Chevrolet stoked speculation about a new entry into its pickup family this week with the publication of a trademark application for the name “Cheyenne.”
The historic name dates back to 1971 when it became a trim level for Chevrolet’s second-generation C/K pickup truck, the predecessor to today’s Silverado. Fun fact, the name actually predates Silverado, which wasn’t introduced until 1975.
Chevy stopped using the name in America in 1998, but Cheyenne remains a trim line in Mexico. There, it’s the better-equipped version of the Silverado that’s focused more on daily driving than work.
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Before we get too excited about the trademark, Musclecarandtrucks points out that Chevrolet has pretty reliably been keeping its hands on this name. The company filed trademarks for “Cheyenne” in 2016, 2013, and 2009, which may take some of the wind out of the speculation sails.
There is, however, a new pickup market opening up that Chevrolet might not want to miss out on. With trucklings like the Hyundai Santa Cruz (go Banana Slugs!) and the upcoming Ford Maverick slotting in under compact pickups like the Ford Ranger and the Chevrolet Colorado, GM might want to take advantage of this new avenue for selling pickups.
Alternatively, Chevrolet also produced a Cheyenne concept in 2003. It featured a 6.0-liter V8, storage drawers, and side access doors to make accessing cargo easier. It also brought the name back in 2013 for a one-off performance showcase at SEMA.
With GM’s Mission Zero in full swing, though, and the company trying to go zero-emission by 2035, it could be that none of these gassy options is particularly attractive. There is an electric pickup on its way, though, so maybe the brand is keeping its naming options open for that, too.
