Cuda is a fairly famous name in the United States. This was the name of a famous Chrysler car, the high-performance version of the Plymouth Barracuda. This car debuted in 1970 and was twinned with the Dodge Challenger. These cars, along with the Ford Mustang, Mercury Cougar, Chevrolet Camaro, Pontiac Firebird, and AMC Javelin, represented the best of the muscle cars of the 1970s, an era considered by many to be the golden moment of muscle cars in the United States. And, speaking of Cuda, Stellantis has decided to renew the patent for this name, and this could lead to several scenarios.
Stellantis renews the patent application for the Cuda name in the United States
The automotive group has filed a patent application for this name with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The application covers “motor vehicles, namely concept motor vehicles,” suggesting that even if the Cuda does not return as a production model, the name could be used for a new concept car.
The Plymouth brand was discontinued after the 2001 model year, but this should not prevent Stellantis from reusing the Cuda name in the future. For example, the American automaker has also revived the Voyager name, once used for a Plymouth minivan and for multiple versions of a Chrysler-branded minivan. So this could be another option.
However, it is also worth remembering that automakers sometimes re-propose trademark patents just to maintain control of historical names, without necessarily intending to use them for a production model or concept car. We will see in the coming months if Stellantis has something cooking or if it is simply the last option, that is, a simple renewal to maintain the rights to this historic name.