Car buyers love off-road trims, even on already rugged vehicles like the Subaru Outback that don’t necessarily need one — and that trend shows no sign of changing anytime soon. The latest evidence: Ford just filed for a trademark that suggests another cool, capable vehicle (or version of a vehicle) could arrive soon.
As CarBuzz recently spotted, the Blue Oval wants to trademark the term ‘Rattler‘ for use in, as the filing puts it, “motor vehicles, namely automobiles, pick-up trucks, electric vehicles, sport utility vehicles, off-road vehicles and their structural parts.”
Read More
The natural question is what — if anything — Ford would use Rattler for. A trademark filing could mean very little, like when Ford re-upped the trademark on ‘Excursion.’ Or it could mean a lot, like when Ford trademarked Maverick, and it ended up being a whole new truck. (Ford did not clarify the matter when asked about it by Motor1.)
Ford does have a high-performance, desert-running Bronco on the way, and a vicious and versatile snake capable of traversing all manner of Southwestern terrains and traveling through water would be a fitting name. That said, recent speculation suggests Ford will be sticking with Bronco Raptor for that model. Rattler could also be a spectacular name for the Bronco pickup reportedly in the works.
Rattler could fit for the monstrous, V8-powered, 700-plus horsepower F-150 Raptor preparing to do battle with the Ram TRX next year. Though Ford is already referring to that truck as the Raptor R. Rattler could also be something smaller, like a badass new trim for the Maverick.
Whatever Ford ultimately opts to do with Rattler, we can say one thing with absolute certainty: it won’t have as cool a logo as the one put forward by Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Spencer Rattler, who is now free to profit from his likeness like every other college athlete.