Taking inspiration from the Stuttgart city seal, the Porsche crest showcases a rearing horse in the middle, contours of a golden shield, and the city name is on top. The state colors red and black, and stylized antlers that come from the Württemberg-Hohenzollern coat of arms borders the center subject. Serving as a protective roof, the name Porsche is above everything.
Undeniably, the Porsche symbol has become one of the most popular emblems in the world. Want to find out how this crest came about?
Since 1948, the Porsche lettering has been featured in the hood of every Zuffenhausen sports car but in March 1951, the idea of establishing a genuine trademark came. Ferry Porsche and Ottomar Domnick, an original Porsche customer and Stuttgart doctor, facilitated a design competition among German art academies. They offered 1,000 deutsche marks as the grand prize. However, none of the designs won them over. For some time, the idea was parked.
Later that year, the idea gained traction again when Porsche visited New York City for a business dinner with Australian-born Max Hoffman, the owner of Hoffman Motor Company. This man has established a prominent name in importing European sports cars into US—what he presents in his showroom often becomes the next big thing on American roads.
After importing the very first Porsche 356, Hoffman earned an award for the most interesting car at Concours d’Élégance in Watkins Glen, New York. Seeing so much more potential in the winning sports car brand, Hoffman placed the spotlight on creating a visually appealing, quality seal for Porsche, a symbol that will give it a stronger identity.
This discussion set the motion again for the development of a Porsche logo. “Steering wheel hub featuring ‘Porsche’ and the Stuttgart coat of arms or something similar”—this is what Ferry Porsche wrote down on December 27, 1951 as initial concepts.
Porsche designer Franz Xaver Reimspieß was commissioned to develop a trademark that reflects Porsche’s roots, and the superiority and dynamism of their products.
The output had its momentous debut on the steering wheel hub of the 356 in 1952. In 1954, it began adorning the hood of a Porsche, and in 1959, the hubcaps. Through the years, the crest has undergone minor revisions but it never lost its essence. Now in the fifth stage of evolution, the Porsche crest looks more contemporary, and always well-loved.
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