Ford Stormtrak trademark application may hint at Fusion replacement – Roadshow

Well, well, well — what do we have here? Ford has gone ahead and submitted a trademark application for a nameplate we’ve never seen before, which makes this all the more interesting.

AutoGuide first reported on Thursday that Ford has filed to trademark the “Stormtrak” name. That’s a name never seen before on a Ford vehicle, and it could be used on an upcoming wagon of sorts. Rumors have swirled that the Ford Fusion, the Blue Oval’s midsize sedan that was sent out to pasture, could receive a spiritual successor of sorts in a lifted wagon model.

Such a vehicle would still likely share a lot with the next-generation Fusion, called the Mondeo over in Europe. In fact, that’s where Ford filed the trademark application. The documents show Ford submitted the application in April 2019 before it was published on Dec. 23. Ford is now in the “opposition proceedings” period, which lets other companies object to the automaker using the name.

If Ford went ahead and brought a Stormtrak wagon to market, it really wouldn’t face much competition. Its closest competitor would be something like the Subaru Outback, if that’s the way Ford goes. The Buick Regal TourX, itself a lifted luxury wagon, would have been a direct rival, but it dies this year. Audi has gone ahead and brought back the A6 Allroad, though the Ford likely won’t rival the luxury and tech of the German wagon. Then again, it will surely be far less expensive.

That’s all we know about this mysterious filing so far. Ford told Roadshow it files trademarks “routinely to protect new (or existing) phrases, designs or symbols, but this does not indicate any new business or product plans.” We’ll keep an eye on this to see if Ford really does plan to produce a crossover-ish replacement for the Fusion.

Originally published Jan. 9.
Update, Jan. 10: Adds comment from Ford.