Ford Motor Company wanted to sell the 1968 Ford MUSTANG in Germany but couldn't. Got threatened by some two bit company over there who had the Mustang name already sewed up....so,
they had to call it the "T-5" and get rid of the Mustang badge before they could sell them in Germany. So I hate them picking on Mustangs Plus, but I can see why they are doing it.
You want to see an even MORE closely guarded name, try "Harley Davidson" They have platoons of lawyers just WAITING to swoop down on anyone who DARES think about naming an independent parts or service shop with the name Harley Davidson in it. I challenge anyone here to find the name of any such shop.
I think they even tried to prevent competing companies from copying the distinctive Harley Davidson "sound" potato-potato-potato
(I have never seen a Suzuki or a Honda tatoo yet, either, but that is another story!!)
I agree with what everyone's said here, and I bet there would be trouble in River City if Nissan came out with a model called...the California Special
Jim B.