Photo: Subaru
Why would you name your own SUV "Outsider" unless you consider it an underdog even before launching it? Subaru patented several designations with an off-road-ish tune and reportedly wants to use them for future SUV models.
They don't make them like they used to. And they don't name them like they used to. Subaru filed a patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for several names with designations that hint toward models or technologies designed for off-road experiences. But some are strange, to say the least.
In the patent application, Subaru explains that the names refer to "automobiles and structural parts and fittings therefor," and the list includes:
It is yet unsure if the carmaker is really planning to use them all or just secured the designation to protect them just in case. It is quite common for automakers to trademark designations that they don't have actual plans for.
Subaru has already trademarked "Wilderness," which turned out to be a nameplate hosting models specifically engineered for off-road exploration. Such models receive extra ground clearance but also upgrades to the powertrain, all-terrain capabilities, and rugged styling.
This time, Subaru might use the designations for models, trim levels, or packages that customers can choose. However, would anybody really go for an "Outsider?"
Meanwhile, Accomplice sounds like a Sherlock Holmes-kind of movie and we’re still trying to understand what Everguide and Trailhead would actually refer to. Trailseeker is, though, pretty clear.
For instance, Toyota's first EV is the bZ4x, where b and Z stand for "beyond zero," the 4 refers to the position in the lineup, and the x indicates that we're dealing with a crossover or an SUV.
And things are not half as bad as they were for the Daihatsu Naked, for instance. Nope, that was not a dress code for those on board, but a key car with crossover styling, a 658 cc engine, and, surprisingly, all-wheel drive.
Subaru had the BRAT in the late 1970s. It was a light-duty, four-wheel drive coupe utility vehicle, looking just as strange as its name. BRAT stands for Bi-drive Recreational All-Terrain Transportation.
We are still wondering what was in Mazda's executives' heads when they green-lighted the "Laputa" designation for the SUV-ish key car they rolled out in 1999. "La puta" is a Spanish term describing a lady of the night.
So when we think of all these, "Outsider" and all the other designations that Subaru patented with the USPTO do not seem that bad anymore.
In the patent application, Subaru explains that the names refer to "automobiles and structural parts and fittings therefor," and the list includes:
- Viewfinder
- Uncharted
- Trailseeker
- Trailhead
- Tailwind
- Outsider
- Hightail
- Highroad
- Getaway
- Everpass
- Everguide
- Accomplice
It is yet unsure if the carmaker is really planning to use them all or just secured the designation to protect them just in case. It is quite common for automakers to trademark designations that they don't have actual plans for.
Subaru has already trademarked "Wilderness," which turned out to be a nameplate hosting models specifically engineered for off-road exploration. Such models receive extra ground clearance but also upgrades to the powertrain, all-terrain capabilities, and rugged styling.
This time, Subaru might use the designations for models, trim levels, or packages that customers can choose. However, would anybody really go for an "Outsider?"
Meanwhile, Accomplice sounds like a Sherlock Holmes-kind of movie and we’re still trying to understand what Everguide and Trailhead would actually refer to. Trailseeker is, though, pretty clear.
There were worse car names over the years
Carmakers don't always get the best ideas when it comes to naming their models. Even groups of letters and numbers can turn out to be a total failure or very difficult to remember, canceling any chance of popularity for the respective vehicle.For instance, Toyota's first EV is the bZ4x, where b and Z stand for "beyond zero," the 4 refers to the position in the lineup, and the x indicates that we're dealing with a crossover or an SUV.
And things are not half as bad as they were for the Daihatsu Naked, for instance. Nope, that was not a dress code for those on board, but a key car with crossover styling, a 658 cc engine, and, surprisingly, all-wheel drive.
Subaru had the BRAT in the late 1970s. It was a light-duty, four-wheel drive coupe utility vehicle, looking just as strange as its name. BRAT stands for Bi-drive Recreational All-Terrain Transportation.
We are still wondering what was in Mazda's executives' heads when they green-lighted the "Laputa" designation for the SUV-ish key car they rolled out in 1999. "La puta" is a Spanish term describing a lady of the night.
So when we think of all these, "Outsider" and all the other designations that Subaru patented with the USPTO do not seem that bad anymore.
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