7:00 am, October 2, 2026
For more than a century, Vauxhall’s famous Griffin has been one of the most instantly recognisable logos in the automotive industry.
However, the famous creature has had more than its fair share of makeovers over the years, the most recent of which was unveiled on Wednesday.
In its latest guise, the crest has lost its famous V-marked flag in favour of a sleeker, more streamlined image.
But how does the latest design compare to what has gone before? To find out, we’ve been taking a look through the archives at the ever-changing face of Vauxhall…
1915 – The original Griffin
The first Vauxhall Griffin appeared in 1915 after apprentice Harry Varley won a competition to design a new emblem.
Inspired by the heraldic Griffin associated with Falkes de Breaute, the badge featured the mythical creature holding a flag bearing the letter V – a combination that would remain at the heart of the Vauxhall identity for more than 100 years.
1925 – A more elaborate emblem
Ten years later, the Griffin was given a more intricate design, with the new circular badge including a nod to the brand’s Luton home.
The logo retained the key ingredients of the original, including the Griffin and its V-marked flag, but presented them in a more ornate style.
1936 – A change of shape
The 1930s brought with them a striking new colour scheme and a change of shape, with red and gold giving the Griffin a much more distinctive look.
The badge was used throughout WWII when Vauxhall suspended regular passenger car production to focus entirely on the wartime manufacturing effort.
1946 – The post-war Griffin
After the war, Vauxhall moved away from the colourful circular designs in favour of a more monochrome crest.
The Griffin sat alongside Vauxhall Motors branding, creating a complex logo, which also the last to include the word ‘Luton’.
1951 – Keeping it simple
By the time the fifties rolled around, Vauxhall decided to go for a stripped back look for its crest.
While the black-and-white Griffin remained with its familiar V flag, the overall design was cleaner and less ornate than its predecessors.
1971 – The red Griffin
The 1970s brought one of the biggest changes yet to the Griffin, with the intricate black-and-white emblem replaced by a much simpler red design.
The Griffin itself was reduced to a bold graphic shape, while the familiar V-marked flag remained.
It marked the beginning of Vauxhall’s move towards the cleaner, more graphic logos that would follow through the 1980s and beyond.
1983 – The Griffin goes all square
In 1983, Vauxhall took the simplification a step further by putting the Griffin inside a red square.
The creature was now white, with much of the detail stripped away, while the flag was simplified and the familiar V disappeared.
For the first time, the Vauxhall name was incorporated directly into the badge underneath the Griffin.
1989 – Going full circle
Just six years later, the square was gone and Vauxhall returned to a circular badge.
The white Griffin was placed against a red background and, most importantly, the V returned to its flag.
The design would remain the basis of Vauxhall’s identity for more than a decade and into the new millenium.
2003 – Going 3D
By the early 2000s, flat logos were giving way to more elaborate, three-dimensional badges – and Vauxhall was keen to keep up with the trend.
The 2003 Griffin gained a metallic, three-dimensional finish, resembling a piece of chrome.
While the basic circular design remained familiar, the extra shading aimed to gave the Griffin a more substantial presence on the front of Vauxhall’s cars.
2008 – Chrome and curves
Vauxhall took the theme of chrome a step further when it next redesigned its logo, just five years later.
The Griffin was enlarged within the badge, with much of its body extending beyond the centre of the logo.
The result was a cleaner, more modern interpretation, which hoped to achieve a more upmarket look.
2011 – Seeing red again
Vauxhall brought red back to the Griffin in 2011, reversing the darker, more monochrome look of the previous badge.
The Griffin was finished in silver, within a red circle, giving a brighter and more colourful appearance than before.
2019 – A flatter future
The next redesign went in the opposite direction, stripping away the chrome and three-dimensional effects that had dominated the previous decade.
Vauxhall moved towards a much flatter red-and-white Griffin, with the creature reduced to a simpler graphic form.
The design also made the Griffin itself more prominent while removing much of the surrounding detail.
2026 – The flag is gone
And now comes the latest chapter.
Vauxhall’s new Griffin keeps the recognisable mythical creature but drops the flag, which has waved for well over a century.
The new design has been created to work with Vauxhall’s new illuminated Vizor grille and represents perhaps the biggest departure yet from the original 1915 badge.
After 111 years, the Griffin remains – but the flag that has accompanied it for generations has finally flown the nest.