Vauxhall Drops the Flag From Its Griffin Logo for the First Time Since 1915

British carmaker Vauxhall has revealed a new logo, and the change that matters is a subtraction. Since 1915 the Vauxhall griffin has been shown holding a flag bearing the letter V. This 13th iteration, reported by Creative Bloq on 1 October 2026, removes the flag for the first time and reduces the griffin to a flatter, more angular form.

It is the latest in a long run of carmakers simplifying their emblems. Creative Bloq notes that most have flattened their existing logos, but Vauxhall has gone a step further by dropping one of the old design's most recognisable details.

The reasoning is practical. Mark Adams, Vauxhall's design vice president, said in a press release that the griffin is instantly recognisable and that the brand wanted to keep its essential elements while streamlining it for the next generation of electrified vehicles. Because the griffin is now illuminated on the front of the latest models, he said, the simpler design is clearer and easier to identify.

That last point is the one we find most useful as designers. A logo that lights up has to work as a shape first and a drawing second. Fine detail that reads well on a printed badge turns to noise when it is a glowing graphic on a front panel, so removing the flag is a sensible edit rather than a fashion move.

The new logo is due to start appearing on new Vauxhall vehicles in 2027, so there is plenty of time for the public reaction to settle. Expect the usual debate about whether this erases heritage.

Our view is that heritage lives in the griffin, not in the flag. The strongest rebrands keep the one idea people recognise and let everything else go. Whether the flatter griffin keeps enough character at small sizes is something we will judge once we see it on a real car, in daylight and at night.

For any brand with a long history, the lesson is the same: decide which element carries the recognition, protect it, and test the rest against the places the logo will actually be seen.