What's on the Grille?

Michael Burgess investigates the story behind some of the most famous badges and marque names in the automobile world.

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Once upon a time it was easy to tell one make of car from another. The shape of the grille or a distinctive badge was all that was required to tell the onlooker what they were looking at. Sadly those days are behind us, but the rich history of those identifying features lives on for those with an inquisitive mind.

Some marques, such as Aston Martin, only ever had one badge, while others went through a range of insignia over the years. Some badges, such as Ferrari, were inspired by local heraldic devices, while others were based on flags. The names of these companies have equally fascinating stories. Some, like Ford, were derived from the names of their founders, while local history played a role in the naming of companies such as Lada.

This book tells the stories of many of these names and badges, detailing their origins and development and accompanied by a range of interesting illustrations.