Nash Logo

Brand History

Nash Motors was founded on April 11, 1916 by Charles W. Nash, who previously served as president of General Motors. The company was established after Nash acquired the Thomas B. Jeffery Company, maker of the Rambler automobile. Headquarters were located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where the first vehicle bearing the Nash name was produced in 1917.

In 1937 Nash merged with the Kelvinator Corporation to form Nash-Kelvinator, with Nash operating as the automotive division. The company merged with Hudson Motor Car Company on February 23, 1954 to create American Motors Corporation. The Nash name was used on models produced under AMC until it was fully discontinued in 1957.

Nash Logo Evolution

1916–1942: Geometric Crest

The first Nash logo served as the primary brand identity for 26 years after the company’s founding. This vertically-oriented geometric crest featured a shield design divided into four segments.

• Design: Shield-shaped radiator emblem with geometric crest layout and overlapping rectangular banner
• Colors: Yellow and brown with white lettering
• Changes: Established at company founding with no recorded alterations until 1942
• Context: Used from the 1916 founding through the 1937 Nash-Kelvinator merger

This Nash logo history shows the original emblem’s distinctive quartered pattern. Segments one and four displayed wide rays while segments two and three resembled fish scales or roof shingles. A solid brown circle occupied the center with the word Nash in white capital letters on a banner.

1942–1954: Gold Crest

A major redesign of the Nash car logo occurred in 1942 during the wartime production period. This new emblem featured a more ornate appearance that remained in use through the final years as an independent brand.

• Design: Massive crest with two sharp elements on top similar to Cadillac badge style
• Colors: Gold, red, and blue with white lettering
• Changes: Complete replacement of the earlier geometric shield design
• Context: Introduced in 1942 and used until the 1954 merger that formed AMC

The updated Nash emblem presented a gold crest with a pattern resembling a car radiator bar. A solid blue fragment appeared in the center where Nash was written in bold white script. This version served as the final Nash symbol before the brand identity was retired.

Legacy

The 1954 merger with Hudson created American Motors Corporation, marking the end of Nash as an independent entity. The Nash logo evolution reflects two distinct eras of brand identity that appeared primarily as radiator emblems and hood badges. Both designs contributed to the visual recognition of Nash vehicles throughout the company’s history.

Nash Motors left its mark on automotive development through innovations such as unibody construction introduced in 1941, the Weather Eye heating and ventilation system from 1938, and early safety features. The brand operated from its founding in 1916 until the Nash name ended in 1957 under AMC.

The Nash badge and its variations continue to interest enthusiasts studying American automotive branding. Images of these logos provide clear examples of how corporate identity changed during key periods in the company’s timeline.