Alfa Romeo Trademarks 'Kamal,' Likely for Compact Crossover
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has trademarked the name “Kamal,” a badge that will probably show up on a crossover from Alfa Romeo.
The patent filing is registered straight to FCA with Alfa Romeo being left out entirely. The link to Alfa comes from the Kamal concept (seen above), a compact crossover that Alfa Romeo rolled out back in 2003, suggesting that the name might be used on a new compact crossover from the brand.
SEE ALSO: Alfa Romeo Stelvio Crossover Spied Lurking Near the Nurburgring
Alfa is currently testing a small crossover, said to be called the Stelvio, that will compete with the BMW X3 and will arrive in 2017.
There is still some speculation about the Stelvio name though, because although CEO Sergio Marchionne did say that the Giulia-based crossover would be named the Stelvio, that name has yet to be registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office, leaving this crossover open to adopt the Kamal badge.
Eventually, Alfa Romeo wants to have a three crossover lineup to help to boost sales for the brand, a compact, small and midsize option. Product delays have plagued Alfa lately, with the Giulia sedan pushed back until midway through 2016.
[Source: Autoblog]
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Stephen covers all of the day-to-day events of the industry as the News Editor at AutoGuide, along with being the AG truck expert. His truck knowledge comes from working long days on the woodlot with pickups and driving straight trucks professionally. When not at his desk, Steve can be found playing his bass or riding his snowmobile or Sea-Doo. Find Stephen on <A title="@Selmer07 on Twitter" href="http://www.twitter.com/selmer07">Twitter</A> and <A title="Stephen on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/117833131531784822251?rel=author">Google+</A>
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Did FCA's focus groups casually conflate London, Toronto, Stockholm, and Paris with USA? Young urban buyers in USA are more closely associated with ethnic names like Camilo or Mikhail, Kedem, Kamraj, or Kshaun.