News From The Patent Office: Chrysler Registers "Rebel" Trademark

(SOURCE:  Ignitionist)

This just in from the US Patent and Trademark Office: On April 16th, Chrysler Group LLC filed for a new trademark, "Rebel."

The patent filing states that the trademark is meant to be used on goods and services that include "motor vehicles, namely automobiles, trucks, vans, sport utility vehicles and structural parts therefor." 

In other words, Chrysler isn't just protecting an old asset it acquired in 1987 after purchasing American Motors, the last automaker to build a car in the US wearing the Rebel name. It seems they intend on using it in the near future.

How could Chrysler use its new trademark? Well, let's make a guess or two here. An imaginative but still likely possibility is that it could very well be the name of the rumored rear-drive Avenger replacement. It technically wouldn't be the first time Chrysler used the Rebel name on one of their cars (see the Australian Valiant Rebel above). A less optimistic guess would be that Chrysler might build a special edition of one its existing cars using the name (Dodge Charger Rebel does have an interesting ring to it).

Original source included this patent info

Chrysler Trademarks ‘Rebel’ Nameplate, Stirring the Ghost of AMC

(SOURCE:  Fox News)

Long before the official announcements and appearance of shiny concept cars, carmakers sometimes drop hints about their future product plans.

According to Ignitionist Chrysler has trademarked the name Rebel, meaning this name from the U.S. auto industry’s distant past could grace a new car (or truck) once again.

The Rebel was most notably used by American Motors Corporation (AMC) on its mainstream midsize model from 1967 to 1970. The Rebel was available in a variety of body styles, and there was even a performance version known simply as The Machine.

There’s some continuity here. Chrysler bought AMC in 1987, but scrapped everything except the Jeep and Eagle divisions.

The Rebel was long gone by then. It was replaced by the Matador in 1970, and things only got worse for AMC from there. An unfortunate alliance with Renault produced an unfortunate car named Alliance, the failure of which was among the factors that led to Chrysler’s takeover.

So while the original Rebel is now an American classic, invoking the sordid history of its maker may not be the intention here.

Rather, Rebel may just be a cool name that Chrysler wants to exploit. It’s thematically similar to Renegade, the name bestowed upon Jeep’s hot new small crossover, so the next Rebel may not be a car at all.

It’s also possible that Chrysler trademarked the name preemptively, either to prevent others from using it, or to reserve it for an undetermined future use.

Either way, in an age of alphanumeric German and Japanese luxury cars, it’s always nice to see a name on the tailgate, and Rebel has a nice ring to it.

Vintage AMC Gremlin Postcard