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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The Ford Ranger Thunder was launched in Europe back in May 2020, limited to 4500 units

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.