What Is the Continental Logo?
The Continental logo is the name Continental beside a rearing horse, shown in black on orange. The horse has been the company's trademark since 1882 and first appeared on its products in 1875.
Continental AG is the German tyre and automotive parts maker based in Hanover. It was founded there on 8 October 1871 as a rubber manufacturer, the Continental-Caoutchouc und Gutta-Percha Compagnie.
The wordmark with the horse is available as the Continental logo SVG.
Continental Logo Facts
| Introduced | Horse adopted as trademark in 1882 |
| Symbol | A rearing horse |
| Logo type | Combination mark: wordmark and symbol |
| Owner | Continental AG |
What the Continental Logo Means
The horse is a piece of local heraldry. A thoroughbred horse is a traditional symbol of the Hanover region.
- It first appeared on the coat of arms of the Dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the 14th century.
- It is used by the German state of Lower Saxony.
- Continental says the image it first put on its products was based on the arms of the city of Hanover, where the company was founded.
It also fitted the first products to carry it. A veterinarian named Hartmann invented hoof buffers, pads of soft rubber that stopped horses slipping on icy roads. He held the patent, and Continental made and sold the buffers, each one marked with a horse rearing on its hind legs.
A rubber company that kept horses on their feet adopted the horse as its sign.
Continental Logo History
The Continental horse reached the company's products in 1875 on the hoof buffers, and in 1882 Continental adopted it as its trademark. The company says the horse has taken several forms since then.
Continental began in 1871 by making rubberised fabric for raincoats, hot water bottles and solid tyres for bicycles and carriages. The products behind the logo moved on quickly.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1871 | Continental is founded in Hanover |
| 1875 | The rearing horse appears on the hoof buffers |
| 1882 | The horse becomes the trademark |
| 1892 | Continental becomes the first German company to make pneumatic tyres for bicycles |
| 1898 | Continental starts making pneumatic car tyres without a tread pattern in Hanover-Vahrenwald |
| 1904 | Continental presents the world's first car tyre with a patterned tread |
| 1914 | Continental tyres carry cars to a triple victory at the French Grand Prix |
The company has grown beyond tyres. It spun off its powertrain division as Vitesco Technologies in 2021 and its automotive group sector as Aumovio in 2025.
Continental and Its Tyre Rivals
On tyres, Continental's horse competes with the Michelin logo, the Pirelli logo, the Goodyear logo and the Dunlop logo.
For more brands like Continental, browse our car logos.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there a horse on the Continental logo?
The rearing horse is a traditional symbol of Hanover and Lower Saxony, where Continental was founded in 1871.
When did Continental adopt the horse logo?
The horse appeared on Continental products in 1875 and became the company's trademark in 1882.
What were the first Continental products with the horse?
Rubber hoof buffers invented by a veterinarian named Hartmann, which stopped horses slipping and carried a rearing horse.
Is Continental the tyre company the same as Continental Airlines?
No. Continental AG is the German tyre and automotive parts maker based in Hanover.