Motor Cities: Stuttgart

Stuttgart is the cradle of the car. The city and its surrounding area is where the world’s two oldest car companies – Daimler and Benz – began their journeys. Once they merged, Stuttgart was home to the world’s most successful and most famous luxury car maker.

It is also where the world’s best-selling car, the Volkswagen Beetle, was designed, and early prototypes built.

Post war, it became home to the world’s most successful sports car maker. Porsche’s badge commemorates its Stuttgart roots. The rearing horse comes from Stuttgart’s official seal; the stylised antlers and red-and-black stripes from the coat of arms of the state of Württemberg-Hohnerzollern (merged into Baden-Württemberg, of which Stuttgart is now the capital, in 1952). Look closely and you can see the Stuttgart name in the centre of Porsche’s badge, just above the black horse.

No car maker promotes its provenance so proudly.