| What car you drive says a lot about you - it's not | | | | the use and application of the motor developed |
| just the brand or marquee, but how you care and | | | | by Gottlieb Daimler for use on land, sea and air. |
| look after your wheels too. As soon as the car | | | | Daimler engines bore the design until Mercedes |
| was developed in the late 19th Century, the public | | | | added the wreath (to represent race car victory) |
| became fascinated with this speedy mode of | | | | and the Mercedes marquee was born. |
| personal transport, but it was not until 1913 and | | | | Rolls Royce emerged as a luxury car builder in the |
| the introduction of the Model T that the mass | | | | UK, specializing in hand crafted cars and luxurious |
| market began to see more and more automobiles | | | | interiors with elegant design. The marquee is a |
| on the road and for the first time, was able to | | | | stylized double-R - not very original but universally |
| buy one themselves. As soon as general | | | | recognized, and notable as Rolls Royce have |
| consumers could afford a car, then the marketing | | | | never seriously attempted to sell or market their |
| and sales people realized they had to ensure their | | | | vehicles based on a race car pedigree. They |
| product was differentiated from all the rest. | | | | simply sold to the British aristocracy and became |
| Immediately it was seen that a car which did well | | | | even more successful when the British Royal |
| on the racing circuits not only attracted fans and | | | | family selected them for supplying cars for them. |
| followers, but also the generally available models in | | | | Closer to home, General Motors introduced the |
| the range bearing the same marquee also did well. | | | | Pontiac brand, with a distinctive Indian Chief with |
| Louis Chevrolet was a famous race car driver in | | | | headdress, in 1926 (the Indian was dropped in |
| the early 20th Century - a deal was struck to use | | | | 1956). This brand was to act as a sister marquee |
| his name for a range of cars which grew into the | | | | to General Motors Oakland Motor Car range of |
| car company we know today - Chevrolet. | | | | vehicles. The Pontiac name was used earlier than |
| The marquee became an important symbol of | | | | this however, as in 1906 the original company |
| the car itself, especially for race and rally car | | | | was known as the Pontiac Spring & Wagon |
| manufacturers. Mercedes-Benz is one of the most | | | | Works. Pontiac has been selected as one of the |
| important brands in the market today, as well as | | | | several brands which are being phased out by GM |
| in the development of the car itself in historical | | | | leaving only four remaining brands in the line-up - |
| terms. The Benz marquee is a three pointed star | | | | Cadillac, Chevrolet, Buick and GMC. |
| (seen on Mercedes cars today) and represents | | | | |