General Motors has filed a trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to secure the ‘Zora’ nameplate.
Filed on December 12, 2018, and discovered by TheDrive, the application refers to “motor land vehicles, namely, automobiles”, and could be used on the upcoming Chevrolet Corvette.
The ‘Zora’ name is believed to be tied to Zora Arkus-Duntov, former chief engineer of the original Corvette. He was the man responsible for bringing the supercar to life, and an avid supporter of a mid-engine Corvette. Arkus-Duntov even created a mid-engine Corvette prototype in 1964, called the XP-819, but for whatever reasons, it wasn’t approved for production.
Also Read: 2020 Corvette C8: This Is What It’ll Look Like, And What Else To Expect
While it would make sense to name the new Corvette after the late chief engineer, it’s also possible that General Motors simply wants to make sure that nobody else tries to use it.
This isn’t the first time that GM has filed a trademark for the ‘Zora’ moniker, as they previously wanted to secure it in mid-2014. Back then, they issued claims with about two-dozen intellectual property offices, such as the European Union, United Kingdom, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and, of course, the USPTO.
In the meantime, Chevy is putting the final touches on the new Corvette. The car is expected to debut this summer at a standalone event, after its unveiling was reportedly delayed by some six months due to issues with the alleged 48V electrical system.
According to the latest reports, it appears that the upcoming Corvette C8 could start at around $70,000, while the higher-performance versions, which are thought to arrive in 2-3 years, will easily exceed the $100,000 mark.
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