The meaning of the horse in the Porsche coat of arms and its relation to Ferrari
The world of motoring has always been full of fascinating stories, and one of the most interesting is that of the Porsche crest. This iconic German car brand has a distinctive emblem that has been the subject of many discussions, theories and legends of its origin.
The origin of the Porsche coat of arms
The Porsche emblem is one of the most recognisable in the motoring world. It consists of a shield divided into four quadrants, two of which are filled with black and red stripes (the colours of the flag of Stuttgart, the city where Porsche was founded), while the other two quadrants contain a rampant black horse on a bright yellow background. But how did this emblem come about?
The history of the Porsche crest dates back to the 1950s. At that time, the company was looking for a distinctive emblem to place on its racing cars. It was then that designer Franz Xaver Reimspiess created the emblem that has become synonymous with the brand. The Porsche crest represents the city of Stuttgart, where the company was founded in 1931, and also the prancing horse, a symbol of power and speed.
The legend of the meeting between Porsche and its US dealer
While the official history behind the Porsche emblem is interesting, there is a legend that has taken on a life of its own over time. According to this legend, the Porsche crest came about in a meeting between Ferdinand Porsche (the company’s founder) and his US distributor, Max Hoffman.
The story goes that Hoffman was looking for a distinctive emblem to put on the Porsche racing cars he sold in the United States. He asked Porsche to design a logo that would be easily recognisable and represent the speed and elegance of the brand’s cars.
Porsche accepted the challenge and designed a shield divided into four quadrants, two of which were filled with black and red stripes, while the other two quadrants contained a rampant black horse on a bright yellow background. According to legend, Porsche chose the rampant horse because it symbolised speed, strength and elegance, and was inspired by the rampant horse on the coat of arms of the city of Stuttgart.
While the story of the meeting between Porsche and Hoffman may be the stuff of legend, it is true that the Porsche crest has become an iconic symbol of the brand, representing speed, elegance and quality.
The meaning of the horse in the Porsche coat of arms and its relation to Ferrari
The prancing horse is a symbol associated with speed, strength and elegance. That is why both Porsche and Ferrari have chosen to use this animal in their emblems.
The rampant horse in the Ferrari emblem originates from the Italian pilot Francesco Baracca, who fought in World War I and used a rampant horse in his plane as a symbol of good luck. When Enzo Ferrari founded his racing car company in 1947, he decided to use the rampant horse as a tribute to Baracca.
In the case of Porsche, the prancing horse represents the city of Stuttgart, where the company was founded in 1931. The rampant horse on the Porsche coat of arms is an evolution of the emblem of the city of Stuttgart, which also features a rampant horse on its coat of arms.
Although Porsche and Ferrari are rival brands in the world of motorsport, they share many things in common. Both companies have a long history in racing, and have produced some of the world’s most iconic and desirable cars. In addition, both brands use the prancing horse in their emblems, demonstrating the importance placed on speed, strength and elegance in the world of motorsport.
In short, the Porsche crest is one of the most iconic emblems in the motoring world. While the legend of the meeting between Porsche and its US distributor may be just that, a legend, the official story behind the emblem is equally interesting. The prancing horse is a symbol that represents speed, strength and elegance, which is why both Porsche and Ferrari have chosen to use it on their emblems. Although Porsche and Ferrari are rival brands, they share many values and have left an indelible mark on motoring history.
