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What's in a trademark? Sometimes, the next iconic car name

The United States Patent and Trademark Office is a treasure trove for auto enthusiasts, especially those who double as conspiracy theorists.
Why has Toyota applied to trademark "Supra," the name of one of its legendary sports cars, even though it hasn't sold one in the United States in 16 years? Why would General Motors continue to register "Chevelle" long after one of the most famous American muscle cars hit the end of the road? And what could Chrysler possibly do with the rights to "313," the area code for Detroit?

This Japanese ad for the Toyota Prius Plug In is beyond confusing

We'll admit we don't understand all of this strange little ad for the Toyota Prius Plug In (our Japanese skills are not what they once were) but that just makes it all the more fascinating. The takeaway point is that a world full of PHEV Priuses will be astonishingly colorful at time and exciting, with food being delivered by a neck plug. Or something like that. We recommend clicking below and just watching the 60-second spot (and the short making-of video) but if you'd rather read here's what we have figured out: There's some airline-pilot type guy who is visited by who he calls his sister. The voiceover says she's some kind of saleswoman, and she begins to talk up the plug-in Prius alongside the J-Pop group AKB48 Team 8, telling the crowd – including a man in a big, round bird mask – how easy it is to plug in. The old man watching the J-Pop girls tells the woman next to him, "I have their CD." Then we see the original duo back home and the guy says he's hungry before plugging in a blue energy wire. The same wire that then starts charging a Prius. That may not really clarify anything, but there you have it. Watch for yourself below. At the very least, we won't confuse this ad for one from another automaker. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Stellantis and Toyota expand partnership with large commercial van

Stellantis said on Monday it would expand its partnership with Toyota Motor Europe (TME) with a new large commercial van, including an electric version. Stellantis will supply TME, a unit of Japan's Toyota Motor Corp, with the new vehicle for sale in Europe under the Toyota brand, it said. The van will be produced at Stellantis plants in Gliwice, Poland, and Atessa, Italy. "Planned for mid-2024, the new large-size commercial van marks TME's first entry into the large-size commercial vehicle segment," Stellantis added in a statement. The deal widens the partnership between the two companies and allows a better optimization of Stellantis' Atessa plant, which currently makes large vans sold under the Peugeot, Citroen and Fiat marques. "It represents an important addition and completes our light commercial line-up for Toyota's European customers," Stellantis said. Paris-listed shares in Stellantis were up 1.6% by 0941 GMT. Carmakers have increasingly been agreeing cross-manufacturing deals to reduce costs in vans, which due to a boom in parcel delivery are seeing large demand — and where electric vehicle versions are also seeing rising sales to carry out "last-mile" deliveries in city centers. Green Fiat Toyota Citroen Peugeot Minivan/Van Commercial Vehicles Electric