What car logo features a red cross and a small snake?
2 Answers
A logo featuring a cross and a snake is the emblem of Alfa Romeo. Brand History: When Alfa Romeo was founded, the creator combined two symbols of the city of Milan to create a badge. The red cross is part of the city's coat of arms, commemorating the medieval Crusader knights, while the dragon-snake devouring a human comes from the family crest of a local noble family (the Visconti family). Brand Symbolism: It symbolizes the legend of the ancestors of Duke Visconti, the medieval ruler of Milan, repelling a giant serpent that brought suffering to the city's people. The combination of these two unrelated symbols representing Milan's traditions became one of the most famous logos in the automotive world. The later additions of the Alfa Romeo and Milan lettering, as well as the dividing motifs, have undergone subtle changes over the brand's century-long development.
This emblem is particularly familiar to me—a red cross paired with a coiled serpent, unmistakably the Italian brand Alfa Romeo. The red cross draws inspiration from the emblem of Milan, representing this historic birthplace of automobiles. As for the serpent devouring a human figure, it originates from the medieval Visconti family's coat of arms, symbolizing power and wisdom. I was instantly captivated when I first saw this emblem on the racetrack—it looked incredibly aggressive plastered on those low-slung sports cars. Alfa Romeo has been around for nearly 110 years, from classic vintage cars to the current Giulia, yet this emblem has always retained that distinctive Italian passion. Every time I see it, I'm reminded of those roaring red race cars tearing through the corners.