Snakes, Birds, and Swords: Revealing Secrets in Automotive Logos

Certain carmakers’ emblems are arguably dull, being either the name or first letter of the automaker. On the other hand, certain marques have animals, flags, or other intriguing symbols packed with more context than meets the eye. From ancient symbols to elements of the periodic table to hidden meanings, the context and meaning behind certain logos are fascinating. Here are the stories behind the logos of some popular car brands.

1. Alfa Romeo

The Alfa Romeo logo is odd, consisting of a snake eating a person along with a red cross on the left side. The red cross on a white background is a direct reference to Milan, the Italian city where Alfa Romeo originated as a brand. Meanwhile, the snake is the Visconti Serpent, a symbol that appears on the crest of the Visconti family that ruled Milan between the 11th and 13th centuries. The origin of the snake is debated, but likely references their motto, Vipereos mores non violabo, which translates into “I will not violate the customs of the serpent.” Meanwhile, the person in the serpent’s mouth is either a child being birthed or a historic enemy of the Visconti family being eaten. 

2. Cadillac 

The Cadillac coat of arms has a surprisingly long history. Cadillac has existed since 1902, with certain elements always present in its emblem design, such as a crown and three birds. The Cadillac name references Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, a French royal who founded Detroit in 1701. Cadillac adapted his coat of arms to be its logo. Meanwhile, the three birds are merlettes, mythical small birds representative of the Holy Trinity, a nod to Cadillac’s royal roots. The modern Cadillac logo has been simplified to remove these elements, now using a monochromatic version of the original crest.

 3. Infiniti 

The Infiniti symbol may appear a bit random, with two lines meeting into a point surrounded by an incomplete circle. It may not draw a clear picture, but the two lines converging at a point symbolize a long road stretching into the horizon. This is intended to capture the feeling of driving down an infinite stretch of road while symbolizing the automaker's engineering capability, giving the brand its Infiniti name.

4. Audi 

Audi’s four-ring logo existed far before the first Audi road cars ever rolled off the assembly line. The four rings were seen on race cars from the 1930s with the name Auto Union. Auto Union comprised four different manufacturers: Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer, each representing one of the four rings. Audi was revived as an independent marque when Volkswagen took ownership in the late 1960s, using the iconic four-ring logo combined with the Audi name.

5. Maserati 

Maserati’s logo has always been the trident and it has seen little change over the company’s long history. The trident references Neptune, the god of water in Roman mythology. Maserati uses this symbol, as the brand was founded in Bologna, where there is a historic statue of Neptune. The trident symbolizes mastery over water, which is also why blue is a prominent Maserati colour. 

6. Volvo

At first glance, Volvo’s logo may appear to be the male symbol, but this is not the case. The circle with the arrow pointing northeast is also the ancient symbol for iron, one of Sweden’s historic exports. Volvo says this symbol represents the brand’s strength and durability. Some also have said that the symbol resembles a seat belt, as safety is a prominent focus for Volvo as a brand. 

7. Hyundai 

Hyundai’s logo appears very straightforward, with the letter H written in a wavy font, but there is more context than meets the eye. “Hyundai” translates to “modernity” from Korean, but the H is intended to represent two people shaking hands, a businessman and a customer closing a deal. It's supposed to represent Hyundai’s dedication to customer service and innovation. 

8. Lamborghini

Lamborghini famously uses a bull as its logo. The reason is quite simple and concerns the brand’s founder, Ferruccio Lamborghini, who became fascinated with bullfighting after visiting Spain. Ever since Lamborghini produced road cars, bullfighting has also been a theme in its naming convention. For example, Aventador, Huracan, and Murcielago are all names of famous fighting bulls, while Espada is the name for a bullfighting sword.

9. McLaren

McLaren had a long, successful history in Formula One racing before making its first road car. For a long time, Marlboro was a sponsor and partner of McLaren and its logo — a red chevron — appeared in the top right corner of the automake's name. In 1997, Marlboro moved its sponsorship to Ferrari, and tobacco company sponsors were banned as motorsport sponsors in 2006. This resulted in McLaren having to change its logo; the chevron’s hard edges were smoothed out into a simpler crescent, which remains the brand's logo today. 

10. Buick 

Buick recently updated its three-shield logo to create a more streamlined look. The brand first used the three shields in 1960 for its new model lineup, the Electra, Invicta, and LaSabre. Each coloured shield corresponds to a model: Red for LaSabre, silver for Invicta, and blue for Electra. The logo has been in use in one form or another since the 1960s, despite its meaning being outdated for decades with all of these models being out of production.