Ford’s decision to get rid of its car lineup will put the spotlight on its crossover and SUV lineups. Fortunately, the Blue Oval is already working on different means to expand its crossover and SUV offerings, including adding a lineup of off-road SUVs that consumers can buy in the future. In line with this, the automaker has registered the names Maverick and Timberline with the United States Patent and Trademark Office with the intention of using them for future iterations of specific crossovers and SUVs.

It’s unclear how these names will be used moving forward, but Ford’s president of global markets, Jim Farley, told Car and Driver that the Maverick and Timberline names could be used to create off-road versions of some of Ford’s current line of crossovers and SUVs. It’s worth noting that the Bronco would serve as the go-to model for those looking for an off-road Ford SUV, so it’s possible that either of the two names could be used on a Bronco-inspired crossover or SUV.

If it ends up being the Maverick, it wouldn’t be Ford’s first dalliance with the name in its history. The automaker actually used the Maverick name quite a bit in the past, with the most recent example being a trim level of the first-generation Ford Escape back in the early 2000s. The name has also been used for a compact car back in the 1970s here in North America and rebadged versions of the Nissan Patrol and Nissan Terrano II for various markets. Ford’s decision to trademark the name again could point to the company using it on a more rugged version of the Bronco down the road.

The Timberline name is a little bit of a wild card considering that there’s no history of Ford ever using it in the past. That doesn’t mean that the Blue Oval has no plans for it because the vibe of the “Timberline” name does evoke elements of adventure and the outdoors. If Farley’s giving legitimate hints of the company’s plans to introduce more off-road SUVs, the Timberline name could be used as a trim option for some of its existing models. How does the Ford Explorer Timberline sound? Better yet, how would you like a Ranger Timberline?

All of the possibilities are on the table, so it’s hard to discount anything until we hear more concrete information from Ford. The trademark of these names does say one thing about Ford’s plans. It’s not wasting any time lamenting its decision to get rid of its car lineup in favor of pushing its crossovers and SUVs. If anything, it seems like it’s full steam ahead for the automaker.

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