Ariel Ltd. is a sports car manufacturer located in Crewkerne, Somerset by Simon Saunders. The brand was founded in 1991 as Solocrest Limited. However, ten years later, in 2001 it changed its name to Ariel Ltd. Interesting that Ariel Motor Company is one of the smallest companies, as the staff of the company consists only of seven employees, which produce 100 cars per year.
Meaning and History
The word “Ariel” found its origin in Hebrew, and translates as “Lionhead God”. Simon Saunders was inspired by Shakespeare’s play “The Tempest”, where the spirit of air got this name and decided to name his brand in the same way.
1902 – 1932
A teal horseshoe with golden and black accents was one of the main logo elements. It had “Ariel” printed in bold, uppercase letters without serifs. A large, capital “A” was placed in the center of the horseshoe and featured red and golden colors with a black outline. Finally, there was an abstract black element in the background that had sharp, pointed ends and resembled a spearhead. Considering that horsepower is more than relevant for sports cars, it is not surprising that the designers chose a horseshoe for the base. Besides, it is often associated with good luck.
1932 – 1951
The very first logo was in the form of a dark red circle in a gold frame. The circle inside was lined with black circles. There was the brand name inside the oval in the middle of the logo. The oval was black in a gold frame. In addition, there were golden stripes inside the circle.
1951 – 1970
The logo was very intricate. It depicted a yellow wheel on a warder with wings. The warder and the wheel were entwined with a gray snake. The ribbon with a red brand name was depicted diagonally across the wheel.
2001 – now
At the moment, the logo was a red circle with a capital letter “A” inside. The letter was white. The brand name was under the circle.
The logo
The logo of the company remains the same since its foundation. It represents the simplicity of the brand. The emblem consists of the large red letter “A” in a white circle. Under it, there is an inscription with the companies’ name “Ariel”.
Emblem and Symbol
The Ariel emblem as well as the number of its workers represents the simplicity of the brand itself. While other brands have a large number of employees and factories, Ariel company is the smallest car manufacturers in the United Kingdom. However, that does not stop them from producing the best vehicles.
The Legends
The lineup includes several original models, including the infamous Ariel Atom, an incredibly light and powerful vehicle equipped with a Honda Civic Type-R engine and gearbox. The unusual design of Ariel Atom lies in the fact that it is made on the basis of an exoskeleton – it lacks the windows, doors, and roof familiar to all cars.
