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Bring back the Bronco! Trademarks we hope are actually (someday) future car names

Trademark filings are the tea leaves of the auto industry. Read them carefully – and interpret them correctly – and you might be previewing an automaker's future product plans. Yes, they're routinely filed to maintain the rights to an iconic name. And sometimes they're only for toys and clothing. But not always. Sometimes, the truth is right in front of us. The trademark is required because a company actually wants to use the name on a new car. With that in mind, here's a list of intriguing trademark filings we want to see go from paperwork to production reality. Trademark: Bronco Company: Ford Previous Use: The Bronco was a long-running SUV that lived from 1966-1996. It's one of America's original SUVs and was responsible for the increased popularity of the segment. Still, it's best known as O.J. Simpson's would-be getaway car. We think: The Bronco was an icon. Everyone seems to want a Wrangler-fighter – Ford used to have a good one. Enough time has passed that the O.J. police chase isn't the immediate image conjured by the Bronco anymore. Even if we're doing a wish list in no particular order, the Bronco still finds its way to the top. For now (unfortunately), it's just federal paperwork. Rumors on this one can get especially heated. The official word from a Ford spokesman is: "Companies renew trademark filings to maintain ownership and control of the mark, even if it is not currently used. Ford values the iconic Bronco name and history." Trademarks: Aviator, AV8R Company: Ford Previous Use: The Aviator was one of the shortest-run Lincolns ever, lasting for the 2003-2005 model years. It never found the sales success of the Ford Explorer, with which it shared a platform. We Think: The Aviator name no longer fits with Lincoln's naming nomenclature. Too bad, it's better than any other name Lincoln currently uses, save for its former big brother, the Navigator. Perhaps we're barking up the wrong tree, though. Ford has made several customized, aviation themed-Mustangs in the past, including one called the Mustang AV8R in 2008, which had cues from the US Air Force's F-22 Raptor fighter jet. It sold for $500,000 at auction, and the glass roof – which is reminiscent of a fighter jet cockpit – helped Ford popularize the feature. Trademark: EcoBeast Company: Ford Previous Use: None by major carmakers.

Lexus to offer no-haggle policy at dealers

The automotive world hasn't seen no-haggle pricing in the US since Saturn collapsed in 2009, but Lexus is about to bring it back. The idea originated in company discussions with dealers two years ago, with dealers saying that a segment of potential buyers didn't enjoy negotiating a price. In order to find out how firm pricing will alter the landscape, 12 Lexus dealers will begin the pilot project at the beginning of 2016. That means new and used cars, parts, and service will come with fixed prices, according to the Detroit Free Press. Jeff Bracken, general manager of the Lexus brand, held up a Phoenix Toyota dealer as a success story, noting that the dealer's no-haggle strategy has worked for 12 years. Outside consultants will train employees at the selected outlets, and its effectiveness will be examined nearly every week. Prices can be changed, "but the expectation is that they remain unchanged for months at a time," and any incentives can still be deducted from that set price. The key to getting usable results - whether the program sticks around or not - is that those 12 dealers have to accept that some customers are going to walk out the door if they can't get the deal they want. Bracken said he expects sales and market share to decline some once the project begins, but only for a few months. After customers get accustomed to it, Bracken said he expects the initiative to be a success and expand to other company dealerships in 2017, even if not all Lexus dealers sign on. Related Video: News Source: Detroit Free PressImage Credit: Mike Windle/Getty Images for Pandora Media, Inc. Lexus Car Buying Car Dealers Used Car Buying Luxury

Lexus takes to Pikes Peak in RC F GT Concept

Lexus is gearing up to take on Pikes Peak with the RC F GT Concept you see here, developing the new racing prototype for the venerable hillclimb event. Different from the more extreme GT3 and GT500 racing concepts we've seen to date, the new GT concept is more closely based the road-going RC F. Only it's leaner and meaner and ready to take on the grueling 12.4-mile race to the clouds and all its 156 turns. The RC F GT packs the same 5.0-liter V8 and eight-speed automatic transmission as the production model. The major difference is that it weighs some 800 pounds less, thanks largely to the widespread use of carbon fiber body panels and polycarbonate windows. It also incorporates a more aggressive aero kit and rolling stock, and allows the technicians to tune the engine for competition applications. To tackle the Peak, Lexus is handing the keys over to none other than Justin Bell, the former GT2 class winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA GT Championship. He'll be fielding the RC F GT in the Time Attack class for production-based vehicles, while providing Lexus engineers with valuable performance data and the chance to develop components for future applications. Two years ago, the IS F CCS-R prototype competed in the same event, and served as a test bed to develop the powertrain that went into the RC F that followed. Related Video: LEXUS TO COMPETE IN 2015 PIKES PEAK INTERNATIONAL HILL CLIMB WITH ALL-NEW RC F GT CONCEPT - V8 Powered, Production Car-based Coupe to be Driven by Justin Bell - RC F GT Program to Serve as Key Developmental Tool for F brand Engineering June 22, 2015 TORRANCE, Calif. (June 22, 2015) – On June 28th, Lexus will compete in the Time Attack class of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The luxury automaker will be campaigning the all-new RC F GT Concept, a vehicle that builds upon the legacy of the IS F CCS-R vehicles that last competed at Pikes Peak in 2013. This historic event, now in its 93rd running, is a race against the clock that tests man and machine with the changing elements, altitude, and a treacherous 12.42 mile, 156 turn course that winds up the peak from 9,390 feet up to the 14,115 foot summit. The new Lexus will be piloted up the mountain by British driving ace, 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, and automotive media personality Justin Bell. "With very little time behind the wheel, the RC F GT Concept has already proven fast and easy to drive, very much like the production models, actually.