trademark Archives

Report: Nissan applies for ‘R-Hybrid’ trademark, but what is it for?

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Nissan, Design/Style, Racing

Patent and trademark filings are sort of like tasseography for those of us in the auto industry. If you know where and how to look at something, there’s a lot to be figured out. Take this trademark filing from Nissan – it’s similar to the Pure Drive badge found on a Versa or Sentra, but the bottom half sports the phrase “R-Hybrid.” This wouldn’t be remarkable if the “R” in R-Hybrid weren’t the same style as the “R” in the Nissan GT-R’s badge, right down to the serifs.

While it’s easy to see this as grasping at straws, it makes a fair degree of sense. The R35 GT-R may be a dominant performance machine, but it’s been around since 2008, which is donkey years in the automotive industry. And based on the recent crop of hybridized hypercars and racecars, a hybrid GT-R doesn’t seem like such a stretch.

As Car And Driver points out, figuring out that the GT-R will go hybrid isn’t hard – figuring out when it will arrive, is. The buff book rightly points out that a new GT-R isn’t expected until 2017, but that designing and trademarking a badge four years ahead of time is a bit odd. Car and Driver speculates that we could see a mildly hybridized R35, although the chances do seem remarkably low. Head over to C/D for a more thorough rundown on why this just might be a GT-R badge, including comparisons with other R-badged Nissans.

Nissan applies for ‘R-Hybrid’ trademark, but what is it for? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Aug 2013 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Trademark trolls cause headache for Tesla in China

Filed under: China, Government/Legal, Electric

It happened to Apple when it first tried to enter the Chinese market, and now it’s happening to electric vehicle maker Tesla: the automaker’s name has already been registered in China by trademark trolls, reports Want China Times. Trademark trolls are people or organizations that register company names in anticipation of selling them when said company decides to enter the market. After two years of litigation, Apple ended up paying Chinese computer monitor maker Proview $60 million to buy the “IPAD” trademark. Tesla has been in litigation since 2009 for the use of its name, and so far, it doesn’t have much to show for it.

“Tesla” was registered in 2009 by Zhan Baosheng, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the automaker already made an offer to buy it for two million yuan ($326,000), but Baosheng wanted the equivalent of about $32.6 million for the trademark. Tesla’s fight to use its name has been somewhat fruitful – it bought the rights to “TESLA MOTORS” on May 6 – but the name can’t be used for finished automotive products for various legal reasons.

The Silicon Valley-based EV maker might have some leverage in its case to acquire ownership of the “Tesla” trademark, because Baosheng hasn’t used the name since he registered it in 2009, and he hasn’t yet proved that he develops products relating to EVs.

Trademark trolls cause headache for Tesla in China originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Aug 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: BMW files trademark for M2

Filed under: BMW, Rumormill

2011 bmw 1 series m

2011 BMW 1 Series M – Click above for high-res image gallery

We already told you that BMW has decided to limit production of the 1 Series M, making it a one-year proposition. Now, we may know a bit more about this decision. The German automaker has reportedly filed trademarks on the terms “M2” and “BMW M2.” Where is the 2 Series upon which these terms could apply? Rumor has it that the next-generation BMW 1 Series will grow up and become the 2 Series.

Of course, a BMW 2 Series is not a foregone conclusion, but it’s always a wise idea to stay a step ahead. At the very least, BMW is making sure that the M2 name will be ready should it choose to go the 2 Series route.

BMW files trademark for M2 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Chevrolet looking to trademark “Crossvolt” moniker

Filed under: Concept Cars, Hybrid, Crossover, Chevrolet, Beijing Motor Show

Chevrolet Volt MPV5 Concept

2010 Chevrolet Volt MPV5 Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors has submitted an application to trademark “Crossvolt” as a possible name for the bigger, MPV-style version of the Chevrolet Volt that’s in the works. Chevrolet’s patent application for the Crossvolt handle doesn’t mean it’s settled on a name for the family-friendly plug-in just yet. To keep us guessing, Chevrolet also has trademarks pending on the Chevrolet Amp and Chevrolet Strobe names as well.

Whatever the General decides to call its enlarged Volt, it will likely wind up looking similar to the Volt MPV5 Concept Chevrolet revealed at last year’s Beijing Motor Show. Expect the eco-friendly soccer practice taxi to be in the same size range as the Chevrolet Orlando.

Gallery: Beijing 2010: Chevrolet Volt MPV5 concept

[Source: Car and Driver]

Report: Chevrolet looking to trademark “Crossvolt” moniker originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 17 Apr 2011 11:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevrolet Cruze hatchback design submitted for trademark

Filed under: Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM, First Drive, Design/Style

Chevrolet Cruze hatchback trademark drawing

Chevrolet Cruze hatchback design drawings – Click above for high-res image gallery

Most cars never look quite as cool as their conceptual and pre-production versions, and it would appear that the Chevrolet Cruze hatchback will be no exception. Carscoop was able to get its hands on design drawings of the car used for trademark filings with the European patent office.

The good news is that the Cruze hatchback manages to stay fairly faithful to the version shown off at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. The predictable bad news is that the front fascia looks less aggressive and ditches the LED light strips for standard fog lamps. What’s more, the wheels will be smaller than the oversized auto show setup seen in Paris, and the rear taillamps will most likely be toned down a notch. The design and the show car are actually very similar looking. However, you can’t have the sweet without the sour, so the really bad news is that the Chevrolet Cruze hatchback has not been greenlit for U.S. roads.

Gallery: Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback design renderings

Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback design renderings

[Source: Carscoop]

Chevrolet Cruze hatchback design submitted for trademark originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Dec 2010 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lexus ‘ES 300h’ trademark filing suggests lux’d up Camry Hybrid on the way?

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Government/Legal, Lexus, Rumormill

2010 Lexus ES 350

2010 Lexus ES 350 – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Toyota Camry-based Lexus ES isn’t exactly the most exciting product in the automaker’s range. The entry-level luxury front-driver just received a slight refresh for the 2010 model year, but based on a filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office discovered by Car and Driver, an electrified ES hybrid may be in the cards for the sedan’s next generation.

Like the rest of Lexus’ hybrids, the numerical part of the ‘ES 300h’ nomenclature doesn’t really hold any sort of significance in terms of engine displacement. We’d hardly be surprised to find the Camry Hybrid’s 2.4-liter mill under the Lexus’ hood, though we won’t rule out the possibility that output numbers could be tweaked for use in the ES 300h.

The move to hybrid-ify the ES sedan makes sense, as Lexus has long said that it wants to broaden its gasoline-electric offerings. The automaker currently has the CT 200h, HS 250h, GS 450h, RX 450h and LS 600h L, but adding a sixth hybrid car would further strengthen the brand’s appeal to eco-minded luxury customers. Thanks to everyone for the tips!

Gallery: Review: 2010 Lexus ES 350

[Source: Car and Driver]

Lexus ‘ES 300h’ trademark filing suggests lux’d up Camry Hybrid on the way? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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