If you liked alphabet soup as a kid, make an appointment at your Cadillac dealer for three to five years from now. That's because GM has recently trademarked several new nameplates for Cadillac, and so far we're worried and a bit confused.

At present, these names are trademarked in Europe and Canada. However, companies often register their trademarks in foreign markets first, and later in the United States.

This potential new naming system is undoubtedly complicated, but we will try and lay it out in the simplest way possible. So far, GM has trademarked:

DT7
CT6
CT5
BT3
AT1
DTX
CTX
BTX

We suspect the numbers in each name signifies each vehicle's overall size.

The "DT7" might be the eventual DTS replacement, for example. This large, luxury sedan may end up riding on the Zeta chassis in a few years time.

The CT6 and CT5 would be some kind of variants of the car we currently know as the CTS. One possibility is the numbers indicate two possible wheelbase lengths. On the other hand, we can't rule out the "5" and "6" being the current CTS sedan and forthcoming CTS coupe.

The BT3 could represent the next-generation BLS. This vehicle would probably be on the Epsilon II chassis, however, with GM's plans on the new Alpha chassis being unclear, there is always a possibility BT3 could be an Alpha car.

The AT1 is still a bit of a mystery. That said, it's a safe bet that this would be a small car that is definitely based on the Alpha chassis GM is currently developing. Could it be a competitor to the BMW 1-Series?

The "X" cars will more than likely denote crossover or wagon vehicles. However we'd also leave open the option that the "X" indicates all-wheel-drive models.

If the crossover assumption is true, the DTX is probably the vehicle currently known as the BRX. The CTX could be the forthcoming CTS wagon, and the BTX remains a mystery.

Of course, the all-wheel-drive option is also a strong possibility. The CTX could be an AWD CT6 or CT5, while the DTX would be an AWD DT7, and so on.

Obviously there is one glaring part of Cadillac's lineup not mentioned here — the Escalades. Some might suggest that the "X" vehicles we just talked about are in fact the trucks. However, given what our sources say, we don't think that's the case.

That leaves a few options. One being that GM just hasn't gotten around to coming up with new names. Another being that the true Cadillac trucks will not be part of this new scheme and continue on with regular names. With the marketing power the Escalade name carries, we think the latter is more likely.

A 1918 Cadillac Type 57 that earned its place in history during World War I received an honor of its own today. It is the fourth vehicle added to the Historic Vehicle Association’s new National Historic Vehicle Register and U.S. Department of the Interior Historic American Engineering Record.

The HVA and Cadillac announced the listing – which will be archived in the Library of Congress – today.

The car’s story was almost forgotten. But the efforts of the current owner and the HVA ensure future generations can learn about it – and about Cadillac’s 100-year history of mass-producing V-8 engines.

The Cadillac touring car was used to support French and American troops near the front during the Second Battle of the Marne and later was used by Eleanor Butler Roosevelt, wife of Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., during her two-month mission to find and create locations for soldiers to enjoy time off. Roosevelt, the son of President Theodore Roosevelt, served in both world wars. He earned a Medal of Honor for his heroics at Utah Beach on D-Day.

“The Cadillac Type 57 – U.S. 1257X is a great example of a rare survivor – a vehicle that saw extraordinary use during its active life yet has survived to the present day,” said Richard O’Connor, chief of Heritage Documentation Programs with the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. “Recognizing the Cadillac military vehicle at the 100th anniversary of WWI commemorates America’s participation in the Great War and illustrates one of the many contributions the automobile has made to U.S. history.”

Said Marc Lassen, the vehicle’s current owner: “Having the Cadillac Type 57 – 1257X included in the permanent archives of the Library of Congress is more than I could have ever imagined. When I first came across a used car ad describing the vehicle, I thought it might be special, but its history had been lost to time. Researching and reuniting U.S. 1257X with its Great War provenance has been an experience of a lifetime, and an honor.”

The Story of Cadillac Type 57 – U.S. 1257X

The Cadillac Type 57 – U.S. 1257X was purchased by the Rev. Dr. John H. Denison from Inglis M. Uppercu, the Cadillac distributor in New York City. Denison then entered the service with the Y.M.C.A. in August 1917 and turned the car over to that organization, along with his services as a driver, to support America’s war effort.

The Type 57 seven-passenger touring car arrived in Europe before the American Expeditionary Force under the leadership of Gen. John J. Pershing. It was used to transport soldiers and officers around the area, then was used by Roosevelt, who mentioned the vehicle in her 1959 autobiography.

At the end of the war, the AEF sold its motor pool equipment to France and other buyers in Europe. However, the Cadillac was returned to the U.S. HVA researchers are still investigating how the car was returned and more about its history in the U.S.

The HVA’s Historic Vehicle Register initiative was launched in January 2014 to document America’s historically significant vehicles and highlight their stories.

Additionally, the documentation of the Cadillac Type 57 – U.S. 1257X is being included in the permanent archives of the Library of Congress based on its historic association with important events and persons, its construction and the design value of the V-8 engine, and informational value as the only car that retains most of its original materials, components and craftsmanship.

“U.S. 1257X may well be the only complete and largely unrestored example of a WW1 military Cadillac known to exist,” said Mark Gessler, president of the Historic Vehicle Association. “As we approach the 100th Anniversary of WWI, the historic significance of this particular Cadillac should be recognized and memorialized as a national treasure.”

During the coming year, the HVA will document additional vehicles and work with the U.S. Department of the Interior to refine guidelines and processes to eventually allow the public to document vehicles for consideration.

The documentation process requires a fully referenced narrative and description of the vehicle, technical drawings, historic records, a line drawing generated from a 3-D scan, detailed photographs and film negatives for archival in the Library of Congress.

In 1914, Cadillac became the first manufacturer to mass produce V-8-powered automobiles. The compact design of the Cadillac V-8 enabled the overall frame length to be shortened by 10 or more inches, making the car more sturdy and easier to handle. In 1917, Cadillac participated in a U.S. Army, 2,000-mile competitive endurance run in Marfa, Texas. From its performance, the V-8-powered Cadillac was selected as the “standard seven-passenger car of the U.S. Army.”

A century later, the 2015 Escalade SUV continues on the brand’s V-8 heritage, as the only Cadillac vehicle lineup with a standard V-8 engine. The 6.2L V-8 in the Escalade produces 420 horsepower and is technologically advanced with variable valve timing, Active Fuel Management and direct injection. A supercharged V-8 engine is also available in the Cadillac CTS-V performance vehicles.

The all-new V-8 in the Escalade is made at the Tonawanda Engine Plant, near Buffalo, N.Y. The facility, which opened in 1938, uses state-of-the-art manufacturing technology including coordinate measuring machines, a smart automated cylinder head assembly system and three synchronistic robots that performs inspections and checks simultaneously for any engine.

Cadillac's new boss has already fired back at critics of his decision to change the brand's name scheme and move its headquarters to New York City.

Responding to allegations that he would simply prefer to live in SoHo rather than Detroit, Johan de Nysschen -- drawing from his experience at Audi under Volkswagen ownership -- argues that the move is necessary to give Cadillac a true sense of independence as it attempts to transform itself into a true competitor in the luxury market.

"No distractions. No side shows. No cross-brand corporate considerations. No homogenized lowest common denominator approach," he wrote on his Facebook page, as quoted by Daily Kanban and spotted by Autoblog. "Just pure, unadulterated, CLASS."

The executive further argues that physical relocation forces the necessary "change to processes." General Motors is said to be "getting its act together like you won't believe," but he nonetheless believes Cadillac must move to truly establish its own culture and policies.

"So, Detroit fans, I love your city, the success of Cadillac will be your success, the majority of our jobs remain in Detroit, and as we grow, these will increase too," he adds. "But other than that - don't mess with me."

Regarding the choice to name Cadillac's new flagship the CT6, de Nysschen dismisses the "armchair marketing experts" that have sounded off with their own opinions.

"Fortunately, I do not determine strategy based on the unfiltered observations of people who do not have a 360 degree understanding of the problem," he quips.

Dismissing calls to lower prices that are currently on par with German rivals, the incoming brand chief recently cautioned that it could take 10 to 15 years before Cadillac can restore itself to one of the pre-eminent global premium brands -- targeting an entirely different type of customer than the current buyer profile.

That is one of the next issues Cadillac will address, Mr. de Nysschen said. The forthcoming XT4 S.U.V. will have some of the design elements Cadillacs are known for — the distinctive grille and the vertical lighting theme. But the wedge-shaped look of the current models is on the way out.

The new look will be more curvaceous and sculpted, he said. The beltline — the line where the doors meet the windows — will be lowered, and the wheels moved closer to the corners.

“They will be drivers’ cars,” Mr. de Nysschen said.