Long-term employees of the United States Patent Office must be having déjà vu. After filing a trademark for the Lightning nameplate, Ford moved to protect the Splash designation it used for several years during the 1990s.

Set your time machine back to the 1993 model year. Ford's entry-level Ranger received comprehensive updates that brought a more rounded exterior design and a more modern interior. It was largely aimed at young buyers, so the Blue Oval introduced an appearance package named Splash about halfway through the model year to drive the point home. The truck was initially offered with a short box, rear-wheel-drive, the so-called Sport interior, and in either Vibrant Red, Brilliant Blue Clearcoat Metallic, or Oxford White. Specific decals rounded out the changes.