1990 Toyota Camry Dlx Sedan 4-door 2.0l on 2040-cars

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What's in a trademark? Sometimes, the next iconic car name

The United States Patent and Trademark Office is a treasure trove for auto enthusiasts, especially those who double as conspiracy theorists.
Why has Toyota applied to trademark "Supra," the name of one of its legendary sports cars, even though it hasn't sold one in the United States in 16 years? Why would General Motors continue to register "Chevelle" long after one of the most famous American muscle cars hit the end of the road? And what could Chrysler possibly do with the rights to "313," the area code for Detroit?

Toyota Hilux successor spotted

The midsize truck segment is suddenly seemingly exploding with new vehicles worldwide, even here in North America. Not only will the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon be available very soon, Toyota is already testing a replacement for its aging Tacoma and Honda has promised a Ridgeline replacement within the next 18 months. Also, the recently shown Nissan Navara is said to portend the future of our Frontier. Here's some more fresh evidence from Europe of this pickup boom with the next generation of its venerable Hilux in testing.
Thanks to Top Gear and sometimes the evening news, the Hilux has built a reputation of being able to go just about anywhere. According to out spy shooter, this particular pickup was spotted during hot weather testing in southern Europe. Interestingly, a Volkswagen Amarok was along for the ride as a benchmark. Because the VW tends to offer a bit more comfort than the generally utilitarian Hilux, this could indicate Toyota is considering taking the new truck in a slightly comfier, more refined direction.
Compared to the current model, this camouflaged tester sports a narrower front grille and headlights. The hood scoop is also absent here. The lower air dam also receives a more horizontal look, but the more vertical fog light housings provide some contrast. The crazy camouflage pattern makes things hard to discern at the rear, but the taillights appear to be more slender than they on the current model. Unfortunately, mechanical details about the new truck remain a mystery at the moment, but enjoy these spy shots as a preview of one more upcoming pickup.

Spongebob Squarepants Toyota Highlander gets Tanked in Vegas

In 2006, I bought a Scion xB (the super upright, first-generation one), and I always had this wild dream of turning the xBox into an aquarium after it had run its course in my personal test fleet. Long story short, that never happened. But apparently the folks at Toyota got wind of my idea - only, well, this isn't exactly what I had in mind.
Let's just start at the beginning here. This is a 2014 Toyota Highlander - you know, the redesigned one that bowed in New York earlier this year. I haven't driven it yet, but I'm sure it's plenty nice and will appeal to all sorts of families. Families with kids. Kids who like cartoons. Cartoons like Spongebob Squarepants.
Which brings me to our next talking point: the collaboration between Toyota and Nickelodeon for the Spongebob-themed wrap that covers every inch of this Highlander. This isn't the first time we've seen the yellow cartoon sponge on a Highlander - Toyota unveiled a differently wrapped version earlier this year - but this one features more of an aquatic, under-the-sea sort of theme. Perfect, considering the main point of this crossover's reason for being at SEMA.