About 10 years ago, Buick->ke17 showcased the 2004 Velite concept at the 2004 New York Auto Show->ke226. It was a roadster study designed by Bertone that followed the Bengal, a much more impressive concept in terms of styling, but one that was never considered to be a viable production vehicle. The Velite was introduced as a more practical version of the Bengal, but it never became a production car. Now a decade later, GM->ke1024 has filed a trademark application with United States Patent & Trademark Office for the term "Velite."

The manufacturer filed the application on November 19th, 2014, under the "Goods and Services" category for "motor land vehicles, namely, automobiles, sport utility vehicles,->ke145 trucks,->ke242 vans,->ke1149 engines therefor and structural parts thereof." GM previously applied for the trademark back in 2011 and although it has not been granted, it has received a fifth extension to submit a Statement of Use document. The office allows applicants a total of six extensions to submit the Statement of Use, which means GM is about to use the trademark in real-world product.

So what are we looking at then? First and foremost, the nameplate will likely be used for a Buick vehicle. Then there's the Velite concept's roadster configuration, which suggests Buick might introduce a convertible. That being said, there's only one viable option at the moment, and that's the rebadged Opel Cascada, a vehicle rumored to cross the pond with a Buick badge since 2013.

Expected to arrive Stateside for the 2016 model year, the U.S.-spec Cascada, or the Buick Velite if we can already call it that, will look nearly identical to its European sibling and feature the company's trademark waterfall front grille.

Note: Opel Cascada pictured here.

Click past the jump to read more about GM's latest trademark.

Why it matters

Unless Buick is working on a brand-new vehicle of its own, this trademark filing pretty much confirms the Cascada is headed to U.S. dealerships with a Trishield badge. Of course, we wouldn't mind if Buick would unveil a convertible that's not based on the Cascada, but that's unlikely given GM's current strategy for the Buick brand. Either way, the prospect of a new production vehicle coming from Buick is good news.

2013 Opel Cascada

Launched in 2013, the Opel Cascada is a midsize convertible underpinned by GM’s Delta II platform. The European drop-top is available with a lineup of two gasoline engines and two diesels.

The gas range begins with a turbo 1.4-liter four-banger rated at 118 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. The second unit that runs on gasoline is a turbo 1.6-liter that comes in two guises. The less-powerful option churns 168 ponies and 192 pound-feet, while the range-topping choice kicks in at 197 horses and 207 pound-feet.

As far as oil burners go, Opel offers a turbo 2.0-liter with 163 horsepower and 258 pound-feet on tap. The 2.0-liter four-pot is also available with bi-turbo technology, which sends 192 ponies and 295 pound-feet of twist to the pavement.

The Opel Cascada is also sold with Vauxhall->ke92 and Holden->ke33 badges in the United Kingdom and Australia, respectively.