What is happening?
We guarantee that if you say the word Skyline, a Nissan luxury sedan will be the first thing that comes to your mind.
It seems that Ford wants to make you think of the Blue Oval when you hear Skyline. At least, this is what the latest trademark filing suggests. The Ford Authority has reported that Ford Motor Company submitted a trademark application to the US Patent and Trademark Office for the Skyline name. It was filed on July 12, 2021.
What’s the deal? We aren’t sure what the significance of the Skyline name for American automaker American Automaker is, just like you.
The trademark serial number 90823372 states that the name was filed under Goods and Services specifically for “Motor Land Vehicles”, namely SUVs, trucks, and automobiles. It is not clear if the name will be used in production cars. Your guess is as good as ours right now.
This confusion is further exacerbated by the fact Ford has never used Skyline’s nameplate before. However, it did use Skyliner several times in the 1950s, specifically for Fairlane Crown Victoria’s Crestline and Galaxie. Skyliner was last used in 2015 for a concept car based on the Ford Transit.
Skyline is a Japanese name for Nissan’s luxury compact sedan. It was first used in Japan by the Nissan GT-R. In the US, the model is known as the InfinitiQ50.
We’ll keep an eye out for any updates on Ford’s trademark filing. It is possible that the vehicle will not be produced, so don’t anticipate.