Get your speculation glasses ready, it’s time for another trademark application! Ford has filed a new trademark for the Thunderbird name in the United States Patent and Trademark Office. But does that actually mean anything?

The filing was first discovered by Muscle Cars & Trucks. Found relatively quickly, the application was filed on January 13. It specifically refers to Thunderbird in regard to “motor vehicles, namely concept motor vehicles; four-wheeled motor vehicles.”

The exciting speculation is that Ford might be reviving the Thunderbird name. But the more realistic possibility is that the brand is simply holding on to the name for preservation. They likely want to make sure other automakers can’t snag the title from them.

Now to be more hopeful.

The Thunderbird model has seen a fair number of reinventions during its life. While it began in 1955 as a two-seater sports car. It later grew into a more luxury vehicle, and then into a more racing, aerodynamic model. It disappeared for a while, reviving in 2002 as a more retro cruiser, before being retired three years later.

I mention all of this because we’re in a phase in automotive history where a big dynamic shift is occurring: electrification. More and more cars are becoming full electrics, implementing various degrees of advanced technology and automation. This would be a great time to revive the Thunderbird as a performance electric vehicle. They’re doing with the Mustang, why not this?

In truth, there’s no knowing for sure what they plan on doing. Only time will tell.