The hidden stories behind famous car badges – from Rolls-Royce’s modelling mistress to Ferrari’s lucky horse

IT MIGHT just look like a fancy ornament, but the badge on your car actually has a hidden meaning.

Some of the most iconic brands in the motoring industry certainly didn’t stumble on their symbols by chance.

From shaking hands to a horse meant to bring good luck, there is plenty of history behind each logo.

So can you guess what each one really means?

Read on to see what hidden meaning is behind the badge on your motor.

Audi

Audi’s four ring logo came about after a company merger in 1932.

The company joined forces with three other German automakers in Horch, Wanderer and Dampf-Kraft-Wagen (DKW), to create the Auto Union AG.

Each ring of the logo represents an arm of auto union, with the overlapping circles showing their partnership.

Hyundai

While the Hyundai symbol might just look like the letter “H” in italics, it actually has a much deeper meaning.

The company originally designed their logo to show a company salesperson shaking hands with a happy customer after making a deal.

The final product is a silhouette version of the picture, with the joining crossbar meant to represent the exchange of trust and satisfaction from company to customer.

Mercedes-Benz

The Mercedes three-point star is designed to represent the company’s desire to be dominant in all areas of motor manufacturing.

The three points represent land, air and sea in a nod to their pursuits with performance and luxury boats and aircraft.

The star was first seen in the 1980s, before the brand added “Mercedes-Benz” to their official logo in 1990.

Rolls-Royce

The British maker’s logo itself is simply the “RR” initials of the company name.

But the more iconic symbol of the brand is its “Spirit of Ecstasy” bonnet ornament.

The original ornament was created when British politician John Douglas-Scott-Montagu commissioned sculptor Charles Robinson Sykes to create a personal mascot for his 1909 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost.

Using Montagu’s mistress, actress Eleanor Velasco Thornton as the model, Sykes created the famous “The Whisper” statue, which has featured on nearly every Rolls-Royce car since 1911.

Vauxhall

The griffin seen in Vauxhall’s badge originally dates back to the 13th century, where it was on the coat of arms of mercenary soldier Fulks le Breant.

The soldier was granted the Manor of Luton by King John and was given a house in Lambeth, London, naming the building “Fulks hall” – which over time became “Vauxhall”.

Vauxhall Ironworks adopted the griffin in 1857 as its logo and kept the same image when the company began making cars in 1903.

Ferrari

Enzo Ferrari selected the famous prancing horse logo after he was told it would bring good luck.

The symbol was allegedly painted on the side of Franceso Baracca’s fighter jet during WWI.

After Baracca’s mother told Ferrari about the lucky charm, he adopted it as the mascot for his brand, and added a splash of yellow to represent his home city, Modena.

Porsche

The Porsche badge has a number of meanings blended into one.

First conceived in 1952, the red and black represent the crest of Württemberg-Baden, the area around Stuttgart where the company was based, while the black steed features on Stuttgart’s coat of arms.

The bold horse is also supposed to express the power of the cars Porsche would become famous for.