Fiat Chrysler Automobiles unveils merger logo

The troubled American car manufacturer Chrysler has been gradually acquired by Italian competitor Fiat in the years following the financial crisis. The acquistion was finished this month, effectively merging Chrysler into Fiat. The new company is called Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and a new logo was introduced yesterday, January 29.

The new logo was designed by Robilant Associati in Rome. It makes use of the company initials, with forms inspired by the three basic shapes, square, circle and triangle.

Most notable about this change would appear to be the end of Chrysler's "pentastar" symbol, at least as a corporate mark. It was created by Lippincott & Margulies and introduced over 50 years ago.

Current interim logo.

From a press release:

"Following an initial phase with the two corporate logos appearing side-by-side – symbolizing the desire to respect the history, culture and industrial roots of the two groups – both Fiat and Chrysler now require a new corporate identity representative of an organization that is much more than the sum of its two component parts, based on strong core values that represents a unique corporate culture, a common vision and a Group with an international reach.

Created by RobilantAssociati, this branding project began with definition of a distinct strategic concept that served as the basis for creation of the name, logo, house style and entire corporate identity, whose universal and essential forms are strongly expressive and evocative.

Use of an acronym helps create a transition from the past, without severing the roots, while at the same time reflecting the global scope of the Group’s activities. Easy to understand, pronounce and remember, it is a name well suited to a modern, international marketplace.

The three letters in the logo are grouped in a geometric configuration inspired by the essential shapes used in automobile design: the F, derived from a square, symbolizes concreteness and solidity; the C, derived from a circle, representing wheels and movement, symbolizes harmony and continuity; and finally, the A, derived from a triangle, indicates energy and a perennial state of evolution.

The logo’s design lends itself to an extraord inary range of symbolic interpretations. It uses a versatile, modern language capable of expressing continuous change without losing its core identity."

Fiat Chrysler
RobilantAssociati