Škoda logo history, symbol, meaning and evolution
Are you familiar with Škoda logo history? This Czech Republic automobile manufacturer has emerged as one of the biggest brands in the vehicular market over the years, competing in the industry for almost a century.
The Škoda symbol is one of the most memorable and unique in among famous car logos. However, it took the Czech car manufacturer a number of years to find the ideal visual identity. The Škoda company has even rebranded completely during its history.
Today, we’re going to take a closer look at the Škoda car brand, the Škoda symbol, and the evolution of the brand’s image throughout the years.
The Škoda car brand: What does Škoda mean?
Before we look at Škoda logo history, and how the company has captured the attention of a huge domestic market, let’s examine the Škoda brand. The Škoda auto company, first established in 1925, succeeding the “Laurin & Klement” brand, is a Czech vehicle manufacturer.
Although Škoda Works was owned by the state 1948, it was eventually privatized and sold to the German Volkswagen group in 1991. Škoda became a fully owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen group in 2000, and continues to operate under the German brand today.
Although the word Škoda actually translates from Czech to mean “too bad”, the company was actually named after a Czech engineer. Emil Škoda originally owned the “Škoda Works” brand, which was an arms manufacturer in Europe.
The Škoda Works company purchased Laurin & Klement, Škoda’s predecessor in 1925, and began manufacturing cars in collaboration with Hispano-Suiza. Most of the later production of vehicles then took place under the Škoda name.
Škoda logo history: The evolution of the Škoda symbol
Škoda has a rich history in the brand design landscape. The Škoda company has gone through a variety of changes to its image, starting with the transition from the “Laurin & Klement” company to the Škoda car brand we know today.
1895
The very first logo connected to the Škoda brand, was the emblem used by the predecessor company, Laurin & Klement. In 1895, L&K began making Slavia bicycles, which featured a unique logo, based on a bicycle while, with lime leaves to symbolize the Slavic landscape.
The iconic symbol appeared in various formats, including black and white, and a full-color design. This image was quite complex, featuring excessive decoration, as well as the names of the company’s initial founders.
1900
The L&K logo was updated a couple of times before the company was eventually transformed into the Škoda brand. In 1900, the company introduced a gold and red crest, with white curves and smooth, rounded contours. The main part of the design featured a solid red background.
The name of the company was once again presented on the badge, alongside the name “Slavia” in reference to its bicycle brand.
1905
In 1905, L&K introduced the final symbol it would use for the next 20 years, before it became the Škoda company. This symbol featured the initials of the founders, enclosed in a red circle, with a black and golden outline.
The black outline on the logo design featured laurel leaves in gold, a symbol of success and luxury at the time. During this period, the company also occasionally used an alternative logo.
The secondary image featured none of the ornate elements of the other badge. Instead, it simply showcased a signature, featuring the founder’s name in script-style font.
1923
Before the Laurent & Klement logo officially disappeared, the Škoda Works company was already operating with a logo of its own. In 1923, the Škoda team used a logo very similar to the one we know today, featuring an arrow with a set of wings, on a white background.
The word “Škoda” appeared underneath the arrow design, and the entire Škoda symbol was encased by a thick blue circle.
1925
1925 marked the start of the Škoda car brand, and a new logo was developed to appear on the front of Škoda cars. The image took inspiration from the logos of both previous companies. The new name of the organization was presented in a blue oval, surrounded by a black and gold border.
The new styling for the logo also featured the laurel leave framing of the previous L&K logo in earlier years.
1926
Only a year after introducing the first logo for the new official Škoda car brand, the company created a much simpler design. The complex oval shape was replaced by a modern, circular badge, which featured the winged arrow design from the Škoda Works company.
Some say the design comes from the commercial director of Škoda Plzeň Tomáš Maglič. This badge remained with the company for around 8 years.
In 1933, the design was updated very slightly, introducing a simpler color palette with fewer gradients and no shadow or highlights. In this emblem, all of the original elements of the Škoda symbol remained, but the color palette was switched to a simple white and dark blue option.
1999
Following the acquisition of Škoda by Volkswagen, a new Škoda car logo was introduced. The main part of the logo, featuring the arrow with the set of wings, remained the same. However, the coloring was changed from blue to a light green.
The green coloring was intended to celebrate energy, life and power. The circle around the design was enlarged to feature the full name of the company, “Škoda Auto”.
During the same period, Škoda experimented with an even simpler version of its logo, adopting green as its main color for the entire emblem. The black circle was converted to green, although most of the elements of the historic emblem remained.
2011
During 2011, Škoda introduced an interesting new version of its logo, with more three-dimensional elements. The brand name was removed from the badge, allowing the Škoda symbol to draw greater attention to the electric green image in the center.
The white color in the background behind the Škoda arrow helped to give the image a higher level of contrast. Additionally, new shades of grey were introduced to the grey circle, to make it look like a shining silver ring.
2023
After a brief experimental period with a bright green version of its logo in 2022, Škoda eventually settled on the most recent version of its car symbol. The new emblem features the Škoda name, in a geometric font, with stylistic lines.
The new Škoda green color is much darker and more sophisticated than the ones used by the brand in previous designs. The mains symbol of the Škoda logo, the traditional winged-arrow element, remains consistent in this new design, surrounded by a thin circular frame.
What does the new Škoda logo mean?
The present Škoda emblem is one of the most unique images in the automotive industry. Based on the traditional winged-arrow logo used by the earlier Škoda Works company, this interesting design draws attention to the brand’s history.
Apparently, the winged arrow was inspired by a portrait of a Native American man. However, it’s intended to symbolize concepts of speed and innovation. The wings are evocative and freedom and flight, while the arrow highlights precision.
The decision to use a green logo highlights the company’s focus on energy, innovation, and growth. At the same time, the company’s name, presented in an enlarged capitalized logotype with geometric elements, highlights modernity.
The Škoda car logo: Fonts and colors
Brimming with meaning and depth, the Škoda car logo is one of the most interesting and unique emblems present in the vehicle landscape today. It builds on the trend of using two-dimensional graphics in the automotive space, but has a range of unique elements.
The symbol of the car manufacturing company highlights concepts of speed, precision, and excellence, while drawing attention to the creative personality of Škoda auto.
If you want to take a closer look at the new brand identity of Škoda, you can find some useful resources linked here:
What is the Škoda logo font?
Like many car companies, the Škoda brand has experimented with a variety of typefaces over the years. The new brand logo today features the Škoda name in capital letters, with a custom sans-serif typeface, showcasing some interesting details in the characters.
The typeface shares some similarities with font options like Aspire SmallCaps, and Langith Regular, with diagonal cuts in some of the letters.
What is the Škoda color palette?
As well as exploring a wide range of font choices over the years, Škoda has also experimented with a range of color choices. The company has used various shades ranging from blue to green. The green color of the brand is sleek and modern, showcasing professionalism and growth.
In some cases, the Škoda colors can vary. For instance, the logo also appears in black and white, as well as in silver on Škoda car models.
When and why did Škoda rebrand?
Škoda logo history began when the Laurin & Klement brand was purchased by Škoda Works, an Arms Manufacturer, in 2025. Since then, the company has been building on its brand identity and image, looking for new ways to connect with a global audience.
The main element of the Škoda logo is wonderfully evocative, highlighting ideas of freedom, speed, and precision, all at the same time. The capital letters in the logo show professionalism and strength, while the circular badge showcases ideas of community.
Over the years, Škoda has managed to pay homage to its history, while simultaneously focusing on the future, creating an unforgettable brand image.
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.
