We’ll admit it right off the bat; we want GM to bring back Buick performance cars like the Grand National. We know we’re not alone, and so far GM has replied with the turbocharged, 270 horsepower Buick Regal GS. It’s a good start, and by many measures the Regal GS is a superior car to the Grand National and even its ultimate model, the GNX.

But we still want the Grand National to make a comeback, and while we won’t hold our breath, we will hold out hope, especially after coming across this story from GM Authority. An eagle-eyed patent-watcher spotted noted that GM recently renewed its trademarks for the Grand National and GNX names. So does that mean the Grand National is coming back?

No, unfortunately, it does not. However, GM did trademark both the GNX and Grand National names, which means one of two things. Either GM is simply protecting its nameplates and ensuring no other automakers steal the name… or they are actually planning a comeback for Buick performance cars a la the Grand National/GNX.

While we normally wouldn’t get too excited about such a trademark filing, GM recently tipped its hat when it trademarked the “SS” moniker a few weeks ago. GM then came out and announced that yes, a new Chevy “SS” model was indeed planned to debut next year. So, at best, we’ve got a 50/50 shot of seeing a new Buick performance car under the Grand National/GNX brand.

We don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves, but we think the time is ripe to bring back a Buick sports car, and many enthusiasts still remember the Grand National fondly. So why wouldn’t GM want to bring the Grand National back?