Nearly two dozen Cadillac model names appeared in new trademark filings with the United States Patent and Trademark (USPTO) office, Cadillac Society has discovered.
Cadillac’s parent firm, General Motor Company, filed 19 trademark applications on August 8th, 2018, with the names spanning the majority of the potential future Cadillac product range. The filings contain CT# and XT# model names with the Cadillac name, as well as without.
Under Cadillac’s recently-established vehicle naming strategy, CT refers to passenger cars while XT refers to crossovers. A number after the T designates the position of the model in Cadillac’s product hierarchy.
All of the applications list the following Goods and Services category: “Motor land vehicles, namely, automobiles, sport utility vehicles, trucks, vans, engines therefor and structural parts thereof.”
Modern Cadillac Model Name Trademark Filings
| Word Mark | Filing Date | Serial Number | Registration Date | Registration Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XT2 | August 8, 2018 | 88069778 | Not registered | |
| XT3 | August 8, 2018 | 88069794 | Not registered | |
| XT4 | August 8, 2018 | 88069820 | Not registered | |
| XT5 | June 30, 2015 | 86447732 | August 9, 2016 | 5018505 |
| XT6 | August 8, 2018 | 88070077 | Not registered | |
| XT7 | August 8, 2018 | 88070096 | Not registered | |
| XT8 | August 8, 2018 | 88069570 | Not registered | |
| Cadillac XT2 | August 8, 2018 | 88069578 | Not registered | |
| Cadillac XT3 | August 8, 2018 | 88069594 | Not registered | |
| Cadillac XT4 | August 8, 2018 | 88069604 | Not registered | |
| Cadillac XT5 | November 7, 2014 | 86448032 | Not registered | |
| Cadillac XT6 | August 8, 2018 | 88069616 | Not registered | |
| Cadillac XT7 | August 8, 2018 | 88069633 | Not registered | |
| Cadillac XT8 | August 8, 2018 | 88069767 | Not registered | |
| CT2 | November 7, 2014 | 86447631 | Not registered | |
| CT3 | November 7, 2014 | 86447637 | Not registered | |
| CT4 | November 7, 2014 | 86447637 | Not registered | |
| CT5 | January 17, 2018 | 87758475 | Not registered | |
| CT6 | July 21, 2014 | 86343098 | August 2, 2016 | 5013439 |
| CT7 | August 8, 2018 | 88069656 | Not registered | |
| CT8 | August 8, 2018 | 88069693 | Not registered | |
| Cadillac CT2 | August 8, 2018 | 88069705 | Not registered | |
| Cadillac CT3 | August 8, 2018 | 88069722 | Not registered | |
| Cadillac CT4 | August 8, 2018 | 88069738 | Not registered | |
| Cadillac CT5 | March 6, 2018 | 87821794 | Not registered | |
| Cadillac CT6 | July 21, 2014 | 86343083 | Abandoned | |
| Cadillac CT7 | August 8, 2018 | 88069744 | Not registered | |
| Cadillac CT8 | August 8, 2018 | 88069755 | Not registered | |
Absent Models
Models absent from these August filings include:
- CT6 and Cadillac CT6: the former was successfully registered on August 2, 2016, while the latter was abandoned due to the successful registration of the former. According to trademark lawyers, registering “Cadillac CT6” over “CT6” is not desirable, as it limits the scope in which the name can be used (only in conjunction with Cadillac, rather than without)
- XT5 and Cadillac XT5: the former was successfully registered on June 30, 2015, while the latter has been filed for in November 2014 but has not yet been registered and will likely be abandoned due to the reason explained above.
- CT2, CT3, CT4: filed for on November 7, 2014 and have yet to be successfully registered or refiled.
- CT5: filed for on January 17, 2018 and gave yet to be successfully registered.
- Cadillac CT5: filed for on March 6, 2018 and has yet to be successfully registered.
Explaining The Filings
As our lawyer friends have explained to us, these filings are all about the not-to-simple inner workings of the trademark registration process.
To wit, GM/Cadillac can’t be granted trademark rights without demonstrating to the USPTO that it has a real-world product or service by the name being applied for. This policy is meant to substantially decrease or otherwise eliminate trademark squatting. With the exception of the CT6 and XT5, the models in question have yet to be launched, therefore preventing the automaker from demonstrating to the trademark office that it has earnest plans to bring those models to market as real-world products. Notably, an applicant has three years to show this to the trademark office. Upon failing to do so, the trademark application lapses and is considered to be abandoned.
As such, the reason for these filings is ultimately rather simple: the time limit on the previous filings expired, prompting GM/Cadillac to file new applications, which give it another three years to demonstrate to the USPTO intent to bring real-world products to market by the names being applied for.
The Cadillac Society Take
Trademark filings by themselves do not confirm, validate or otherwise substantiate any future product plans, even those that are being applied for in the trademark process. They do, however, show a glimpse into Cadillac’s inner-workings, or more specifically – what the luxury automaker is considering in relation to its lineup.
In this case, Cadillac is considering an entire lineup of vehicles ranging from the CT2 and XT2 all the way up to CT8 and XT8. This, however, is nothing new – since the luxury division has already filed trademark application for these nameplates back in 2014. These initial applications have lapsed or are close to lapsing as a result of GM/Cadillac not being able to show the USPTO any real-world products by those names. Logically ,the XT5 and CT6 are exceptions.
As such, GM/Cadillac is re-filing applications for the nameplates it wasn’t able to register in order to have the option to trademark them completely once it has actual product to show to the trademark office. This process will likely continue well into the future until the names being applied for are fully launched. But by the time that happens, Cadillac will have already shown the vehicles in question, in much the same way it revealed the 2019 XT4, but has yet to be granted the trademark for the name, since the model has not yet gone on sale – something that is expected to take place this fall.
Ralph L
We should call them labels instead of names.
I guess a mere product announcement doesn’t cut it. It would be embarrassing to have the trim & publicity already made and then have to change it at the last minute. I suppose we would have heard if someone (in any industry) had screwed up that badly in the past.
Alex Luft
It’s all a “legal matter”, as they say.
At some point during the trademark process, the office pre-approves the application once it has passed the regular steps of being verified and contested by others. It’s at that point that the applicants can finalize naming, marketing and other operational matters.
However, the final approval of the application by the USPTO hinges on the applicant providing a Statement of Use – a binding and sworn legal document showing how the name will be used on a product already in production.
speedy
XT=crossover touring/ CT=Cadillac Touring, it’s not hard to understand.
Van Straker
These I suppose are the future…I still prefer REAL names… such a shame.
Alex Luft
Why is it a shame? I consider Cadillac’s new nomenclature a positive.
Meanwhile, “real names”…
1. Can have negative baggage
2. Are not international
3. Do not tell you where the vehicle fits within the lineup (important for luxury cars)
Ultimately, there is more to be risked and lost with “real names” than there is to be gained from using them.
Van Straker
We can agree to disagree but why for decades every mfr used names? Every other GM brand uses names, most other companies use names… Mercedes created their system because of their Germanic – Teutonic-ness and penchant for precision, BMW their system which actually meant something, then Audi theirs which is “line up” but again their own version. So, as they are the leaders, the followers are mimicking these “labels”. Why then is Lincoln going back to names as their system was just dumb and no one understood it, even though MK essentially stood for “Mark” from their heritage. Perhaps Lincoln is doing something different to represent American Luxury vs “me too”. Why bring back the Continental? Why does Cadillac not rename the Escalade the “XT-5000” if this system is “better”? Cadillac is simply copying this style and creating their own system. There is however, value in the name Escalade and it will always be the only vehicle outside of the alphanumeric scheme (which also is awkward) but there also is value in the names of the past. Dont use Cimarron, or Catera but after 3 generations of CTS, and most folks know what a CTS is, they’re dumping that name too. Fleetwood can mean something revolutionary in the 21st century. Seville represented an international size car and a style leader in the 80’s, Eldorado, Riviera, LeMans, Grand Prix, Greenbriar… all convey information. Elmiraj, Escala, Ciel are all show stopping concepts why bring them to production and use a zip code? I hear if they do the Escala they’ll use the name… what… why? Perhaps someone has done market research or conducted focus groups, but when someone says I have a Corvette it communicates something, I have a Brietling Navitimer, or a Mustang Bullitt… I have CT4… huh? Not international… why? China LOVES American heritage thus Buick of all brands is leader, so Cadillac Fleetwood wouldn’t be? Thats conjecture not fact. However we can agree to disagree, but marketing is designed so people “experience” something or it communicates something about them… I want my car to compliment me, to say something about me, not where it slots in the line-up. Such as a BMW 2 Series tells me the guy doesn’t have the coin for a 3 or a 5 Series… Audi A3 means they got the smallest, cheapest car in their line-up, but still got an Audi. Cadillac Seville communicates that IT is special, international, elegant, maybe mysterious OR whatever the owner feels is accurate but it communicates… vs CT2 what does that say other than the cheapest, smallest car in the line-up. For a luxury car I think it’s a missed opportunity.
John Engelman
This is all old news. The stockholders were briefed on this when deNysschen was President of Cadillac…..
Alex Luft
The majority of these filings were made on August 8… which doesn’t exactly constitute “old news”.
Raymond Ramirez
I bet that the Escalade will become the XT8. The name sound similar, too.
Alex Luft
The Escalade will remain Escalade.
The XT# designation is only for crossovers, not body on frame SUVs.