Fiat Chrysler Files 'Angel' Trademark for Passenger Vehicles
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has filed an application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to trademark the term “Angel.” Submitted on July 17th, the name would be applicable to FCA-branded vehicles, specifically passenger automobiles, their structural parts, badges, and trim.
Is this to be a special edition Dodge SRT Demon emblazoned with blinding white bodywork or a electric economy car named to poke fun at the beastly coupe? Either way, FCA could certainly use something angelic in its lineup, because the heavenly Pacifica can’t be left to do all the heavy lifting.
Spotted by Allpar, the trademark filing eludes specifically to a vehicle’s name. But, as it offers no additional details, FCA’s intent is left entirely to our imaginations. My best guess is it will find a home on a concept vehicle we’ll see once in public before FCA places it in storage, but I’m hoping I’m wrong on this one. With AMC long dead, Dodge may be the only brand left that could get away with naming a production vehicle “Angel.”
However, the name could just as easily be reserved for any of Fiat Chrysler’s other brands. It’s incredibly difficult to imagine what the Jeep Angel might look like. Perhaps it will be a high-strung hybrid — CEO Sergio Marchionne said the company will electrify roughly half of its fleet by 2022 and Dodge has to get around to EVs eventually.
There’s also a fair chance the trademark will never be used on anything. Automakers frequently scoop up names as a precautionary measure. Maybe someone at FCA went on a Friday bender, drunkenly suggested there should be a Dodge Angel, and an employee took them seriously enough to issue a filing.
Until the manufacturer lets something slip or the Patent and Trademark Office is forced to abandon the claim due to non-use, all we can do is speculate and make giant leaps based off what we know.
Successor to the Dodge Tomahawk? Plug-in Ram ProMaster with a built in cathedral? The possibilities are as endless as they are stupid. You tell us what you’d like to see.
[Image: FCA]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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"Spotted by Allpar, the trademark filing eludes specifically to a vehicle’s name." Will we ever know the vehicle's name or will it "elude" us all forever? Maybe they can "allude" to the name at a later point in time.
Challenger with a 2.0 liter turbocharged four cylinder.