Chevy Updates FNR Trademark, Could Hint At A New Concept

General Motors used the Chevrolet FNR name on a pair of concepts that both premiered first in China. Now, GM filed the necessary paperwork with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to apply for a renewal for its use of the FNR moniker. The applications were first discovered by GM Authority.

GM filed to renew "FNR" and "Chevrolet FNR" on October 8. As of October 17, the USPTO lists the status of both applications as "New Application Processing." The company originally filed for the trademarks in April 2015 and received five extensions on them since then. According to the government paperwork, GM's hold on the names lapsed on Saturday, October 6, and the automaker applied for the trademarks again when the next week began.

The original FNR (standing for Find New Roads) concept (above) debuted at Auto Shanghai 2015. It was a futuristic coupe that imagined an autonomous, electric vehicle of the future. At Auto Shanghai 2017, Chevy followed up with the FNR-X (below). This vehicle was a more realistic looking crossover that showed off next-gen aerodynamic tech, including active front and rear spoilers, movable side skirts, and wheel blades that closed at highway speed to reduce drag.

Renewing the trademark again hints that GM might still see a use for the FNR moniker on future concepts. The idea of "Find New Roads" is vague enough to work on any type of vehicle, so the name might be handy to keep in the automaker's proverbial back pocket.

Technically, the USPTO hasn't yet granted the renewed FNR trademarks to GM yet. However, it's hard to imagine any other company disputing The General's use of the name after holding the rights since 2015.