Once a symbol of American luxury, the Buick brand has taken a backseat in recent years and, as a result, has fallen from grace. That's not to say its latest offerings are poor, but they're nothing like they once were. In recent years, the brand has been relegated to selling poorly disguised Opel/Vauxhall products here in the US.

Simply put, the brand doesn't enjoy the popularity it once used to, with models such as the Encore set to be discontinued very shortly. As the electric era beckons, there's no better time to rebrand. We previously reported on the brand's reinvention when CarBuzz discovered a trademark for a redesigned Buick logo. At the time, the carmaker chose not to comment. "Buick has no announcements to make in relation to speculative reports regarding a logo change."

However, an image of the new badge has surfaced on Instagram, confirming our suspicions. Seen below, the new, modernized badging is affixed to what appears to be a new steering wheel design.

The new logo is thoroughly modern, appearing more minimalistic than before. It eschews the roundel and now sees all three shields standing in unison, as opposed to the current cascading design. The overall effect is classier and does away with the stuffy badging that's been around for the better part of thirty years.

It will almost certainly debut on a new model, as evidenced by the aforementioned steering wheel design. The rounded wheel hub looks more sporting than before and is adorned with metallic switchgear. While the rest of the tiller remains disguised, we can also see the lack of a physical gauge cluster.

A dormant digital display is sited just behind and will bring a much-needed bout of contemporary flair to the driver's interface. Additionally, a column-mounted shifter will come in handy, doing away with the oft-criticized push-button controls seen in certain models.

It's currently unknown when the carmaker will debut the new badge but, based on the production-ready finish of the steering wheel, it can't be too long now. Perhaps the brand is working on an extensive update for its range of SUVs, which would bring a much-needed refresh and introduce the new corporate image. Then again, it's also possible that it may arrive on the Regal replacement, expected in 2023.

With the race to electrify model ranges, Buick will need to introduce an electric vehicle very soon if it wants any chance of survival. The badge could be announced in conjunction with an EV newcomer, such as the Electra concept seen above. It would herald a fresh start for the brand in a battery-powered future and, as such, be deserving of a new logo.