GM Trademarks “Zora” Name Ahead of Mid-Engine ‘Vette Launch

General Motors Co. has trademarked the name “Zora” in the U.S. and half a dozen other countries as it prepares to launch the next-generation Chevrolet Corvette, which features a mid-engine layout championed by former Corvette chief engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov.

The carmaker applied for a U.S. trademark of the name in 2014, according to Mid-Engine Corvette Forum. The enthusiast website says GM has since done the same in Australia, China, the European Union, Japan, Korea and the U.K.

This has led to speculation that Chevy may use the Zora name on a high-end or special-edition variant of the all-new Corvette, which is due early next year. The international trademarks also suggests a more aggressive global marketing plan than Chevy has used in the past.

Often referred to as the “Father of the Corvette,” the Belgian-born Arkus-Duntov joined GM in 1953 after seeing a concept of the car at the Motorama show in New York City. He’s credited with transitioning the Corvette from a roadster into a sports car—with the help of GM’s small-block V-8—and long toyed with a mid-engine layout, which never came to fruition during his career.

Arkus-Duntov retired in 1975 but remained an outspoken advocate of the Corvette and motorsports until his death in 1996. His biography was published in 2002.