After all the time and attention you give it, you may think, “There’s nothing I don’t know about my car.” However, one thing you may not know is the story behind your car’s logo. Most car logos are known worldwide and are almost immediately recognizable, but it wasn’t always this way.
In the Beginning…
In the grand scheme of things, automobiles haven’t been around very long. When they were first introduced as a mode of transportation, most people still got around using a one-horsepower horse and buggy. It is only within the past 100 years or so that the automobile has become mainstream.
Many automakers began with a logo of some kind that eventually changed with company holdings, merging companies or marketing redesigns, while others created original logos that haven’t changed since their first automobile hit the streets.
The origin of your car’s logo may be anything from a good luck omen, as with Ferrari, to a symbol representing the company’s original product, such as Saab’s airplane logo.
A Few Car Logo Origins
If you’re wondering “Where did my car logo come from?” here are some interesting facts about several different companies:
- Ferrari – Enzo Ferrari painted a prancing horse on his race cars to honor fighter pilot and WWI hero Count Francesco Barraca. The Count had a prancing horse on his plane during the war. Ferrari later added bright yellow to the logo when he founded the Scuderia Ferrari racing team in 1929. It’s been recognizable ever since.
- Lamborghini – Ferruccio Lamborghini was a bullfighting enthusiast. His astrological sign was Taurus. It’s only natural that the logo of the legendary Lambo would be a charging bull.
- Alfa Romeo – This automaker has had to tweak their logo because the symbol was easily misunderstood. It is assumed to have come from a ruling family in Milan, Italy. Otone Visconitis may have defeated a Saracen in a battle during the First Crusade and taken the symbol from his foe’s shield. The logo is a roundel with a red cross on one side and a snake devouring a man on the other. The company has stated that the man is actually coming out of the snake.
- Infinity – Infiniti is actually a luxury line from the Toyota company. Beginning in 1989, the company used the name to come up with the logo. Its two central lines are understood to symbolize a presumably infinite road.
- Saab – In 1891, Saab adopted the symbol of a griffin. It wasn’t used on Saab automobiles until almost 100 years later in 1984. Until then, Saab automobile logos used different variations of wings to signify the company’s aircraft origins. Today’s Saab logo is simply text: SAAB.
- Cadillac – French explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founded Detroit, which is where the car company originated. They used Cadillac’s name and family coat of arms as their logo.
- Mercedes-Benz – The three-point star of the Mercedes-Benz logo represents the domains in which the company wanted to establish market control: land, sea, and air.
Protecting More Than Just a Logo
It’s fun learning cool and little-known facts about our vehicles, but owning a vehicle means there are aspects that are not fun. No matter where your car’s logo originated, having an extended warranty for cars no longer under manufacturer warranty can quickly ease the worry that comes with owning a car — for instance, break-downs, repairs, flat tires, and regular maintenance.
Having an extended warranty, even on cars with over 80,000 miles, can lower the stress of thinking about the unexpected occurring.
Free Up Your Time For Fun
No matter what logo is on the front of your car, Protect My Car has an extended warranty plan that can help take care of the not-so-fun parts of car ownership. Get coverage that helps pay for things like regular oil changes, tire rotations, flat tires, roadside assistance, and a lot more. Get started with Protect My Car to find a plan today!
Protect My Car is a vehicle service contract provider, also referred to as extended car warranty provider, with multiple coverage plans for new and used vehicles with low to higher mileage to help meet your needs and budget. Protect My Car customers work directly with the company for customer service, claims administration and contract financing. No middleman or the need for third-party approval. All Protect My Car Plans include best-in-class claims and customer support, 24/7 roadside assistance, free oil changes and tire rotations and the exclusive PMC Rewards Plan, providing daily deals, giveaways, coupons, and thousands of ways to save money every day. Protect My Car has a 30-day money-back guarantee.