The real meaning behind the Ferrari logo

The "Prancing Horse" is a world-famous logo, let's take a look at its meaning and the complete meaning of the Ferrari logo.

The horse symbolizes courage, freedom, strength and independence. Apart from that, it is a beautiful animal depicted in mythology. Today, people are attracted to horses because they are friendly creatures, even though they have been abused and overworked for centuries. We admire their resilience, work ethic and independence, so it's no surprise that car brands love them too.

Currently, at least 24 major brands have horses in their logos. From luxury giants such as British fashion brand Burberry and French leather goods multinational Hermès to mass luxury brands such as Ralph Lauren and Longchamp, various high-end clothing brands have chosen this noble animal as their logo.

Naturally, even the automotive industry loves the charm of this wild, independent horse. Both Mustang and Ferrari have horses in their logos. Considering the horse's symbolism and image of strength, it's no surprise that these leading companies choose such a powerful animal. With that said, we wanted to dig deeper and better understand the true meaning behind the wild stallion in the Ferrari logo.

This history can be traced back to a count and World War I hero

The Italian nobleman and World War I hero inspired Ferrari's logo, and his story is extremely popular. In fact, even Enzo Ferrari once famously said: “In 1923 I met Count Enrico Baracca, the hero’s father and his mother Countess Paolina said to me one day, Ferrari, put my son's prancing horse in your car. It will bring you good luck.'" According to the official version, this is the origin of the Ferrari logo. , but some believe there are more nuances to it.

Conflicting Stories

There are actually two conflicting stories about the origins of the Ferrari logo. The first is mentioned above and involves Italian air force pilots Count Barracca and Enzo's meeting with his parents. Meanwhile, a second story suggests that the horse depicted on Baraka's plane was not an auspicious symbol painted to recall Baraka's roots in the Order of Piemonte Cavaliia, but rather a killing symbol depicted on the plane, to show that Baraka shot down a pilot from Stuttgart, Germany.

Despite the conflicting stories, most Ferrari fans and experts agree on some aspects. For example, the pastel yellow in the background is an ode to Modena, the birthplace of Enzo Ferrari. Additionally, the Ferrari Prancing Horse is black, while the horse depicted on the Baraka plane is red. It seems that Enzo Ferrari decided to paint the prancing horse in the back because Francesco Barracca died in battle, so the horse was supposed to represent mourning for the Italian hero.

From shield style to rectangular style

Some high-end and luxury companies try to increase visibility and increase their market appeal by changing their logos, while others try to Honor their heritage by keeping their logo unchanged. A later brand was Ferrari, which kept the same colours, design elements and symbols. Of course, in a world where consumers are demanding radical modernism and high-tech design, Ferrari deserves praise for its approach. However, some minimalist changes were still pursued. For example, a coat of arms takes the form of a rectangle. In addition, the shape of the horse also changed. Another important detail appeared on the 1931 badge, where the letters "SF" appeared, while the Ferrari name was missing. Later, in 1947, the yellow undertone became more vivid and noticeably intensified.

The first car to wear the Ferrari shield was an Alfa Romeo

Nowadays, everyone associates the Prancing Horse with the iconic Italian luxury car company, but few Remember the first car to wear the badge wasn't even a Ferrari, it was an Alfa Romeo. Enzo Ferrari was a well-known racing driver at the time, and during the 1932 racing season he competed in an Alfa Romeo racing car bearing the iconic emblem.

Ferrari did not start producing road cars until after World War II, so in the early 1930s, Italians still associated the Prancing Horse logo with another car company. It is worth noting that the first Ferrari car to wear the badge was the Ferrari 125s in 1947, when the V12-engined supercar made its debut at the Piacenza circuit.