Readers of a particular age will likely fondly recall the Plymouth Barracuda– a muscular two-door pony from Chrysler’s Plymouth brand that was developed from 1964 to 1974. Unknown to many, it was in fact the original pony car, predating the Ford Mustang by some weeks. It’s likewise a vehicle that still delights in a rather fanatical following from the American performance automobile faithful for its adherence to the age-old formula of connecting a big, effective motor to the rear wheels in a streamlined and elegant package.
Although the Plymouth marque was terminated well over a decade ago, reports are floating that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) could present a brand-new Barracuda, likely with a Dodge badge on the grille, restoring a nameplate not seen since the Nixon administration. These rumors were reignited these days when FCA submitted a new trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the common abbreviation of the name, “Cuda,” as per Fiat Chrysler Authority. FCA currently applied for the rights to the full “Barracuda” name back in 2015.
Exactly what would a present-day take on the timeless Plymouth Barracuda look like According to the reports, the “Barracuda” name might adorn a convertible version of the next-generation Dodge Challenger, which is due out 2020 and anticipated to ride on the exact same Giorgio platform that underpins the present Alfa Romeo Giulia. The present, fourth-generation Challenger is growing rather long in the tooth, having been presented for 2008 on Chrysler’s heavy LC platform.
A fresh new take on the beloved Plymouth Barracuda could find extensive approval in the United States market, particularly as those who would have been teenagers throughout the original car’s reign on the streets cross into retirement period.
But obviously, even if a automaker trademarks a name doesn’t always mean it has any strategies to use it. Let’s see what happens.
