Porsche is one of the world’s most famous and recognizable luxury car manufacturers in the world. The company has a long and interesting story that goes back to 1931 when it was established by Ferdinand Porsche in Stuttgart, Germany. The cars that Porsche manufactures are world-renowned for their speed, power, and high-quality finish. Porsche is known as the epitome of style in cars and a status symbol that is driven by rich and famous. One reason for their success is their strong branding that helped then reach brand recognition. And what most of us know is that one important element of a company’s branding is their logo.
Most people will instantly recognize Porsche’s logo and be able to identify their cars. The logo design in the shape of a shield that is divided into four with two of them being gold with black deer antlers and the other two with red and black stripes. A horse below the word “Stuttgart” rearing up on its hind legs in the center of the shield and on top of the shield is the word, Porsche. Aside from minimal alterations, the Porsches’ logo has remained the same for over six decades. But what is the story behind this popular logo?
History
Porsche Automobile Holding SE was established by Czech engineer Ferdinand Porsche in 1931. But the logo’s creation is quite unclear. Americans often claim that Ferry, Ferdinand Porsche’s son, drew the iconic crest on a napkin while he was having a meal at a New York restaurant with an American Porsche distributor, Max Hoffman. While on the other hand, the Germans believe that the emblem was designed by an engineer named Franz Xaver Reimpiess.
While the designer of the logo is uncertain, what is sure is that the emblem was based on the People’s State of Wurttemberg’s coat of arms. Where Porsche’s headquarters were, and still are, located in Stuttgart. Shortly after the development of West Germany in 1952, Wurttemberg-Baden and Wurttemberg-Hohenzollern amalgamated into the Federal State of Baden-Wurttemberg. Today, the old coat of arms is Porsche’s famous crest and a part of German’s history.
Located in southwest Germany, Stuttgart was built on top of a stud farm or horse-breeding farm. The name Stuttgart was derived from the words “stutt garten” or stud garden. Ever since the 14th century, Stuttgart has used horses in their city seal, which explains the black horse on Porsche’s emblem. On the other hand, the Wurttemberg state seal is honored by the black and red stripes and the antlers. The words Porsche and Stuttgart were added to the emblem to separate it from the regular coat of arms of the State of Wurttemberg.
While most car manufacturers changed their emblems throughout the years to mirror changes in their company, Porsche did not choose to take that path. They maintained the same logo throughout their entire history. Their use of the same emblem since they started is probably one of the reasons why Porsche is considered an iconic brand in the automobile industry and why it is instantly recognized by almost everyone.
