An exciting history of motion
Ever since the automotive industry’s pioneering days, the ŠKODA brand has been turning out cutting-edge technologies and inventions. The joy of mobility and all things technical initially found expression in bicycles, followed by motorcycles and, ultimately, cars.
THE HISTORY OF ŠKODA ADVERTISING
ŠKODA Museum
The ŠKODA Museum brings the past to life in an authentic setting – the former production halls where cars were made up until 1928. Right next door, the company’s largest and most modern plant continues this history, turning out new ŠKODAs day after day.
ŠKODA – Driven by Desire
History is more than the mere passing of time. It’s a collection of stories that remain timeless. To celebrate exciting history of ŠKODA, we created a timeline not of events, but of emotions. And there are no better stewards of ŠKODA’s legacy than the people who drive our cars.
From Laurin & Klement to ŠKODA
In 1895, L&K started making its Slavia bicycles and, later on, motorbikes in Mladá Boleslav. Automobile production was launched in 1905. The Laurin & Klement logo graced cars from Mladá Boleslav until 1925, since when they have sported ŠKODA’s winged-arrow symbol.
1895
Slavia Logo (1895-1905)
Bicycles and motorcycles were made at the Mladá Boleslav workshop under the Slavia brand. The logo was based on a wheel with lime leaves to symbolise the Slavic nations. The names of the company’s founders (Laurin & Klement) were added and went on to become the main motif of a new logo.
1905
L&K Logo (1905-1925)
The design of the L&K logo was influenced by the early-20th-century Art Nouveau artistic style. Perhaps playing on the similarity between the name Václav Laurin and laurel leaves, the initials of the company’s two founders are surrounded with a laurel wreath, associated with victory.
1926
Škoda Logo (1926-1933)
Starting in 1926, cars were produced in Mladá Boleslav under the Škoda brand. Despite the completely different brand name, the new design shows continuity with its forerunner. Although the Škoda logo has a new, oval shape, the brand name – surrounded by laurels – remains the centrepiece.
1926
Škoda Logo (1926-1990)
The logo with the famous “winged arrow” was first used in 1926. Its origin is shrouded in mystery, though the idea (the stylised head of an Indian wearing a five-feathered headdress) has occasionally been attributed to Škoda Plzeň’s commercial director, Tomáš Maglič.
1999
ŠKODA AUTO Logo (1999 - 2011)
The black-and-green logo, used from 1999, gave the ŠKODA brand greater originality, with black symbolising the hundred-year tradition and green signalling environmental production.
2011
ŠKODA Logo (since 2011)
Under the strapline “The New Power of ŠKODA”, in 2011 ŠKODA presented the core elements of its new corporate design – distinguished by freshness and precision. The traditional winged-arrow logo features a new spectrum of colours to look even more distinct and precise than ever before.