Opinion: What old names would mean for new Ford models

Name badges making a reappearance is rapidly becoming a trend, and it's no different for the Blue Oval

You need only gaze at the rows upon rows of be-sheeted rallying legends, touring cars, blue-collar heroes and... race-engined Transit vans at Ford’s Dagenham Heritage Centre to understand how varied and colourful its product line has been historically – and just how important it remains to the brand today.

Perhaps more so than ever, actually, if you consider that two of its most pivotal models – the Mustang Mach-E and Puma – use nameplates that date back to the 1960s and 1990s respectively, and similar name revivals are being lined up.

Bestowing an historic nameplate upon a new model would be no mere attempt to tug on the heartstrings of a few sentimental customers but a resolute assertion from Ford that these new models deserve to be considered alongside – and sell in comparable numbers to – their forebears.

Just because the cars have changed shape, make less noise and consume less four-star doesn’t mean they have different aspirations or will appeal to different demographics, so why not make things easier for buyers to understand?

That said, enthusiasts tend not to take kindly to their best-loved monikers being deployed in segments so radically removed from their original positioning. The latest Puma is certainly not a sporty two-door coupé, for example, and the subtle alphabetical differences between Galaxie and Galaxy pale in comparison to the disparities between a hulking V8 cruiser and a workaday seven-seat MPV.

Shakespeare said "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet", and no doubt that the sales chart dominance of Ford's most recent offerings would hardly be diminished were they known by another name, but surely it can't hurt to have a bit of heritage thrown into the bargain.

"My grandad had one of those", you may be able to mutter to yourself as your neighbour arrives home in 2030 with their all-electric, seven-seat, level 3-autonomous Cortina - and there really is no harm in that.