Citroen nostalgia , the new logo is that of 1919. But digital
The transition to the electric, the French company changes its symbol. In a few days it will appear on a concept car
The electric transition of the Citroën range also passes through the change of the logo. The French house has decided this for some time, but only recently has it unveiled the new design that will appear on all the cars of the brand. The last time the logo had changed appearance was in 2016, when a slight restyling had changed the "deux chevrons" making it less shaded and brighter. Now, however, despite being a harbinger of a new electrified era, it seems clearly inspired by that. from 1919, very stylized and gaunt in its elegance.
The current Citroen logo (left) and the new Citroen logo side by side
They say that sometimes you have to go backwards to move forwards. Citroen has a new logo that manages to look leaner and bolder but also incredibly familiar. In fact, it's come full circle, or should we say, full oval? To develop a more modern logo better suited to digital uses, the French carmaker has travelled back 100 years to revisit its original oval-shaped symbol from 1919.
With a few tweaks, the result is a more prominent logo to spearhead the brand's transformation as it looks to "clarify its future". It's no retro gimmick, though, feeling like a genuine return to the logo's roots. It has new colours, type and a tagline too. And while I'm not saying it's one of the best logos of all time, it is a marked improvement on the current design.
The evolution of the Citroen logo
As you probably already guessed, the logic behind the new logo is to achieve a better appearance "in the digital environment".
Citroen’s global brand designer Alexandre Revert says:
“As we look to clarify our future focus, it was logical for us to close the loop by coming back graphically to André Citroën’s first logo which represented the genuine promise of affordable and innovative mobility for all."
He describes it as a "significant if subtle evolution, where the precision of the technical, functional chevrons are embraced by and contrasted with the warmth and almost human softness of the oval that surrounds them.” The in-house design team, working with Stellantis Design Studio, took inspiration from non-automotive brands, including cosmetics and clothing, "to create a warmer expression of the brand". That's perhaps most clear when the logo's seen with the new colours and the wordmark, which is based on Citroen’s current proprietary fonts.
White and cold grey aim to communicate calm serenity while two contrasting colours will be used for details: Monte Carlo Blue, inspired by the 2CV and the DS, makes a comeback for corporate and retail applications, and a more energetic 'Infra-Red' will add dynamic contrast. There's also a new tagline, “Nothing Moves Us Like Citroën". Citroen says the new branding will debut on a new concept car at the end of September before rolling out across its range from the middle of next year.
The new Citroen logo is bold, dramatic and very familiar
The new Citroen logo takes things back to the original logo with an oval outline and flat chevrons, but they've been made thicker. The type has also been made cleaner, with a more pleasing iteration of the previous font, which had retro futurist cyber feel to it. The logo is the latest in a string of recent logos from car makers, from a sharp new Aston Martin logo to a confusing new Skoda logo and the more radical Dacia rebranding.
The new Citroen log was inspired by non-automotive brands
The debut is expected on the hood of a concept car that will also be unveiled at the end of September, to be then progressively applied to future series and concept-vehicles starting from mid-2023. It will also be accompanied by the new institutional signature. “Nothing moves us like Citroën”, to highlight the imminent revolution in the approach of the transalpine house towards accessible mobility solutions.
"Our new identity represents progress: we transport our customers both physically in state-of-the-art vehicles, and emotionally, ensuring that their entire experience - especially the transition to electric - is more accessible, comfortable and enjoyable,"
Vincent Cobée, CEO of Citroën. “Our tradition of inspiring consumers with bold vehicles pushes us to take a different and more inclusive approach towards future family mobility. We firmly believe that all our past, present and future customers will agree that Nothing moves us like Citroën ”.