Since 2005, Audi Quattro has used a gecko lizard as its symbol. In a way, the lizard is a natural equivalent to the Quattro’s famous grip.
Audi’s sub-brand Quattro refers to the all-wheel drive technologies or systems, which are often described as the most important technology created by the carmaker. When Audi uses the word “Quattro” (“four” in translation from Italian) for its automobiles, it means that the automobiles feature this drive system.
The drive system was introduced in 1980 on a model often referred to as the Ur-Quattro (“original” or “first”).
Audi first used the gecko as the symbol of the all-wheel drive system during Quatro’s 25th–anniversary campaign.
The main reason why the lizard was chosen as the Quattro logo was that its feet have an unusual ability to stick to almost any surface. Not only can the gecko climb walls and trees, but even walk inverted on ceilings. This is possible due to the microscopic hairs the gecko has on its feet.
Audi’s Quattro system, in its turn, is known for its grip and torque vectoring technology.
In 2010, Audi modernized the gecko campaign in collaboration with the German agency Thjnk. As a result, the reptile adopted a more “bionic” style. It was now described as a “high-tech gecko,” which is used as a “new symbol for perfect electromechanics” characteristic of Quatro.
The type also has a futuristic bionic touch due to the unusual shape of the letters. The unexpected gaps in the “a” and “q” also look dynamic. The writing is small – it lets the gecko dominate the Quattro logo. Yet, it is quite legible even at smaller sizes.