Volkswagen to change iconic logo amid electric-car push
Volkswagen will turn its iconic VW logo into something “more colorful” for a new era of electric cars, the car maker announced on Tuesday.
Jochen Sengpiehl, the Volkswagen brand’s chief marketing officer, told reporters in Germany that a new logo will make its debut next year, according to Bloomberg. The move will coincide with the start of Volkswagen’s accelerated rollout of new electric vehicles.
“The big challenge is: How do we get people into the electric world,” Sengpiehl said during a news conference. “We want people to have fun with us. We need to get more colorful.”
Volkswagen last updated its emblem about six years ago, giving it a three-dimensional appearance. But the VW logo has largely remained the same since the automaker got back into business following World War II.
The new logo will be modernized so it can be used effectively on cars and smartphone screens, Sengpiehl said.
Volkswagen, whose parent company controls other brands including Audi and Porsche, also plans to revamp its marketing strategy with a greater focus on digital and social media.
In this Oct. 5, 2015, file photo, the VW sign of Germany's Volkswagen car company is displayed at the building of a company's retailer in Berlin. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)
Volkswagen is working to turn its image around in the wake of a diesel scandal that affected thousands of owners in the U.S. In 2015, the manufacturer acknowledged that it equipped 11 million diesel-powered vehicles worldwide with software designed to skirt emissions tests. Regulators hit Volkswagen with the largest-ever fine levied on an automaker, as the company agreed to pay a $2.8 billion criminal penalty.
Volkswagen Group, the world’s largest car maker, replaced CEO Matthias Mueller with Herbert Diess last week. Mueller, who abruptly became CEO in September 2015, had steered the company during the aftermath of the diesel scandal.