Vauxhall has redrawn its griffin again, and the biggest change is what's missing. The flag bearing a letter V, which the creature has held since the early days of the emblem, is gone for the first time in 121 years.
What changed
- The griffin is more angular than the flat version Vauxhall introduced in 2020.
- Its neck hair is simplified and its beak is now closed.
- The V flag has been removed entirely.
Why: logos that glow
According to Vauxhall's design leadership, the goal was to keep the griffin recognisable while making it cleaner for electric vehicles, where the badge is often illuminated. Fine details that look rich in chrome turn into noise when they're backlit, so they had to go.
The new emblem debuts on the STX Concept at the Paris Motor Show in October and will appear on production models from next year.
The bigger pattern
Car brands keep simplifying their marks, and lighting is a big reason why. If you design marks for products, test them as a glowing shape on a dark background, at small sizes and at a distance. A logo that only works printed on paper now has a shorter life.
The original griffin was drawn in 1915 by Harry Varley, an apprentice at the company. It's a nice reminder that good identity work can be refined for a century without losing what made it work in the first place.
Sources
This story is our summary of reporting by Dezeen. Read the original for full detail.
