Alfa Romeo is one of the most well-known Italian car manufacturers out there. The maker of some of the best sports cars in the automotive world, this brand is a true legend in motorsports. Alfa Romeo also has one of the most interesting logos in the automotive industry, featuring some elements that have captured the curiosity of enthusiasts for years. This article will feature the evolution and meaning of the Alfa Romeo logo.
Alfa Romeo was first established as ALFA (Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili) in 1910, and the already-popular logo of the company was created shortly after. While the logo had a few minor changes over the years, there are 2 constant elements found in the logo during its existence. On the left side is a red cross. Set on a white background, this cross is the traditional symbol of Milan, the original home of Alfa. The second symbol, found at the right side of the logo, is the Visconti Serpent. Even to this day, many people are debating what this serpent (and its peculiar image) means.
The Visconti family is one of the most important families in the history of Milan. The logo depicts a serpent, which has Saracen origins, with what looks like a human being in its mouth. Many people speculate that the serpent is indeed eating a human being. However, Alfa Romeo has a completely different take on this story.
According to Alfa Romeo, the true meaning of the Visconti Serpent is that it’s a symbol of rebirth. Instead of the snake eating the person, the person is actually coming out of the snake as a new man, as someone who is “purified and renewed”. This story of rebirth is possibly an extension of the belief that snakes, with their ability to shed off their skins, are symbolic of the ability to change and become reborn and renewed.
While not everyone believes this explanation from Alfa Romeo (after all, it will be quite a PR nightmare to claim that your logo symbolizes a man-eater), it will be best to just give the company the benefit of the doubt. After all, if there is anyone who fully understands the true meaning of their logo, it would be them. It will be safest to say that Alfa’s company logo is an all-out tribute to their Milan roots.
Over the years, the Alfa Romeo logo steadily evolved with some minor changes. A gold laurel crown used to adorn the sides of the logo to symbolize its first world championship victory in 1925. There was also a time when the logo was all-red due to the loss of badge making machines after World War II. The Milan name was removed from the logo in 1972 when Alfa Romeo opened its first factory outside Milan. The latest update of the logo was in 2015, with the logo modernized and colors re-arranged for maximum visual effect.
Such is the long (and debate-filled) history of Alfa Romeo’s logo, one of the most recognizable ones in the automotive world.
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