On Wednesday, we broke the news that General Motors has filed a trademark application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for something called “Sport Control AWD“, in relation to all-wheel-drive, electronic stability control, traction control, steering, suspension, and braking systems for vehicles. It doesn’t require the deductive prowess of Sherlock Holmes to stumble onto the conclusion that, more than likely, “Sport Control AWD” is a brand name for a new or old GM AWD system, which will apply to U.S. passenger vehicles possessing said system.
But what will that GM AWD system look like? There are more ways than one to skin a cat, and numerous different forms that a modern all-wheel-drive system can take. One tantalizing possibility is that “Sport Control AWD” could apply to the rumored AWD mid-engine Corvette hybrid, which some claim will have a twin-turbocharged, 800-horsepower DOHC V8 wedged behind the driver, and a 200-hp electric motor powering the front axle. This would be similar to how the Ohio-built Acura NSX sends torque through all four of its wheels, and such a nifty system needs a nifty trade name to match. In the NSX’s case, that trade name is “SH-AWD”, or “Super Handling All Wheel Drive”.
This seems like a real possibility given the connotations of GM’s trademarked name; if the moniker were intended for more of a mass-market GM AWD system, one would think, the automaker might not have bothered to put the word “Sport” in there as it implies, you know, sportiness. Going along with that thinking, “Sport Control AWD” could just as easily be the trade name for the all-wheel-drive system coming to the new Cadillac CT6-V. We don’t know precisely what that system will look like, but it’s worth noting that Cadillac has never made an AWD car with such sporting aspirations before; it would make sense if the marque wanted to slap some special badges on the boot lid to celebrate.
Of course, we could be off the mark, and GM’s new “Sport Control AWD” trademark might just be a broad, general-use brand that will be put on all – or nearly all – new AWD vehicles from GM after a certain date. The major German brands have all been proudly branding their respective AWD systems for years; Audi has its “quattro” brand, BMW has “xDrive”, and Mercedes-Benz has “4MATIC”. Look to Japan, and Acura has the aforementioned “SH-AWD”, while Mitsubishi has “All Wheel Control”. Even here in the U.S., Ford has its “Intelligent AWD” system, although you’ll never see a vehicle badge wearing those words. Perhaps the folks at General Motors feel it’s time that they, too, proudly slap a trade name on their passenger vehicle AWD systems.
With luck, we’ll find out soon, but in the meantime, stay tuned to GMAuthority.com for all the latest General Motors-related news, reviews, and rumors.
Comments
Hopefully torque vectoring and the ability to send 100% of the power to the rear wheels.
Hopefully to any corner as needed and the capability to overdrive the outside to help with turn in.
That was my thinking, integration of systems a tell.
If the C8 doesn’t get an high performance AWD version….