Ford Motor Company has seen a fair bit of success in refurbishing or expanding historical nameplates into new products. Look at the resurrection of the Ford Bronco, for example. Or taking the Mustang name into electric SUV territory with the Mach-E. The buzz that Ford has observed from this strategy has only reinforced the naming of future products, according to the latest reports. To which point, Ford trademarked the Thunderbird and Skyline names for automobile use earlier this year. Will they be electric vehicles? Probably.
The original Ford Thunderbird. Image Via Ford.## “Opportunity With Nameplates”
In an interview with Britain’s Autocar, Ford European Chief Designer Murat Gueler says that there’s “opportunity with nameplates that you can really refresh and execute in the right way to distinguish yourself from others.” Indeed.
The Ford F-150 Lightning, once a burbling muscle truck, now reimagined as an electric variant of the F-Series family. The Ford Maverick, once an entry level muscle car, now a small truck. Both of them are seeing impressive reservations and sold orders.
Why would Ford do this? Because it gets people talking. Would there be as much buzz around the Mustang Mach-E if Ford didn’t include Mustang design language in its styling, let alone the “Mustang” name? Not likely so. Plus, with the Mach-E displaying that legendary pony badge fore and aft, product developers were able to hone in the performance ethos that the Mustang lineage is known for. And with the 638 lb-ft Mach-E GT Performance Edition, we like to think it does.
Ford Thunderbird And Ford Skyline Next?
What other historic Ford vehicle names could be next in this postmodernist trend? As mentioned before, the Ford Thunderbird and Ford Skyline (playing off the late Skyliner name) are probably next. At least on this side of the pond, anyway. We wouldn’t be surprised if Ford was crazy enough to sell a new Cortina over in England as an electric delivery van.
The original Ford Maverick.
