Scout Motors went on a trademark utility spree on the USPTO this 12 months and doubtless is not completed. Among the many 41 petitions submitted, greater than two dozen are dedicated to potential names for the approaching lineup of battery-electric off-roaders. First, as anybody would count on, Scout coated bases by asking for the rights to historic names. These 17 names with some kind of classic connection are: Aristocrat, Rallye, Scout 80, Scout 800, Scout II, Sno-Star, Sportstar, SR-2, SSII, Spirit, Tremendous Scout, Terra, Terrastar, Trailstar, Travelstar, Travelstar XL and Traveltop. An important wordmarks begin with Scout 80, the primary mannequin Worldwide Harvester launched for the Scout lineup in 1960. Following that got here the Scout 800, hitting the market in 1966, adopted by evolutions often called 800A and 800B. Then got here the Scout II in 1971.
As a quick intro to what all this may imply for future Scouts, the Scout 800 launched a V8 engine to the vary. The Aristocrat package deal that may very well be had on the 800A got here with two-tone paint, a roof rack, and rally wheels. The Rallye Bundle provided on the Scout II and Traveler added fancy rally wheels plus stripes and “rallye” badging on the fenders. The 800B Sno-Star Version (pictured) got here with a snow plow from the manufacturing unit — one of many perks of being owned by a truck maker. An Indiana outfit referred to as Customized Autos Included (CVI) specialised in creating packages for Scouts; the Scout Sportstar and its lurid plaid inside was considered one of them. CVI additionally created the Terra, Trailstar and Travelstar. A limited-edition model of the SR-2 constructed on the 800A got here in both Flame Crimson or gold, recognized by the double hood stripes, double stripes just under the shoulder line, and “SR-2” in a stripe alongside the decrease bodysides. Worldwide Harvester launched a Spirit of ’76 particular version to have fun America’s bicentennial, which may very well be the connection to the Spirit trademark. The Tremendous Scout, also called the SSII, was a stripped-down model with cloth roof and doorways impressed by the off-road racing Scouts. The Traveltop was a short-wheelbase, hardtop model of the Scout Traveler, which was ironic contemplating the Traveler added 18 inches of wheelbase to the Scout to supply extra room and a extra luxurious expertise.
Then there are 12 extra potential names which are new and nearly all decidedly farm-like, doubtlessly ominous, considerably Transformer-y, and we expect significantly better matches for an F-150-sized pickup than an SUV: Baler, Carolina, Cultivator, Forma, Grade, Harrow, Hauler, Reaper, Scythe, Swather, Tellus and Thresher. Carolina is the odd one out, a candy and wistful identify for a rural rig. And if Scout applies the Reaper identify to something aside from a lowered, 900-hp road truck that solely is available in quintuple black, it’s going to be a disgrace.