Ford trademarks 'Thunder' name for Ranger, F-150 and Maverick

The home base of Ford’s global operations has reportedly trademarked the ‘Thunder’ name for its Ranger, F-150 and Maverick pick-ups, hinting at new variants for the trucks.

As reported by Motor Authority, submissions to the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) show three individual filings by the Dearborn-based manufacturer for the Thunder nameplate to be attached to the popular Ranger, F-150 and Maverick models – with all but the latter are on sale in Australia next year.

It’s not the first time Ford has used Thunder on the Ranger – a 2020 special edition model went on sale in Europe, blending elements of the Wildtrak variant with the Raptor’s diesel engine.

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Although Ford may not end up making use of Thunder just yet, it can at least keep the names in its pocket for a rainy day when it needs to expand the already sizeable line-ups of the Ranger and F-150.

For the Ranger, the latest-generation ute is about to launch in Australia, headlined by the flagship Raptor variant – which now boasts a 3.0-litre, twin-turbo V6 petrol engine.

While Ford Australia is also set to bring its F-150 Down Under next year, the all-electric F-150 Lightning has been making waves in its native US, with the bespoke EV pick-up in high demand as the first mass-produced model of its kind.

Sadly, local buyers might not get a taste of the Maverick, Ford’s smallest pick-up, which was revealed last year to slot under the Ranger in the North American market only.

It’s worth noting Mazda has recently used ‘Thunder’ on its off-road focused BT-50 dual-cab, meaning Ford would have to do some serious arm-twisting to use the name here.