With Volkswagen abandoning its diesel strategy in the States, is it possible for the German colossus to fill that void with other offerings?

That is a question raised by the fact that Skoda has filed patents at the US Patent and Trademark Office for “Suberb”, “Octavia”, “Yeti”, and “H-Tec” names. Although the latter remains a mystery, it looks like that the Volkswagen-owned company is onto something as it has registered half of its line-up.

The news gets better, as The Truth About Cars reports Skoda also trademarked its high-performance vRS logo on July 14. Could this have any connection with the fact that the Czech automaker is considering vRS variants for some of its other models as well, or Skoda is just securing and preserving the names with no plan to use them?

While US-targeted Skodas seem like a long shot, they can’t be ruled out due to Volkswagen’s newfound flexibility in the wake of the “Dieselgate” scandal. And while the Wolfsburg-based company allots its resources on electric SUVs and crossovers, Skoda could make a lot of sense for someone looking for an entry-level family car or SUV.

The compact, four-cylinder convertible/coupe Skoda Felicia was the only model imported into the United States in 1959 as a 1960 model year. The car’s retail price was around $2,700, for which one could purchase a well-equipped American V8. As you’d imagine, the Felicia didn’t sell very well…

Skoda Octavia vRS pictured

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