterham Cars, or Caterham Roadsters is a British company responsible for manufacturing lightweight, specialist sports cars. The current model produced by the company, the Caterham 7, originally launched in 1973, and is an evolution of the Series 3 Lotus 7.
The Caterham logo has the term “Super 7” placed in the center of a triangle with curved edges. The whole logo is bordered by circles, with the yellow border also showcasing the “Caterham” name in a serif font.
The design is similar to Lotus with its choice of color.
4. Westfield
Founded originally in 1982, the Westfield British Car Company focuses heavily on the development and customization of Lotus Seven vehicles. This brand, created by Chris Smith, also creates kit versions of two-seater sportscars with open tops.
The Westfield logo is eye-catching and elegant, showing the name of the company in serif, capital letters, surrounded by a series of lines, which create a scene similar to a rising sun. The colors of black and grey convey sophistication.
5. Elva
You’d be forgiven for thinking Elva is a French brand, since the name of the company comes from “Elle va”, or “She drives”, in French. The range created by this brand includes a number of two-seater racing and sports cars.
Elva’s logo features an inverted triangle in green, with a white and green border. There’s also another white triangle within the middle of the logo, with the name “Elva” situated above in a serif font. The use of green in the creation of car brand logos is excellent for conveying speed and progression.
6. MEV
Otherwise known as the Mills Extreme Vehicles company, MEV is a brand located in Mansfield, within the UK. The business, founded in 2003 is mostly responsible for the creation of Exocet and Replicar vehicles.
The logo of MEV is unique, using the letters of the brand’s name to form a shape similar to the flower, or a shield. The interesting imagery created by the positioning and use of the letters produces a highly appealing brand.
Other vehicle manufacturers from Britain
So far, we’ve covered a number of mass market car brands, sports car, and performance car brands from Britain. However, there are still a number of producers out there which deserve a mention on this list of British cars.
Let’s look at some additional vehicle and car brands…
1. Vauxhall
One of the oldest, and better-known British car brands, Vauxhall Motors Limited is located in Chalton England, and it’s one of the oldest vehicle companies in the UK.
Responsible for not just passenger cars, but also electric vehicles and commercial vehicles, Vauxhall covers a large part of the vehicle landscape. The company is now 165 years old.
Vauxhall’s logo is an eye-catching and iconic emblem. The current version of the image features a griffin in red, presented within a red circle. The Griffin holds a flag with the letter “V” in its claw, representing the name of the company.
The name “Vauxhall” may also appear in some branding.
2. MG
MG is a company best-known for the creation of mass market smaller vehicles. The brand, created in 1924, can be found in Longbridge, in the United Kingdom. Over the years, this company has changed ownership a number of times.
The MG logo is a hexagon in red, surrounded by a textured silver border. The letters “MG” are evident in the center of the shape, designed to fill all of the available space.
3. Ariel
Created in 1870, the Ariel brand is a lot older than most people realise. This company creates a number of low-volume sports and high-performance cars for a handful of collectors in the United Kingdom.
It’s one of the lesser-known brands on this list.
Ariel’s logo features a stylized letter “A” in white on a red, circular background. The middle of the “A” features a dot or circle rather than a line. The image almost looks like a car travelling along a road into the horizon.
4. David Brown
Perhaps the most patriotic of the various British car logos we’ve discovered so far, David Brown Automotive is a company responsible for creating exclusive limited edition automobiles in England. The brand launched in 2013 and moved to a new facility in 2017.
The David Brown logo is instantly eye-catching, featuring a Union Jack in an emblem created to look like a set of wings. The words “David Brown” are placed atop of the red cross in the symbol, written in sans-serif font.
5. Keating Supercars
As the name of the company might suggest, Keating Supercars is a producer of “Supercar” vehicles in the United Kingdom. Since launching in 2006 in Manchester, England, the brand has built a total of four cars.
The organization has even built a version of one of its cars to be sold in the USA.
The Keating Supercars logo is a shield-style emblem, featuring a red shield in the center, with a series of cut-out circles towards the right-hand side. The name “Keating Supercars” appears on a larger silver shield behind the red emblem.
6. LEVC
Otherwise known as the London EV Company, the LEVC is one of the better-known brands in the UK right now. Previously the London Taxi Company, the brand is responsible for creating the famous London black taxi cab.
LEVC has an iconic logo, which showcases a horse in a black circle, surrounded by a set of huge black and white wings. The name of the company “LEVC” often appears above the image in capital sans-serif font.
7. Grinnall Cars
Perhaps one of the lesser-known British automakers on our list, Grinnall Cars is an automobile and motorcycle maker founded by Mark Grinnall. The company originally began modifying Triumph cars, before producing three-wheelers and various other vehicles.
The Grinnall Cars logo showcases the name of the brand in all capital letters (sans-serif) in the middle of a grey oval with a white background. There’s a secondary oval surrounding the “N” and the “A” within the wordmark too.
8. Axon
Axon Automotive is a British manufacturer of vehicles and components which launched in 2005. The company is particularly popular today thanks to its focus on innovative materials within the car production process.
Axon provides solutions for more lightweight structural components in cars.
The Axon logo is as innovative as the company itself, featuring an “A” shape within a white circle, depicted in deep blue. The name of the company also appears at the bottom of the emblem.
9. Arrival
Arrival is one of the more unique and modern British car brands on our list. This company, launched in 2015, is still very new, but focused on the production of entirely electrical cars.
The company wants to electrify more for the delivery vans, busses, and other vehicles used for commercial transport in the world today.
The Arrival logo is a very minimalist wordmark featuring almost no embellishments at all. The design is intended to convey modernity.
Defunct car brands from Britain
Before we finish our list of British car companies, let’s take a look at some of the vehicle manufacturers in the country which have become defunct over the years.
For the purpose of this article, we’ll only be looking at a handful of British automakers in this section, to highlight some of the innovators over the years.
1. ERF
ERF launched in 1922 and remained in operation until 2007. The company produced trucks for British commercial companies during this time and was well known for it’s dedication to reliability and strength. The brand shut its factory in 2002.
ERF’s logo is a powerful and eye-catching image, featuring the name of the company in bold capital letters on a white background. The letters are surrounded by lines which seem to almost strike through the wordmark.
2. Marcos
A British sports car manufacturer which first launched in 1959, Marcos Engineering was created by Frank Costin and Jem Marsh. The company went into voluntary liquidation in 2007, though it’s still a well-known company among many car enthusiasts today.
The Marcos logo features an almost star-shaped emblem, surrounding a central oval which highlights the name of the company. The use of blue and silver in the coloring of this logo helps to convey ideas of respectability and heritage.
3. Foden Trucks
Foden was a well-known British truck manufacturer between the years of 1887 and 2006. The brand was responsible for producing a host of busses and trucks throughout the United Kingdom. Acquired by PACCAR in 1980, the Foden brand shut down officially in 2006.
The Foden logo uses the name “Foden” in a hand-written stylistic font, within a diamond shaped black background. There’s a white border around the shape. Overall, the image may look a little outdate, but it draws attention to the brand’s heritage.
4. Rover
The Rover logo may be something you’re familiar with if you’re a fan of cars and British automobile manufacturers. The brand started life as Starley and Sutton in Coventry ion 1878 and was an ancestor of the present-day Land Rover brand.
The company officially shut down in 2005.
Rover’s logo is surprisingly modern for a company established in the 1800s. The image features the name “Rover”, with an image of a ship underneath, designed in a sleek, eye-catching format. The use of the ship imagery helps to create a sense of discovery for the brand’s personality.
5. Triumph
Another now-defunct example of British car brand logos, the Triumph emblem appeared on the streets of England for almost 100 years, between 1885 and 1984. The Triumph brand created a host of different cars and popular vehicles over the years.
Now, the Triumph marque is owned by BMW.
Triumph’s logo is all about sophistication and success. The name of the brand, written in sans-serif all capital letters is surrounded by a wreath, drawing to mind the idea of accomplishment.
6. Leyland
Leyland Motors Limited was once a British vehicle manufacturer responsible for creating busses, lorries, and trolleybuses. The name was given to the British Leyland Motor Corporation when it merged with the British Motor Holdings brand.
The Leyland logo was simple but effective, including a capital “L” inside of a circle, surrounded by a series of swirling lines intended to represent the inner spokes of a wheel on a car.
7. Berkeley
One of the most often-mentioned defunct British car companies in the world today, Berkely earned a name for itself as a producer of economical sporting cars with engines taken from motorcycles. The brand ran only between 1956 and 1960 but gained a lot of attention in this time.
Berkeley’s logo showcases a letter “B” within a circular emblem, with a silver and red background. A larger silver border encircles the badge, displaying the company’s name and a series of four stars. Stars in logos typically represent creativity and innovation.
8. Hillman
Hillman was a British car company which ran between the years of 1907 and 1931. The company, located in Royton-on-Dunsmore, in England, created only a handful of vehicles in its time, and was founded by William Hillman.
Hillman cars had an eye-catching logo, which included the name of the brand in a white banner, surrounded by a set of wings. There were a number of detailed elements on this logo, such as a golden element intended to represent the grille of a car.
What cars are made in Britain?
Hopefully, this exploration of British car brands and British car logos has given you an insight into some of the most famous car companies formed in Britain. Over the years, the UK has played host to some of the better-known logos in the world.
Though some of the British car company logos mentioned above are likely to be more familiar than others, such as Aston Martin, or Mini, there’s bound to be a handful of images recognizable among car enthusiasts and collectors.
If you’d like to learn more about the British car brands mentioned here, you can check out our individual Logofiles. These guides provide more insights into the history and heritage of famous companies, and their logos.
Now read these:
—Which car companies own which car brand?
—Famous car brand logos and meanings
—The ultimate list of French car brand logos
—The 50 best-known car logos with wings
—The definitive guide to German car logos
—Famous car logos and emblems with stars
—Top American car brands and their logos
—American car companies that went bust
—The essential list of Japanese car logos
—A decisive guide to car logos with circles
Fabrik: A branding agency for our times.
As Fabrik’s creative director, Stephen oversees complex branding programmes. He advises our clients on their tone of voice, creates logos and visual identities and crafts names for companies, products and services. Writing for Brand Fabrik Stephen reflects his love for logo design and visual identity.
