The hidden meanings behind the emblems of 10 car manufacturers, from Cadillac to Ferrari and Alfa Romeo

The hidden meanings behind the iconic emblems of 10 car manufacturers, from Cadillac to Ferrari, have been revealed.

Most car enthusiasts will be able to recognize which logo belongs to which brand – but what do their symbols really mean?

ALFA ROMEO

The manufacturer’s name indicates Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili.

11

And Romeo comes from the surname of the businessman who bought the company in 1915.

The red cross on the emblem represents the city of Milan, while the green snake represents the House of Visconti.

It shows a viper devouring a Moorish man and the symbol derives from the noble Visconti family, which ruled Milan from 1277 to 1447.

ASTON MARTIN

The famous car brand is named after its co-founders Lionel Martin and Aston Hill Climb.

11

Its iconic wings logo was created in 1927 and designed to represent speed.

It is understood that the image was partly modeled on industry giant Bentley’s ‘Winged B’, as reported by Car.

AUDI

Another classic car brand, Audi is recognized by its distinctive four-circle logo.

11

The company’s name derives from the surname of founder August Horch.

It meant ‘listen’ in German, which translates as ‘Audi’ in Latin.

The four overlapping circles represent the merger of the Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer brands.

They are silver to represent the racing color of Germany.

BENTLEY

Bentley originally manufactured aircraft engines, which is how its distinctive wing emblem was born.

11

The color silver was used to signify class and elegance.

Interestingly, the wings are not symmetrical, with a variable number of feathers on each side.

BMW

BMW stands for Bavarian Motor Works.

11

The iconic blue and white design symbolizes the Bavarian flag.

Meanwhile, the black ring surrounding the pattern pays homage to the company’s predecessor, Rapp.

BUGATTI

The insignia above the word Bugatti contains the letters E and B, which stands for Ettore Bugatti – the creator of the brand.

11

There are 60 dots outlining the red oval and there are two theories about their meaning.

One suggestion is that its number represents the safety of the wires used in Bugatti engines due to the lack of gaskets.

Another understanding is that they are pearls to signify wealth and sophistication.

CADILLAC

Cadillac’s founder, Antoine Laumet de la Mothe, was a French explorer.

11

He chose for himself the name Sir of Cadillac and the badge displays his coat of arms.

The design contains a shield, which was based on the armor of Baron de Lamothe-Bardigues.

It also featured six martlets, which were replaced by a black stripe in 2000.

CHEVROLET

This globally recognized logo was created in the early years of the company’s founding by Louis Chevrolet.

11

He was reportedly inspired by a local advertisement in a newspaper.

Another theory is that the co-founder, William C. Durant, was traveling through Paris and saw a wallpaper design that caught his eye.

He is believed to have ripped it off a hotel wall and taken it back to the US, where it later became the famous bow tie badge.

FERRARI

The supercar’s iconic badge features the Italian flag above a yellow shield – which represents the color of Modena.

11

Meanwhile, the initial SF stands for Scuderia Ferrari – which stands for Team Ferraro.

The unmissable black horse was designed by Enzo Ferrari after he met a count who had a son called Francesco Baracca in the First World War.

A similar horse was printed on the fuselage of his aircraft.

Francesco Baracca’s mother told Ferrari the symbol would bring good luck because her son would have taken a horse from a German driver he shot down.

FORD

Henry Ford’s signature is in the center of the famous blue oval.

11

He founded the company in 1903 and the logo has remained relatively unchanged since 1909.