Car Top Level Domains Could Provide Insight Into Branding Plans. Or Slosh

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Car companies the world over get in line to spend $185,000 (for starters) to register their brands as what is called a “Top Level Domain” or TLD. Instead of, say “Chevrolet.com,” in the future, you will be able to type only “Chevrolet” to get to the site. Google allows you to do the same right now, but also gives you a long list of other choices.

The Internet Corp. for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) started accepting applications a few months ago, and now released information on the applicants. Confusingly, these branded top level domains go by the name of “generic top level domain,” or gTLD.

Some 50 car-related domain names have been requested, and we may have missed some among the nearly 2,000 applications. The list, and especially what is not on the list, could provide some insights into future branding plans. Or simply insights into oversights.

TLDApplicantAUDIAUDI AktiengesellschaftLAMBORGHINIAutomobili Lamborghini S.p.A.BMWBayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftMINIBayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftBENTLEYBentley Motors LimitedBUGATTIBugatti International SAMOPARChrysler Group LLC.RAMChrysler Group LLC.SRTChrysler Group LLC.UCONNECTChrysler Group LLC.CHRYSLERChrysler Group LLC.DODGEChrysler Group LLC.JEEPChrysler Group LLC.CASEFiat Industrial S.p.ACASEIHFiat Industrial S.p.AIVECOFiat Industrial S.p.ANEWHOLLANDFiat Industrial S.p.AABARTHFiat S.p.AALFAROMEOFiat S.p.AFIATFiat S.p.ALANCIAFiat S.p.AFERRARIFiat S.p.AMASERATIFiat S.p.AFORDFord Motor CompanyLINCOLNFord Motor CompanyCHEVYGeneral Motors LLCBUICKGeneral Motors LLCCADILLACGeneral Motors LLCCHEVROLETGeneral Motors LLCGMCGeneral Motors LLCHONDAHonda Motor Co., Ltd.HYUNDAIHyundai Motor CompanyJAGUARJaguar Cars LimitedKIAKIA MOTORS CORPORATIONLANDROVERLand RoverMITSUBISHIMitsubishi CorporationDATSUNNISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.INFINITINISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.NISSANNISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.SEATSEAT, S.A. (Sociedad Unipersonal)SUZUKISUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATIONTATAMOTORSTata Motors LtdTATATATA SONS LIMITEDLEXUSTOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATIONTOYOTATOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION(Volkswagen in Chinese)Volkswagen (China) Investment Co., Ltd.VOLKSWAGENVolkswagen Group of America Inc.VOLVOVolvo Holding Sverige Aktiebolag

GM registered all its mayor brands, it even registered “Chevy,” probably to frustrate cybersquatters. Opel, Vauxhall, Holden are not on the list. Notably absent: “GM” – that however is not available, it is the top level domain of Gambia.

Toyota registered Toyota and Lexus. Scion does not appear.

Volkswagen registered all brands down to Lamborghini and Bugatti, but forgot Skoda. VW would be available, but remains unclaimed. Porsche is gTLD-less.

Porsche’s Stuttgart neighbor, Daimler, completely ignored the whole gTLD business. So did PSA Peugeot-Citroen and Renault. Renault’s alliance partner Nissan on the other hand booked Nissan, Infiniti, and Daihatsu.

Mazda, Subaru, Daihatsu are AWOL. The Chinese makers more or less boycott the rush to their own gTLDs. Volkswagen laid claim on its name in Chinese.

Running your own Top Level Domain is not for the faint of funds: The ICANN application fee of $185,000 is just the beginning . Newgtlgsite.c om, a site dedicated to all things gTLD, figures that the total cost is “somewhere between $500,000 to $2 million for an uncontested basic gTLD.”

At these prices, don’t expect a dot TTAC anytime soon.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • El scotto El scotto on Jun 19, 2012

    Used to be the shakedown guys were named Tony and Vince and dressed sharp. Now the shakedown guys dress for crap and carry 12 sided die.

  • Replica Replica on Jun 19, 2012

    They're going to buy a lot of Monster Energy drinks and a lifetime supply of Xbox Live with that.

  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
  • ToolGuy Ford is good at drifting all right... 😉
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