About a week ago, we discovered a trademark filing from General Motors for a new Buick logo. Filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office on March 16, the new simplified version of the brand’s emblem “has not yet been assigned to an examiner” as of this writing. However, it seems that Buick is now starting to apply its new logo to some vehicles, at least outside the United States.

A new post by buick_saudi_arabia on Instagram shows the steering wheel of a vehicle, wearing the new Buick logo. This logo matches the design seen in the trademark filing with the three shields now in a horizontal line, rather than a diagonal orientation. Also, the shields are no longer surrounded by a circle. In this application, on the steering wheel of a car, the shields wear a chrome finish.
Another post by the same Instagram account shows the front end of what appears to be a Buick Enclave Avenir wearing the new brand logo. We can’t confirm the authenticity of this image as it may not be an actual photo but a quick photoshop work. However, it shows the new Buick logo in colored form with one red, one white, and one blue shield positioned in a horizontal line in the upper section of the vehicle’s radiator grille. Another rendering puts the new emblem on the front fascia of the Buick Electra concept

For now, it’s probably a safe bet to say the new Buick logo won’t be visible on vehicles delivered in the United States in the next several months. GM needs to actually receive the trademark for the new look and that process generally takes several months. We might see it on the upcoming new Buick electric concept, teased for a debut this summer. However, Buick is most likely free to use its new logo on markets outside the US even before the trademark is granted and this likely explains the early appearance of the three-shield logo on a vehicle..

GM Plans All-Electric Buick Lineup in U.S. by 2030

June 1, 2022 9:00 am ET

General Motors Co. plans to convert Buick’s vehicle lineup to all-electric in North America by the end of the decade, targeting a fresh start for the 119-year-old brand.

GM said Wednesday that the planned introduction of a new electric sport-utility vehicle in 2024 would mark the beginning of Buick’s conversion to an all-EV portfolio. The company declined to offer details of that model, which would be Buick’s first fully electric vehicle sold in the U.S.

To make the switch, GM is resurrecting a name from Buick’s past: the Electra, which was a large sedan sold for several decades before the name was phased out around 1990. All future Buick EVs will carry the Electra name, along with an alphanumeric identifier that varies by model, a GM spokesman said.

The plan is part of GM’s broader strategy to offer electrics across nearly all of its global vehicle portfolio by 2035. The auto maker already has outlined plans for the luxury Cadillac brand to sell only electric models by the end of this decade.

For Buick, the EV strategy aligns with the brand’s strength in China, where it is among the top-selling car brands. Sales of fully electric cars and plug-in hybrid models in China accounted for more than a quarter of total vehicle sales in April, compared with 5.8% in the U.S., according to data from analysts at Jefferies Financial Group Inc.

Buick sells several electric models in China. A GM spokesman said the brand plans to convert its China portfolio to all-electric eventually, but declined to provide a target date.

Buicks have long been popular among affluent Chinese, in part because of the brand’s heritage in the country. China’s last emperor, Pu Yi, rode in Buicks about a century ago, GM has said. Last year, Buick sold nearly five times more vehicles in China than in the U.S.

In North America, Buick has long been positioned as a premium name, generally priced above GM’s mainstream Chevrolet brand and below Cadillac. While Buick’s U.S. market share has been stable at around 1.2% for the past several years, it has lost nearly half of its market share since 2001, according to data from research firm Motor Intelligence.

Along with the move to EVs, GM is planning other tactics to reposition Buick, including its first new logo since 1990 and a new marketing approach, the company said.

On Wednesday, Buick released images of an EV prototype that the company said is representative of the new look of Buick’s forthcoming electric models. The model has a trapezoidal-shaped grille and a windshield that wraps around into the car’s side glass.