Why Some Chevy Bow Ties Are Black Instead Of Gold

You're probably familiar with Chevrolet's bowtie emblem regardless of whether you're a fan of the brand. Why Chevrolet adopted it over 100 years ago isn't exactly clear, although many accept the theory that company-founder William C. Durant was inspired by a wallpaper design when in Paris in 1908.

While the iconic golden emblem has had many variations over the years, first appearing with the brand name center stage before adopting a set of wings and a coat of arms later in life, it has remained central to Chevrolet's branding for over a century. However, within the last decade, black bowtie emblems have begun to grace the front of certain models. The reason is remarkably simple: because customers think it looks good.

That's right — there's no deeper meaning to the black bowtie emblem. It's purely an aesthetic choice buyers can make when ordering their cars. It's not that surprising, either, as the rise of black detailing on cars has been evident on many makes and models in the last decade. Audi, for example, offers a range of Black Edition cars — S-Line models with blacked-out trim and, often, matte-black rotor-style alloy wheels — while Toyota offers a Nightshade trim on cars including the Prius. 

The black bowtie is a similar cosmetic choice that can be made on new cars or fitted later by Chevy enthusiasts who buy used. According to an unscientific GM Authority poll, 64% of respondents preferred the black bowtie, so expect to see it around more.

While blacked-out cars have always been pretty cool — with the mean Buick GNX and Ford F-150 Nite Edition standing out as memorable examples — the blacked-out theme has never been so widely desired as in recent years. While buying a brand-new Chevy with a blacked-out badge is one option of getting the look, retro-fitting your older model with a black badge is much cheaper, and many owners have been doing just this.

Chevrolet sells the badges as an accessory, but owners report the badges can sell for upward of $100. While this is still much cheaper than buying a brand-new black-badge Chevy, many owners have opted for DIY options to achieve the same result. A stretch of black vinyl, or some specialist plastic paint, will set you back little more than $10, and with some tape and a little patience, your old Chevy could soon be sporting the more modern black bowtie emblem.

If black doesn't appeal, but you fancy something a little different from the norm, it's worth noting that Chevrolet has used other colors in the past. For example, the very first bowtie emblem from 1914 was blue, with white lettering — colors the automaker revisited again and again over the years. Red also made an appearance in the 1950s and early '60s.