I wonder if they will incorporate Futuramic Design.

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I purposely didn't read very far into it. Is this trick or treat day or something? What? What I miss?

I love those old GM clips. The first car shot with the "architects" was almost certainly in front of a Frank Lloyd Wright house. I wonder which one.

I love those old GM clips.

I have saved a bunch of them on my iPod. I especially enjoy Design For Dreaming done in 1956.

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back in the '62-'64 time frame, there was an experimental car, either Olds or Pontiac or Toronado, with a turbine engine. One of these was on the road for several months in the Inskip/Merchants Road area. Rumor had it that it would run on anything flammable. Gas, kerosene, alcohol,ect. Am I alone in my memories or does someone else share this arcane knowledge?

That must have been a Chrysler, which heavily developed them for many years during the '50s-'60s. I read a recent article in a car rag about them that included comments from driving an old prototype. IIRC, some of the problems they couldn't solve were weight, cost, and probably fuel mileage. In the drive, they said that it had an eerie disconnect feel like the wheels weren't propelling the car. But it worked. Like a big jet engine geared down to driving the wheels.

I remember a few TV ads for Chrysler back then when Bob Hope was showing off the turbine car. I think I read somewhere that they had a problem with the high temperature of their exhaust in the very early cars. It had a tendency to scorch the paint of vehicles that followed too closely.

Hmmmm, where can I buy one of those?

Here's a look see. Good Lord I just remembered those headlamp units that looked like huge dishpans.

I was surprised to see how many videos of the car are available by entering "Chrysler Turbine" into a You Tube search.

This one is downright disturbing

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Heh. Had me going there for a minute.

The first clue was talk about securing the name from the "Copyright Office." Names are trademarked, not copyrighted, and so they would have to register the name with the Patent and Trademark Office.

The second clue is that they paid $5000 to "re-file" the copyright. The fee for filing a copyright, which doesn't even apply, is $45, and renewal is $75.

The fee for filing a trademark is $375, and renewals are $400.

By the way, here's the current Oldsmobile trademark, registered to GM, first registered in Dec., 1902:

Word Mark OLDSMOBILE
Goods and Services IC 012. US 019. G & S: AUTOMOBILES. FIRST USE: 19001200. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19001200
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number 70039405
Filing Date November 6, 1902
Current Filing Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Registration Number 0039405
Registration Date December 2, 1902
Owner (REGISTRANT) OLDS MOTOR WORKS CORPORATION MICHIGAN DETROIT MICHIGAN
(LAST LISTED OWNER) GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION CORPORATION ASSIGNEE OF DELAWARE 3044 WEST GRAND BLVD. DETROIT MICHIGAN 48202

Attorney of Record CHARLES H. ELLERBROCK
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Affidavit Text SECT 12C. SECT 15. SECT 8 (6-YR). SECTION 8(10-YR) 20020509.
Renewal 5TH RENEWAL 20020509
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE

And for nostalgia's sake, here's the original Registration Certificate filed on Dec. 2, 1902, still on file with the PTO:

(link...)

The big clue for me was the fact that Toyota has spent so many years building up a reputation for high quality and reliability. Why would they want to name one of their vehicles for a GM car? Since the car was named for Ransom Olds, it would seem to be more likely that they would consider something such as the Morita or the Kiichiro.

Wait, a Kiichiromobile?

Maybe not.

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I thought the big "April Fools" at the end of the article was a pretty big clue.

But it was well done and somewhat in the realm of plausibility, and that is part of what makes a good ruse.

Oldsmobile was and is a great brand name, with a residual aura. The brand was done in by the crap cars that the moldy GM management labelled with a storied name.

How many great companies have been destroyed from within by short sighted managers that put effort into cutting costs instead of creating value in the product?