FCA trademarking all kinds of names
FCA trademarking all kinds of names
Posted on March 19, 2020
We are used to automakers trademarking and reserving names for potential future use but FCA seem to be going at it more than most right now. The trademark office is a regular haunt for journalists trying to guess what manufacturers are up to and those watching the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office have been busier than usual this month thanks to FCA.
I’m not one of those journalists that monitors trademarks, but I do monitor enthusiast forums. Which led me to this post on Wagoneerfans.com. It’s a list of some strange and more mainstream names FCA has been patenting over the past few weeks.
What’s in a name?
The list has a couple of predictable names and then a couple of bizarre ones. The names are Apache, Tomahawk, Farout, Top Dog, Shocker and Orange Peelz. Yep, that’s Peelz with a Z. BiZarre.
There is also a separate report that FCA has trademarked the vehicle name Hornet. The Hornet name has a history, albeit not with FCA. Apparently first introduced as the Hudson Hornet back in 1951. The name transferred to AMC which became part of FCA when it bought AMC back in the eighties.
Apache and Tomahawk are mainstream names and have appeared on many products. Those two names are not so unusual. Farout, Top Dog, Shocker and Orange Peelz are a little more out there. Until you factor in the Jeep special editions that feature in time for the 2020 Easter Jeep Safari.
That’s just speculation right now but has been thought of elsewhere as well as here at Car Nation Canada. There have been those six new names patented and there are usually 6 special editions that appear at the event.
But.
2020 Easter Jeep Safari
The 2020 Easter Jeep Safari is slated for April 4 - 12, 2020 with no news yet of it being delayed or suspended. Long may that continue. However, FCA has pulled out. The automaker released a statement last week saying they had to withdraw owing to the global situation right now. FCA have committed to showing us the six special editions at some point. Nobody knows when though.
The vendor exposition that usually accompanies the Safari has also been cancelled but so far, the actual Safari has not.
Those trademarks may have nothing to do with the 2020 Easter Jeep Safari. They may be something else entirely and we may be barking up the wrong tree entirely. Let’s not forget the Hornet name either. While the initial six could lend themselves perfectly to special edition Jeeps, Hornet is something else entirely.
For now, this story is going to be like many in the auto industry. A matter of waiting to see. The entire annual calendar is up in the air right now with nothing concrete happening for the next couple of months at the very least.
That doesn’t stop us from spending time speculating on the next vehicle from FCA or any special edition Jeep though!