GMC Files Granite Trademark Again, Suggesting New Subcompact - Motor1.com

A production GMC Granite could happen in 2020.

Remember the GMC Granite concept? The cube-shaped subcompact crossover debuted at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show packing a turbocharged inline-four engine, good for 138 horsepower (103 kilowatts) and 148 pound-feet (201 Newton-meters) of torque, a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, and unique rear-hinged doors. Unfortunately, it never made its way to production.

But if a new trademark filing from GMC is any indication, the company plans to keep the nameplate alive, potentially for a future product. The site GM Authority uncovered GMC's fourth trademark filing for the name "Granite," again for use in "motor land vehicles, namely, on-road passenger automobiles."

GMC filed the first trademark for Granite on November 9, 2009, ahead of the concept's debut in Detroit the following January. The company filed for the trademark again on November 17, 2010, and once more five years later on May 26, 2015. The most recent filing, just over ten days ago, loosely implies that a production Granite could debut soon.

But what would the trademark be for?

The subcompact crossover spied last August could be the new Granite, assuming it keeps the same name. The boxy styling from the 2010 concept probably won't carry over, but it will use the same 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine, with Chevy Trax and Buick Encore underpinnings underneath. The Granite will be smaller than the compact Terrain.

The GMC Granite should arrive in 2020. If and when it goes on sale, the GMC Granite will compete with other subcompact crossovers like the Jeep Renegade, Ford EcoSport, and Mazda CX-3, among others.

Source: USPTO via GM Authority