Ford applies for iLUV trademark without owning any related domain names

Ford Motor Company filled on March 21, 2013 for a trademark for the term ‘inflatable light urban vehicle’ (iLuv) with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The company has also filed another application for the acronym ‘iLuv’ on the same date. Both terms are intended to be used with cars. There are a couple more “iluv” trademark registrations with USPTO.

Ford doesn’t appear to care a lot about domain names or they are a bit slow in buying them. The domain inflatablelighturbanvehicle.com is available to register and all “iluv” top gTLDs are taken. “iLuv.com” was registered in 2002 while “iLuv.net” was registered in 1999. The domain iluv.com is being used by an NYC company called “Innovative Lifestyle Unquestionable Value” that sells mobile phone accessories.

Car manufacturers like Ford and researchers are exploring ways to bring in small folding cars that can fit into smaller bays in parking lots – the type usually used for scooters.

Ford could have trademarked the name to be used in conjunction with this type of model but the application does not have any bearing on when the new car will be released. Companies usually apply for trademarks much earlier than they launch any product and sometimes they simply take them out on prospective ideas that may or may not be developed.