A car brand has changed its logo. But everyone seems unusually calm.
We’re busy updating materials to reflect Vauxhall’s new logo as part of our work with Stellantis Financial Services.
The Griffin has had another tidy-up. Sharper, more angular, and relieved of the little flag with the V on it. After more than a century of holding that aloft, fair enough.
There’s a practical reason for the simplification. Vauxhall’s badge now lights up within its Vizor front grille, so the new design needs to read clearly on an actual car. A reminder that a logo has a job beyond sitting in a before-and-after graphic while designers argue about it.
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The new badge will debut on the STX concept, then an all-new production model in 2027. Its introduction also accompanies Vauxhall’s “Brit’s What We Do” campaign.
But the badge refresh wasn’t what made me stop scrolling. The wider GSE story was.
The new performance models look hot, and the white, grey and yellow creative around them adds tons of energy and character.
There’s some lovely heritage in there too. Manta references on the Opel side, Nova GTE memories on ours. Even the new Corsa GSE’s tartan-patterned seats and three-spoke wheels give you something nice to recognise.
So while McLaren has been commanding discussion by looking back to its family’s service station, Vauxhall and Opel are finding fresh relevance in their own archives. That makes sense, especially when such history gives new work some character.
But I do miss the full Griffin – eagle at the front, lion at the back. The 2008 redesign cropped most of the lion out of the picture, and now it’s more eagle unleashed than Griffin.
There’s a much older story behind the badge too. Vauxhall takes its name from the London district where its Iron Works began in 1857. The place-name evolved from Falkes’ Hall, named after Falkes de Bréauté, a medieval soldier serving King John.
In 1915, apprentice Harry Varley won a competition to design Vauxhall’s badge and took inspiration from the heraldic Griffin also associated with Falkes.
That’s quite a lot of history to fit on a grille.
Even if everyone is still too busy discussing McLaren, I think the Vauxhall GSE cars and their creative deserve some attention too.
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