- General Motors has filed to trademark a new Buick logo with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, as was originally reported by CarBuzz.
- Unlike Buick's current logo, the three shields in the new one are horizontally aligned instead of diagonally.
- The trademark filing doesn't mention if the new logo will have colors or be monochromatic.
Update 6/6/22: Buick has officially revealed its new tri-shield logo, which will start adorning models in 2023. With a new horizontal alignment and removal of the circular outer ring, it's the first significant change to the logo since 1990.
The Buick brand has been trying to reinvent itself over the past several years, between deleting exterior name badges and switching to an all-SUV lineup. Now, the company appears to be preparing to adopt a redesigned version of its traditional tri-shield logo. CarBuzz found and originally reported the discovery that General Motors filed a trademark on March 16, 2022, with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Based on an image of the new-look logo that was submitted with the filing, the three shields are now aligned horizontally instead of diagonally. The diagonal stripe inside each shield has also been swapped for a downward-swooping line, and the ring that previously surrounded the trio of shields has been removed.
The current Buick logo features one red, one silver, and one blue shield. However, we don't know whether or not the new logo will see the return of that color combination or if it'll be monochromatic. After all, Cadillac recently revealed a new black-and-white logo for its upcoming EVs. Plus, Buicks have worn monochrome logos before, and the application specifically states that GM didn't claim color as a feature of the mark, so it remains to be seen.
What also remains to be seen is what Buick model the new logo will be introduced on. The trademark application still needs to be assigned to an examiner, which is said to take about six months after the filing date. Depending on the length of the process, maybe we could see the new logo start appearing on 2023 model vehicles, or the company could be waiting to unveil it on a potential future model like the all-electric Electra. The timing could be coincidental, but GM at the end of last year filed to trademark the "Buick Electra" nameplate.
If Buick does adopt the new-look logo, it'll be the second time in the past decade that it has revised the tri-shield insignia. Back in 2015, the brand announced a design change that at the time featured wing-shaped elements and brought the return of the three-color shields. It debuted on the 2017 Buick LaCrosse sedan and then proliferated across the lineup starting with the 2018 model year.
Eric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual '97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a '90 Honda CRX Si.
