Buick Trademarks Electra. Volt Sibling Coming?

[JamesMcQuaid]

Interesting. Thanks for posting! Here is some additional:

Before it settled on "Volt," Chevy considered calling its plug-in hybrid several other names, including "Electra." Why? It still owned the rights from the Buick Electra sold for three decades. And like Carmen Electra, the Volt was filled with silicon.

http://jalopnik.com/5664109/the-chev...ed-the-electra

Rumor of a Buick version of the Chevy Volt has been floating out there for awhile

http://gas2.org/2012/06/15/buick-tra...lation-begins/

Back in 2008 GM was considering badging the Opel and Vauxhall version of the Volt as "Electra," but of course decided to go with Ampera instead. We'd be more likely to believe that this new trademark filing was prompted by similar motives than any return to form for a Buick Electra flagship.

http://green.autoblog.com/2012/06/15...emark-electra/

[supermachoman]

Toyota renewed their patent on the name "Supra" recently which caused a stir as well, because apparently they have to use the name in a production vehicle within 5 years. The same is probably true here.

[justindal]

http://jalopnik.com/5664109/the-chev...ed-the-electra


http://gas2.org/2012/06/15/buick-tra...lation-begins/


http://green.autoblog.com/2012/06/15...emark-electra/

Ugh. Never read the comments at Autoblog or Jalopnik if they post anything Volt-related. How can people so passionately hate a car they've never driven? It's depressing.

[maynard]

I suggested that Electra name for a Voltec Buick to Bob Lutz last summer at the 100th. Chevrolet celebration. He didn't like it. What ever happened to the rumor that BMW was going to purchase Voltec drive units for their 3 series cars???

[saghost]

I suggested that Electra name for a Voltec Buick to Bob Lutz last summer at the 100th. Chevrolet celebration. He didn't like it. What ever happened to the rumor that BMW was going to purchase Voltec drive units for their 3 series cars???

They purchased Frank Weber instead, and put him in charge of developing the i3 drive system (among other things, I believe.)

[Lee Willis]

I am surprised Buick had to trademark it - I would have thought they would have kept it all along. My dad had a 1970 Buick Electra. It was a name of the top or near top of the line Buick sedan. I think buick used it until 1990.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buick_Electra

I can understand Lutz not liking the name: it's too retro and identified with "old classic car."

[ShannonVolt]

I don't know, Buick and the Electra name just makes sense for me if they were to build a Voltec Buick. I really like it! My wife drives an '08 Buick Enclave and that thing has such personality and bold presence only Buick can make without all that bling bling, look at me vehicles you see sometimes.

[petefoss]

Trademarks have to be renewed every 10 years to keep the ownership.

[Lee Willis]

True, and it is standard practice at just about every company to renew all past product names perpectually. And aggressively. Coca Cola would not want to wake up one morning and discover that "The New Coke" now was the product of a Colombian cartel!

Even forgeting any new EV, I would expect that eventually Buick would bring out a new "Electra" because it of its historical attachment - that seems to be what companies do (Thunderbird, Chrysler 300). It would definately appeal to their target market (old f*rts like me who buy American when they can and fondly remember their Dad's cars).

It's an appealing name for an electric car, too, but maybe Buick should bring it out as a sporty, top-end gas guzzler in order to pay homage to the current Greek tragedy (Electra having been, after all, a character in a Greek tragedy) - it could be offered with a special financing package: ("Don't worry about the payments or how you can afford the gas, just sign on the dotted line and let the good times roll!) :-)

[Dan & Nan]

Since we're digging out crystal balls, I'm gonna go out on a limb with my speculation: The new Buick Electra will be the production version of the Volt MPV5 concept they showed in Asia - a Voltec driven CUV to compete with the C-Max Energi. GM has to know that the CUV is the next logical place to go, unless they leapfrog all the way to a minivan, and making it a Buick with some upscale features will soften the price shock. Buick has already had a few SUV/CUV cars, and it'd give all three of their brands one EREV to point to...

(Personally, I'd rather see an EREV convertible, but I think that'll have a lower priority unfortunately.)

I liked your prediction till you said it was going to China We want a EV SUV and briefly talked about going to California to get the RAV4 EV.

Personally, I don't like the name for an all-new technology, but I might adjust in a day or two. There's so many other electricity related names that would be fun and new.

Eh, whatever. Call it Knob and Tube Wiring - just get the EV SUV on the road