Tag: Trademark

  • Ford trademarked the Splash name, again

    Ford has once again filed a trademark application for the Splash name with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The Splash name was previously used on a special version of the Ranger pickup truck in the 1990s. Like all trademark applications, though, this doesn’t mean Ford has immediate plans to use the name on a production vehicle.

    First spotted by members of the Ford Maverick Forum, the application covers “motor vehicles, namely, automobiles, pickup trucks, electric vehicles, sport utility vehicles, off-road vehicles, and their structural parts.” It also mentions “vehicle equipment package consisting of wheels, exterior body parts, and seats,” which is effectively what the original Ranger Splash was.

    If that seems a little vague, it’s because automakers often file trademark applications to protect names for possible future use, without having specific short-term plans for those names. That seems to be the case here.

    1997 Ford Ranger SPLASH

    1997 Ford Ranger SPLASH

    “Trademark applications are intended to protect new phrases, designs or symbols but aren’t necessarily an indication of new business or product plans,” Ford spokesperson Dawn McKenzie told Motor Authority when asked about the filing.

    Application filings like this are fairly common. Ford recently filed a new trademark application for the Thunderbird name, while General Motors and Toyota have sought to renew trademarks on the Cheyenne and Celica names, respectively.

    So it’s unclear if the Splash name will actually return on a new Ford vehicle. It would be interesting to see Ford exploit 1990s nostalgia and launch a new Ranger Splash, though, or perhaps even a Splash version of the recently-unveiled Maverick pickup.

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  • Ford renews Thunderbird trademark

    Ford has filed a new trademark application for the Thunderbird name with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, according to documents spotted by Muscle Cars & Trucks. But that doesn’t mean a new Ford Thunderbird is on the way.

    The application was filed on January 13, and specifies that Ford is applying to use the trademark for “motor vehicles, namely concept motor vehicles; four-wheeled motor vehicles.”

    Automakers often trademark names even before they have a potential vehicle in mind for them; it’s just a way of reserving those names for possible future use. Given the importance of the Thunderbird name to Ford, it’s also possible that the Blue Oval is applying for a new trademark to prevent other companies from using it. Ford has renewed the trademark multiple times in recent years, most recently in 2016, Muscle Cars & Trucks noted.

    1956 Ford Thunderbird parked on the second floor of McCarran International Airport

    1956 Ford Thunderbird parked on the second floor of McCarran International Airport

    The mention of “concept motor vehicles” in the application could also indicate plans for a concept car (assuming auto shows ever return), but not a full-fledge production model.

    The Thunderbird took on many forms during its decades of production. Starting out in 1955 as a two-seat sports car, it grew into a cushier “personal luxury car,” then morphed into a NASCAR homologation special with aerodynamic bodywork. After a brief hiatus, the Thunderbird returned for the 2002 model year with retro styling. Despite initial hype, that version didn’t last long. It was retired after the 2005 model year, and the Thunderbird name has remained dormant ever since.

    Unlike many other iconic nameplates, the Thunderbird has always changed to suit the times. With the electric Mustang Mach-E, Ford has also shown that’s not afraid to reuse classic names in ways hardcore fans might find sacrilegious. So perhaps the Thunderbird will return in yet another new form.

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