PORSCHE Modernizes It’s Crest

from The Coastalaire - May 2023

Get Out & Drive ........

Porsche modernizes its crest for the first time in 15 years — can you spot the differences?

It’s the sixth update of the company’s logo.

The Porsche crest has adorned the company’s cars for over seven decades, but now it’s being refreshed for the modern age. According to the company It took Porsche styling and marketing gurus three years to come up with the new logo. The differences are subtle, but once you notice them you won’t be able to unsee them.

Prior to 1952, Porsche cars were identified by the name “Porsche” in lettering. A competition sent to German art schools asked for a logo, but none of the submissions felt right to management. The crest we know today was then conceived by Franz Xaver Reimspieß, who is said to have designed the Volkswagen logo as well, back in 1936.

Since its introduction in 1952 on the steering wheels of the 356, the Porsche crest has been updated five times, in 1954, 1963, 1973, 1994 and most recently in 2008 — the progression is shown above, with the new design at right. Throughout that time the same basic elements have remained. The rearing horse is from the seal of Porsche’s headquarters city, which once specialized in horse breeding (Stuttgart is German for “stud garden”). The antlers and black and red stripes were from the coat of arms and state colors of WürttembergHohenzollern.

Why did it take designers three years to update a logo that retains all the same elements? Joachim Paetzel, a color and trim specialist, said, “A trademark is not designed ‘off the cuff’ within a few days. You have to go back to it again and again, sometimes at longer intervals. The second or third look can reveal to you things that you want to optimize, until it finally achieves a harmonious, natural effect. Only then can you say with satisfaction: ‘This is exactly how it has to be!’”

The latest update includes a revised horse, the readdition of the word “Stuttgart,” and a more subtle gold color. The goosebump texture of the background is no more, smoothed out on gold and black surfaces. All of those are fine, but on the red sections a honeycomb pattern adds modernity that ends up feeling a bit too techy. Might as well add carbon fiber to the black sections, no?

The good news is that if you don’t like it, the company offers all the historic crests through Porsche Classic. The crest update coincides with the brand’s 75th anniversary party, scheduled for June 8. It starts appearing on cars at the end of 2023.

Weathertech Laguna Seca Drivers Education Update

It certainly was disappointing to hear that our June Driver Education event at WeatherTech Laguna Seca was canceled, but have a new date of Friday, Aug 25th. We still have the upgraded 92db sound limit, a Friday not a Monday. Hopefully the new date works better for everyone. Registration will open May 1st, at MotorsportsReg.com under CCCR Laguna Seca Aug 2023. An email will be sent out to everyone in the club and the drivers that were registered for the June date prior to the cancellation. The track should be well worn in by August, plus the weather could be better in August than the June “gloom” date we had.

By the time you read this article our first DE at Buttonwillow will have been completed. Be sure to read the article detailing how the event went in the Coastalaire. Our second date at Buttonwillow still has not been set. The track management will not schedule any track dates for the new track until the pavement is completed. At this time the paving is not started, or according to management, even scheduled to start. It is very disappointing, but hopefully we will hear soon that construction has started. If we do not have positive news in the next month, we will look for another venue for our third DE of the year, maybe sometime in the late fall.

We are always looking for new drivers for the track events. If you have not tried driving on a racetrack at least once, you should. It is not Formula 1, Grand Prix or even NASCAR, it is just a group of people like you and me testing our skills and our cars. PCA is by far the safest car club to track with.