When it came time to find a moniker for its new electric pickup truck, Ford revived a name from the 1990s: the F-150 Lightning. Sure, it sounded a tad corny at first, but in the last few weeks it’s already woven its way into the automotive lexicon…in large part because the truck looks really awesome. Now, it seems that, according to a trademark filing, Ford may resurrect another name from its past that is as 1990s as a thoroughly splattered “Double Dare” set.
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As spotted by CarBuzz, Ford is currently trying to trademark the name “Splash.” The company sold a Ford Ranger Splash that debuted in 1993. It was a short, sport truck with flared wheels and a sick Splash graphic along the side. It most prominently featured as one of the yellow lifeguard trucks used in the show Baywatch.
It’s not immediately clear how Ford would use Splash. One choice could be for an electric Ranger; the trademark filing notably included use for electric vehicles. And Ford did recently tease an electric platform with the silhouette of a smaller electric pickup (along with what looks like a Bronco EV). That said, Splash, unlike Lightning, does not lend itself to an EV pun. And Ford has not confirmed whether the new EV truck would be a Ranger or a Maverick.
The all-new Ranger is due to arrive very soon. Ford could use the name for a hybrid version. Ford could also stay truer to the original Ranger Splash with a stylish street-oriented appearance package for the new truck. The company did launch a limited-edition Ranger Splash in Asia recently…