General Motors is once again actively pursuing the trademark for “El Camino”, GM Authority has learned.
On April 11, 2013, the automaker sent correspondence to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for the application carrying serial number 85699199 that was originally filed on August 9, 2012 for goods and services such as “upholstery for motor land vehicles” and “exterior and interior badges for motor land vehicles”.
GM’s new correspondence to the USPTO follows communication by the office (known as non-final action) to The General on October 15, 2012 that had some believing that the automaker will no longer pursue the trademark.
In trademark parlance, a non-final office action is a request asked of the patent applicant by a USPTO examiner. Upon providing its reply, the applicant can request reconsideration or further examination, with or without making an amendment to the original application.
In other words, the USPTO had a question about GM’s application in October of last year, and The General has provided an official reply to the Office in April. The next step usually involves the USPTO publishing the application for opposition, which allows any party who believes it may be damaged by the registration of the mark thirty days (from the publication date) to file either an opposition to registration or a request to extend the time to oppose. Following the thirty-day opposition period, the application becomes closer to being approved and its ownership granted to the applicant.
The GM Authority Take
As we have already mentioned in our past coverage of GM’s trademark activity, organizations no longer seek to secure trademarks just for the sake of doing so. This is largely due to the USPTO requiring a legal document from the applicant called a Statement of Use (SOU), wherein the applicant must explain its plans to use the trademark in a real-world product or service (read: not vaporware).
As such, there is a very good likelihood that — given the successful registration of the “El Camino” trademark — General Motors will introduce a vehicle by the same name. The El Camino name will be right on a Chevy-badged Holden (Commodore) Ute, in our opinion. The updated Holden VF Commodore sedan will be available in the United States as the Chevrolet SS performance sedan, but no plans have been announced to import the Ute variant.
The news comes on the heels of an exclusive GM Authority report bringing to light the fact that General Motors is seeking to secure trademarks for the terms LT5 and LTX in the category of automotive engines.
Comments
Hum………….if you wish for something long enough it could come true….
Odds now are on the Alpha replacement of the present Ute. If they build it here we should see it.
The exchange rate and price they would have to charge has always killed it.
Would be the first GM vehicle in a long time that I would say, “I want one”!
Hope it’s not the name for Colorado replacement.
I think, unfortunately, you hit the nail on the head.
I would love to see the return of the El Camino, based on new Ute architecture.
How about the “Athletic” Colorado Replacement…
el camino, lts, lt5, ltx, chevelle, 8 speed…all of these images start to form in my mind..do it gm!!
Been down this road before (excuse the pun!) The Ute is on, it’s off, maybe or could be! To much to handle, I’ll believe it when Mark Ruess says yes for sure. There’s a guy here in California making “Frankinutes” he buys wrecked VE utes (frontal damage) from Aussie & mates them wrecked G8’s (rear damage) have seen a couple & they look pretty good, that’s if you don’t mind paying $65K
So here is the thing with the ute: My guess is when it gets in front of consumer groups here in the US people really dont know what to think of it… It has non of the styling ques from past el caminos… plus for the last 28 years there has been no presidence for this type of product. personally I like aspects but at same time feel the design language has been uinderstated, dated and lack legitimacy in the US market… However if they were to do what they did with the Camaro and truely develop a modern design language specific to our market with unique functionality built into the bed on the Ute architecture then by all means this would be truely exciting…
As much as I would like to see a form of the Brazil Chevy Montana here, I would not want it to be called the El Camino… The El Camino should be rear drive…
Get the feeling it will look nothing like the Ute. It will be much more ballsy!!!! In the NEW Chevrolet design tradition. YEA!!!
The next generation of the Chevy SS, on the ALPHA plat’form, will be the new Chevelle SS and Chevelle EL Camino. That is my prediction!
I want one NOW
I think Chevyownerallways may be right, what’s another 3 year wait!! I can use my social security check to pay for it!!
Hope we’re not getting rev’d up for this and then it’s a 2016 and then it’s cancelled.
I would love to see a modern El camino SS with a corvette engine and rear wheel drive in it. I have a 1971 true 454 SS El camino now and love it! Bring it on!!!