Porsche is the latest automaker to update its badge, albeit you’d have to be a diehard fan to notice the changes right away. While the design revisions are discreet, the sports car marque mentions it needed no fewer than three years to finalize the tweaked design of its famous crest. We can see it next to earlier versions of the badge, with the first one used back in 1952 before being modified in 1954, 1963, 1973, 1994, and 2008.
The revised logo comes days prior to Porsche’s special event dedicated to the 75th anniversary of its first road-approved car, the 356 “No.1” Roadster on June 8, 1948. The new-ish badge will make its first appearance on vehicles beginning late this year. As to what has changed, there’s now a honeycomb structure in the red sections while the brushed metal finish gives it a more sophisticated look.
It’s worth noting the Zuffenhausen brand hasn’t technically abandoned the previous designs since all retro badges can still be ordered through Porsche Classic. Some tidbits about the crest worth pointing out include the rising horse inspired by the seal of the city of Stuttgart while the black and red colors along with the stylized deer antlers were borrowed from the crest of Württemberg-Hohenzollern.
The original 1952 design was penned by Franz Xaver Reimspieß, who is believed to have drawn the Volkswagen logo as well in 1936. Porsche had been making cars since 1948 but it was only after four years that the crest made its appearance. The badge was initially applied at the end of 1952 on the steering wheel rim before being integrated into the handle of the 356 Speedster’s hood in November 1954. Fast forward to 1959, it also adorned the hubcaps.
We might see the revised Porsche crest on June 8 when the German brand has promised to “offer a look forward to its vision of the sports car of the future.” The jury is still out on what we’ll see a week from today. It could be a concept car for the electric 718 Boxster/Cayman replacement, a 911 hybrid, or a hypercar to fill in the void left after the 918 Spyder’s demise.
