The new Ford Bronco might be garnering all the attention right now, but FCA is working on something quietly in the backdrop. According to Muscle Cars and Trucks, FCA filed for a trademark for the ‘Carbide’ nameplate. The trademark was filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on July 1. FCA as a whole is coming with multiple products, but given the timing and the Bronco’s onslaught on Jeep Wrangler, it could probably be for the production version of the recently-announced Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Concept.

It Will Be One Tough Product

The ‘Carbide’ term is filed under “Land vehicles, namely, passenger automobiles”. Carbide is a tough material and is used extensively in commercial and industrial applications. It is prepared by fusing metal with carbon at temperatures exceeding 2732 Fahrenheit. Considering its toughness, FCA will be looking to use Carbide material in its off-roaders to make them more abuse-friendly.

For the uninitiated, Jeep teased a Wrangler with “392” written on its hood on July 11. A couple of days later, just a few hours before the Bronco was to be unveiled, the company showcased a V-8 engine for the first time ever under the hood of the Jeep Wrangler. It was a 6.4-liter, V-8 engine that produces 450 horses and 450 pound-feet of torque, and the Wrnalge itself had a whole lot of hardcore off-roading equipment. Power goes to all the wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. Jeep even claimed a 5.1-second sprint to 60 mph from a standstill for this model. Since this was just a concept, there is a possibility that it will be renamed, and what better than calling it a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Carbide?

How About a Ram Carbide Pickup truck?

The other product where we could see the Carbide name used is a Ram pickup truck. With the Ram Rebel TRX next in the pipeline, FCA could be looking at building another truck to solidify its market share, or perhaps use it to create an iteration of the Rebel TRX itself.} Ford went after the segment where Jeep dominates, so why can’t Jeep return the favor by going after the segment Ford dominates?

Conclusion

Motor1 delved into it and reported that the trademark is also filed in Canada and Mexico on June 25 and July 1, respectively. Given how long trademarks take to get approved, this Carbide vehicle could take some time to come. What do you think FCA will use it for? Let us know in the comments section below.