Kahdmus

Saw this on Yahoo this morning. I'd read the original story years ago and naively believed it to be true (oh what a romantic I am..as well has having a syndrome!)

Regulatori

That's interesting. It's funny how you can often see a car logo and never pay much attention to it. Kind of like on Alfa Romeo's where it has the serpent eating a Saracen/Muslim.

Makmov

When it comes to the origin of an iconic logo, the same car company can sometimes have two variations of the same story. That holds true with Porsche, and the truth behind the German sports car manufacturer’s eye-catching emblem. According to a spokesperson with Porsche Cars North America, an extremely influential automobile distributor, Max Hoffman, met with Ferry Porsche in a New York City restaurant in 1951. The discussion moved on to Hoffman’s belief that Porsche needed a powerful logo, something distinctive and elegant. A rough sketch was made then and there, on a dinner napkin.

Yet the story from Porsche Germany differs from this colorful explanation. Max Hoffman did ask Ferry Porsche for a logo, but the emblem was designed by Porsche engineer Franz Xaver Reimspiess—and most definitely not sketched on a napkin somewhere in Manhattan. Does it matter who is right or wrong? Probably not.


Doubtfull.

How in the world would a US distributor know anything about the elements that make up the Porsche family crest.

It wasn't something just created out of blue. It all representive of the location of Porsche.

It is essencially the Coat of Arms for city of Stuttgart and bars and antlers from the "State" or Kingdom of Wurttemberg combined together under the roof of Porsche.

It was all really rather well thought out not something sketched on a napkin.

911Jetta

Here's a picture I took during at the Porsche Museum...

Makmov

funny how Porsche even kind of bends the truth too.

Stuttgart.... IE STUD was a stud farm hence the horse.

Ken D

Hoffman was from Austria - just like most of the Porsche family.

elbeee964

That has got to be some of the weirdest, stilted tense and declarative language structure I've ever heard coming from the factory. (Well, outside of "sporting SUV")

I wonder if they've an opening for museum curator's (assistant-level) proof-reader.

Kahdmus

Well supposedly he was sat WITH Ferry Porsche....

I think its possible that BOTH sides could have a 'ring' of truth....

I could see Max saying "You know Ferry we really need a cool logo on these cars!" and Ferry says "Ah yeez? Lik vat do you av in mind?" (don't know why he had a French accent that day) so Max says, "well hand me that napkin...now Ferry, what sort of things represent the Porsche family and these sports cars of yours?" and a sketch of some sort of logo was made. Ferry takes the napkin back and informs Franz that their most important business relationship is pushing for a logo and, "he wants something like 'this'!"
Hoffman tells people the story and it gets embellished (as all good stories do) and before long Hoffman is hailed as having devised the logo on a napkin. In the meantime old Franz cooks up the logo that we know and love today...

Makmov

You know what they say...

The truth is somewhere in the middle.

Lil bastard

Actually, the Porsche crest is not unlike many european manufacturers logos.

These were often built around the Coat of Arms of that company's particular City, State, Region or Country.

The basis of Porsche design is the Stuttgart crest which used the prancing horse in it's crest since at least the 14th century. Yes, Stuttgart literally means 'Stud Farm'.

But, this city crest is actually overlayed onto the coat of arms for the State of Baden-Württemberg (or the Free State of Württemberg) of which Stuttgart is the Capital city. This is the crest with alternating quardrants of Elk antlers and red and black stripes. Finally, the crest is topped by the word PORSCHE in block letters.

It really isn't unique at all and was more merely assembled than created. This assemblage is credited to Franz X. Reimspieß.

The BMW roundel by comparison, was actually created using a stylized spinning propeller (BMW started life as an aircraft engine manufacturer) inset with the official colors of the State of Bavaria, BMW's home.

The crest 1st was used on the 1952 356 Horn Button. In '55, it was added to the Bonnet handle on the hood of the car, and in '59, it was added to the wheel cover centers.

Whether Max Hoffman was the impetus, or driving force behind badging the car is so unclear as to be the stuff of myth.

Cheers!

Makmov

Apparently the Stuttgart shield can be dated back to circa 950.

Actually BMW historians say that isn't true.

BMW started as a motorcycle manufacture, and used that logo before they made airplane motors.

Indycam

Was this the guy who asked for a speedster to be built ?

elbeee964

Yup.

Makmov

okay maybe he did know something. Like I said the truth is probably in the middle

Lil bastard

Actually, the first documented reference to the shield dates only to the 14th century, from records of both the Abbey of St. Gall and Hirsau Abbey. Though it may have existed earlier, there is no known record of it.

Stuttgart was actually founded in 950AD by the Duke of Swabia, though it was the known location of a Roman fort in the first century AD. It's original name was actually Stuokarten, literally translates to 'Mare Garden'. But there is no city shield known to date that far back.

I do concede to being in error about the BMW roundel. On further research, it appears to be a reworking of the original Rapp Motorenwerke logo, with BMW inserted in place of Rapp. In July 1917 Franz Josef Popp registered the name Bayerische Motoren Werke when it was purchased away from Rapp and merged with Bayerische Flugzeugwerke. One note, at the time it was illegal to use a State's logo for commercial purposes, so BMW reversed the quadrants on the roundel from those of Bavaria.

But, BMW was an aircraft and marine engine manufacturer. They were required to cease aircraft engine production by the terms of the Versailles Treaty in 1919. Their first motorcycle, the R 32, was not produced or sold until 1923. Their first car was actually an Austin Seven, produced under license and marketed under the Dixie marque. This came about by the purchase of Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach, who had the license agreement with Austin and was actually producing the cars prior to being bought by BMW in 1929. BMW produced their first internally designed and built car in 1936.

Cheers!