Vauxhall unveils new Griffin badge

[Blake Noble]

Vauxhall unveils new Griffin badge
Vauxhall attempts to move upscale.

Link to original Article @ Autoblog

Who wouldn't want to drive a car with a griffin on the grille? Well, apparently British motorists, because despite having arguably the coolest badge in the business, Vauxhall doesn't retain the best brand image in the UK market. General Motors' British subsidiary is trying its darnedest to update its profile, however, and to that end has launched a refreshed version of its stoic badge.

Vauxhall unveiled the new logo today, describing it as "more dynamic and contemporary" than its predecessor, but to our eyes looks unfortunately less griffin-y. The new badge is expected to make its first appearance on the new Insignia scheduled to be unveiled at the London show in July, around the same time that it will be hoisted above Griffin House, Vauxhall's corporate headquarters in Bedfordshire. Follow the jump for the full press release, and click on the two thumbnails below to view the new logo in high-resolution and an evolutionary timeline of the Vauxhall badge dating back to the 1920s.

Press release:

VAUXHALL'S GRIFFIN FLIES TO NEW HORIZON

Long established as the face of the marque, Vauxhall's Griffin will be given a new look for 2008. The new incarnation follows the rapid progress Vauxhall has made in vehicle design and overall brand perception in recent years, underpinned by the success of both Astra and Corsa models.

Displaying a more dynamic and contemporary look, the new Griffin will make its first appearance on the new Insignia, which will debut at the British International Motor Show in July. It will then appear progressively on every all-new Vauxhall launched in the future.

Bill Parfitt, Vauxhall's Managing Director, said that the new-look Griffin represented far more than just a badge re-design: "While the new-look Griffin pays homage to our 100 year-plus manufacturing heritage in the UK, it also encapsulates Vauxhall's fresh design philosophy, first showcased in the current Astra, and set to continue with Insignia.

"This recent evolution of the brand has resulted in Vauxhall's incredible sales success over the last three years. Its retail share in the UK has increased significantly, while the manufacturing plants in Luton and Ellesmere Port produced in excess of 220,000 vehicles, with 59 per cent going for export, and the remainder making an important contribution to domestic sales."

First public airing of the new Griffin will be later this summer, on Vauxhall's Griffin House HQ in Luton. Retailers' corporate identity will begin the change of the new Griffin in August 2008.

Logo timeline:

[gmpartsgirl]

It's ok I suppose, but I'm more into history. I liked the '03 one better.

[ZL-1]

I like it

[Croc]

It's certainly more distinctive.

[Guest aatbloke]

It's more modernised. I personally always preferred the large square logos on Vauxhalls from the mid 70s to the mid 80s.

[Sixty8panther]

Yeah I like the more traditional 1980s-2003 style ones.

[loki]

hammer and sycle....?

[Oracle of Delphi]

The UK should just face reality and use the Opel logo!

[Guest aatbloke]

The UK should just face reality and use the Opel logo!

Why? The UK stopped using the Opel logo back in 1985 when the Manta B was dropped. After the old mark 1 Cavalier coupe ended production in 1981, there was no Vauxhall equivalent of the Manta. Since 1985, Vauxhalls and Opels have been one and the same, and since 1993, have also used the same model names.

Some diversity between Vauxhall and Opel has been borne recently with Vauxhall importing the Monaro and VXR8 models from Holden in Australia, which are not offered in LHD Opel form.

There is steep history to the Vauxhall name in the UK, and since the Luton-based company that owns the rights to the logo is itself British, it makes sense to keep the Vauxhall nameplate in the Britain.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Why? The UK stopped using the Opel logo back in 1985 when the Manta B was dropped. After the old mark 1 Cavalier coupe ended production in 1981, there was no Vauxhall equivalent of the Manta. Since 1985, Vauxhalls and Opels have been one and the same, and since 1993, have also used the same model names.

Some diversity between Vauxhall and Opel has been borne recently with Vauxhall importing the Monaro and VXR8 models from Holden in Australia, which are not offered in LHD Opel form.

There is steep history to the Vauxhall name in the UK, and since the Luton-based company that owns the rights to the logo is itself British, it makes sense to keep the Vauxhall nameplate in the Britain.

How quaint! I shall have to start to whisper in Mr. Burns ear about how much money we can save by using one logo for the same cars. :AH-HA_wink:

[Guest aatbloke]

How quaint! I shall have to start to whisper in Mr. Burns ear about how much money we can save by using one logo for the same cars. :AH-HA_wink:

Brand identity is a huge asset to any business, regardless of what they are selling. Why do you think Holden rebadges the Commodore SS as a Pontiac for the USA and a Vauxhall for the UK, while Vauxhall-Opel rebadges the Astra as a Holden for Australasia, a Chevrolet for Latin America, and a Saturn for North America?

This practice with General Motors is nothing new, I can assure you.

Edited April 9, 2008 by aatbloke

[Oracle of Delphi]

Brand identity is a huge asset to any business, regardless of what they are selling. Why do you think Holden rebadges the Commodore SS as a Pontiac for the USA and a Vauxhall for the UK, while Vauxhall-Opel rebadges the Astra as a Holden for Australasia, a Chevrolet for Latin America, and a Saturn for North America?

This practice with General Motors is nothing new, I can assure you.

Vauxhall-Opel rebadges nothing I can assure you, Opel however rebadges the Astra as a Holden for Australasia, a Chevrolet for Latin America, and a Saturn for North America. Vauxhall is a brand in name only, much like Saturn. :AH-HA_wink:

Edited April 10, 2008 by Pontiac Custom-S

[Guest aatbloke]

Vauxhall-Opel rebadges nothing I can assure you, Opel however rebadges the Astra as a Holden for Australasia, a Chevrolet for Latin America, and a Saturn for North America. Vauxhall is a brand in name only, much like Saturn. :AH-HA_wink:

The current Astra - as with the previous mk4 - was largely developed in the UK, while the Delta platform itself was almost wholly engineered by Opel in Germany, even though its first production application was in a Saturn. GM Europe - based in Zurich - preside over the development operation entirely.

The Astra name was conceived by a junior executive at Vauxhall in 1979. They decided to implement on their version of the Opel Kadett D in November 1979, and Vauxhall versions wearing the Astra badge went on sale a few months later. Opel used the Astra name from 1991 when the mk3 debuted. RHD Astra production will recommence with the mk6 at Ellesmere Port. Current RHD Vectra production there is exported around the world as Holdens and Chevrolets, not to mention some LHD Opel models, although Holden replaced the Vectra recently with the Epica from GM-DAT.

GM Europe's commercial vehicle operation is almost exclusively handled at Vauxhall's engineering centre in Millbrook, and the products developed are also badged as Opels.

This is why many in the industry refer products as Vauxhall-Opel or Opel-Vauxhall, whichever you prefer.

Vauxhall is not merely a brand name, and neither is Saturn. Both, like Opel, are separate legal entities, private limited companies with their own issued share capital.

Try and assure me all you like; I haven't spent a quarter of a century working in and around the motoring industry for nothing, mate.

Edited April 10, 2008 by aatbloke

[Oracle of Delphi]

The current Astra - as with the previous mk4 - was largely developed in the UK, while the Delta platform itself was almost wholly engineered by Opel in Germany, even though its first production application was in a Saturn. GM Europe - based in Zurich - preside over the development operation entirely.

The Astra name was conceived by a junior executive at Vauxhall in 1979. They decided to implement on their version of the Opel Kadett D in November 1979, and Vauxhall versions wearing the Astra badge went on sale a few months later. Opel used the Astra name from 1991 when the mk3 debuted. RHD Astra production will recommence with the mk6 at Ellesmere Port. Current RHD Vectra production there is exported around the world as Holdens and Chevrolets, not to mention some LHD Opel models, although Holden replaced the Vectra recently with the Epica from GM-DAT.

GM Europe's commercial vehicle operation is almost exclusively handled at Vauxhall's engineering centre in Millbrook, and the products developed are also badged as Opels.

This is why many in the industry refer products as Vauxhall-Opel or Opel-Vauxhall, whichever you prefer.

Vauxhall is not merely a brand name, and neither is Saturn. Both, like Opel, are separate legal entities, private limited companies with their own issued share capital.

Try and assure me all you like; I haven't spent a quarter of a century working in and around the motoring industry for nothing, mate.

Enjoy your fantasy, as that is all it is. My office is in the center of GM Europe's headquarters, I know what Vauxhall is, or should I say isn't. Besides it's a bit player anyway, in the grand scale of GM. Just rebadged righthand drive Opels. :AH-HA_wink: But a man has to dream I guess, enjoy yours!

[Robert Hall]

Bedford used the Griffin logo also, pretty neat..

Edited April 10, 2008 by moltar

[Guest aatbloke]

Enjoy your fantasy, as that is all it is. My office is in the center of GM Europe's headquarters, I know what Vauxhall is, or should I say isn't. Besides it's a bit player anyway, in the grand scale of GM. Just rebadged righthand drive Opels. :AH-HA_wink: But a man has to dream I guess, enjoy yours!

Everything I have stated to you is fact. And everything you came back to me with is pure conjecture. Why? because you never state any facts. Ridiculing people is easy; backing your claims up with facts it seems you're incapable of. Given that you don't even seem to understand what an incorporated company is, and how several of those fit into GM's global infrastructure, I'm thinking your fantastical "office" is located in a bedroom somewhere.

Next you'll be telling me that Bill Parfitt makes the tea.

Given that you and I come from polar opposites of the motoring experience - not to mention maturity - spectrum, it's probably wise we no longer communicate on these forums.

Edited April 10, 2008 by aatbloke

[Guest aatbloke]

Bedford used the Griffin logo also, pretty neat..

Bedford was a wholly-owned subsidiary company of Vauxhall until 1986, when Vauxhall merged it with a venture developed by Isuzu to form IBC, which produced a European version of Izuzu MU series 4x4 called the Frontera. The car was produced with Vauxhall, Opel and Holden badges and all models were built at the Luton factory. IBC was wound down in the late 1990's.

[Robert Hall]

Bedford was a wholly-owned subsidiary company of Vauxhall until 1986, when Vauxhall merged it with a venture developed by Isuzu to form IBC, which produced a European version of Izuzu MU series 4x4 called the Frontera. The car was produced with Vauxhall, Opel and Holden badges and all models were built at the Luton factory. IBC was wound down in the late 1990's.

Ah yeah, I've seen the Fronteras when I've been across the pond...the Isuzu Rodeo and Amigo were the US market versions..

[daves87rs]

looks good...

[Blake Noble]

I wonder what GME will do for its GMNA offices in the future?

Edited April 21, 2008 by YellowJacket894

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Why? The UK stopped using the Opel logo back in 1985 when the Manta B was dropped. After the old mark 1 Cavalier coupe ended production in 1981, there was no Vauxhall equivalent of the Manta. Since 1985, Vauxhalls and Opels have been one and the same, and since 1993, have also used the same model names.

Some diversity between Vauxhall and Opel has been borne recently with Vauxhall importing the Monaro and VXR8 models from Holden in Australia, which are not offered in LHD Opel form.

There is steep history to the Vauxhall name in the UK, and since the Luton-based company that owns the rights to the logo is itself British, it makes sense to keep the Vauxhall nameplate in the Britain.

Don't pay any attention to PCS. His belief is that GM should sell one or two FWD V6 cars across the globe with the same indistinct, heritage deprived, badge.

Or basically; Saab

But we all know how well that outfit is doing in the real world.

As for the badge... I mean, I thought the previous version was awesome but since apparently everyone seems to think that colored logos = poor quality and monochromatic logos = quality (Thanks to the asians and their cheap, bland, appliance-like luxury cars) I guess this will have to do.

It looks good, but so did the old one.

Then again, neither logo has quite the appeal of the lion in the Holden logo

Edited April 21, 2008 by FUTURE_OF_GM

[ToniCipriani]

How quaint! I shall have to start to whisper in Mr. Burns ear about how much money we can save by using one logo for the same cars. :AH-HA_wink:

If anything, kill Saturn before killing Vauxhall.

Sorry, I just can't get over with what they did to Oldsmobile.

[Guest aatbloke]

If anything, kill Saturn before killing Vauxhall.

Sorry, I just can't get over with what they did to Oldsmobile.

Killing Oldsmobile was easy - GM just rid itself of the brand over a coffee.

Doing the same to Saturn or Vauxhall is a different kettle of fish - you'd have to formally wind up the companies involved and either redistribute or make redundant employees employed by those subsidiaries. In the case of Vauxhall, statutory redundancy payments would be hugely expensive.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Jesus I'd pay for Vauxhall's unemployment myself if that helps kill it. It's easier to kill off a subsidiary, than a GM division. Saturn and Vauxhall are subsidiaries on paper and nothing more, just a quaint legal way to leave them holding the bag and not GM if something should ever go wrong.

Saturn is already dead, how do I know? Because I helped kill it.

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/05...company-indeed/

[Guest aatbloke]

Jesus I'd pay for Vauxhall's unemployment myself if that helps kill it. It's easier to kill off a subsidiary, than a GM division. Saturn and Vauxhall are subsidiaries on paper and nothing more, just a quaint legal way to leave them holding the bag and not GM if something should ever go wrong.

Saturn is already dead, how do I know? Because I helped kill it.

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/05...company-indeed/

I don't think you have the first clue how to legally wind down an incorporated company. It's obvious you have no idea what a subsidiary is either - those in question are not dormant companies as you seem to suggest. They're both manufacturing, trading entities. And if anything went wildly wrong with any of GM's subsidiaries, it would almost immediately reflect in GM's share prices as investors lose their nerve.

Furthermore, it's quite clear you don't know what you're talking about when it comes to UK statutory redundancy payments.

You're the second American I've encountered on forums pretending to be in some hotshot position in Europe in the past couple of months yet more transparent than cellophane. Honesty, why bother?

Edited April 22, 2008 by aatbloke

[Toyota.vs.GM]

I don't think you have the first clue how to legally wind down an incorporated company. It's obvious you have no idea what a subsidiary is either - those in question are not dormant companies as you seem to suggest. They're both manufacturing, trading entities. And if anything went wildly wrong with any of GM's subsidiaries, it would almost immediately reflect in GM's share prices as investors lose their nerve.

Furthermore, it's quite clear you don't know what you're talking about when it comes to UK statutory redundancy payments.

You're the second American I've encountered on forums pretending to be in some hotshot position in Europe in the past couple of months yet more transparent than cellophane. Honesty, why bother?

Saturn does no manufacturing.You are full of bull$h!.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Saturn does no manufacturing.You are full of bull$h!.

Exactly, Saturn produces nothing on it's own. :AH-HA_wink:

[Guest aatbloke]

Saturn does no manufacturing.You are full of bull$h!.

When I said that it is a "separate manufacturing and trading entity" I am referring to the fact that Saturn is incorporated as a manufacturing and retail company - not a farm, not a deep-sea research facility, or a an educational establishment. As a result, its operations are reflected in its own books, even though its domestic models now all use common GM architecture and built at non-bespoke plants, a trait which began with their L-series. That's why, as a separate corporation, it would need to be formally wound down should GM decide to shelve the marque.

I'm wondering if any other professionals use these boards instead of kids and hooligans.

Edited April 22, 2008 by aatbloke

[Guest aatbloke]

Exactly, Saturn produces nothing on it's own. :AH-HA_wink:

Trust you to think so simplistically you missed my entire point. Check out a company's Memorandum of Association sometime.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

I'm wondering if any other professionals use these boards instead of kids and hooligans.

Not much anymore.

[Guest aatbloke]

Not much anymore.

LOL, I hear you!

[Blake Noble]

So much for civil conversation. No offense, guys.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

So much for civil conversation. No offense, guys.

I meant nothing negative by it. It's just that most of the posters now are simply enthusiasts and armchair quarterbacks. Most of the insiders and industry folks have stopped posting.

(In restrospect, I see how that could've been taken wrong)

[MyerShift]

I prefer the 2003 badge. The new Vauxhall badge seems a bit cold and industrial if more modern.

As far as the um, "intense" discussion going on here, I have to say that if it was "so easy" for GM to eliminate Olds, then it would be just as easy for GM to eliminate any other redundancy/underperformer.

P.S. We need our insiders/industry people!

Edited May 8, 2008 by MyerShift

[Guest aatbloke]

I prefer the 2003 badge. The new Vauxhall badge seems a bit cold and industrial if more modern.

As far as the um, "intense" discussion going on here, I have to say that if it was "so easy" for GM to eliminate Olds, then it would be just as easy for GM to eliminate any other redundancy/underperformer.

P.S. We need our insiders/industry people!

Eliminating a brand name is a different kettle of fish to winding down a company.