RE: Mercedes has Gullwing replica crushed

[gck303]

MSPV12 said:

ralphrj said:

Actually the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Fellbach buys, restores and sells original Gullwings (they will buy any Gullwing in any condition). Typically these sell for €200-300k.

If they allowed replica bodies or cars to be produced the value of original gullwings would fall leaving MB and other Gullwing owners out of pocket.

http://www.mercedes-benz-classic.com/content/class...

Rollocks! Anyone who ca afford a real one wouldn't buy a replica. Is the monalisa less valuable because someone painted a copy?

The Mona Lisa is out of copyright. The car is not, as it was produced comparatively recently.

Furthermore, authorised/official replica cars are sold by Gullwing GMBH. So, there is someone to file a complaint and stop the infringement via a civil (not criminal) action.

[ZesPak]

OllieC said:

how very German

Try making a Ferrari replica and travel to Italy, good luck with that.

Pistachio said:

I wish they would crush their current range of cars while they are at it…they are an infringement to my eyes….IMHO

Beauty must be in the eye of the beholder, if I see the C and E class coupés, I think they're amongst the best looking cars in their categories.

[monthefish]

So what is the tolerance for how close a panel can be to the orignal?

Or, if not judged using metrics, who arbitrates?

[DonkeyApple]

I hope they took a bit of time to work out how the mirrors and indicators worked on this replica before they crushed it as they clearly haven't been able to get them to work on their own models and need some help.

[Motorhead Nutter]

Streetrod said:

I am not liking this. Normally I am not a fan of replicas but as has been said this car is nearly 60 years old now. The Gullwing is one of my favourite cars ever but with prices currently going ballistic the chances of ever owning one are somewhat slim. As an example a steel bodied car recently sold in the States for about 1.2 million which was a record. As for the very few alloy bodied cars then you are looking for in excess of 2 million.

The thing is Mercedes still support the cars and a full parts back catalogue is still available at a price.

In my dreams I have wanted to buy an Ali Body from these guys http://www.gullwing-america.com/ and then have it fitted with a Zonda spec AMG V12, what a car that would be.

I wonder what Mercedes America will do to companies like Gullwing America as I presume the licence they have on the car is worldwide???

Echo your sentiments, and your dream Gullwing sounds amazing, got me day-dreaming now!

[radlet6]

Just one small but very significant legal point. We are not talking about breach of copyright here. If we were then there would be no probs as the sl 300 Merc is over 50 years old and out of copyright. Plus the fact you would only have to make some very minor changes to overcome the copyright in any case (e.g. doors 10mm smaller, length of the car 20mm longer etc.. No the clever people at Mercedes trademarked the shape, and trademarks live adinfinitum.

I am not sure whether you are able to trademark the shape of a car now for the reason that it is too restrictive.

Edited by radlet6 on Monday 26th March 13:17

Edited by radlet6 on Monday 26th March 13:18

[130R]

Vor you mine replica friend ze party is over

[radlet6]

Streetrod said:

I am not liking this. Normally I am not a fan of replicas but as has been said this car is nearly 60 years old now. The Gullwing is one of my favourite cars ever but with prices currently going ballistic the chances of ever owning one are somewhat slim. As an example a steel bodied car recently sold in the States for about 1.2 million which was a record. As for the very few alloy bodied cars then you are looking for in excess of 2 million.

The thing is Mercedes still support the cars and a full parts back catalogue is still available at a price.

In my dreams I have wanted to buy an Ali Body from these guys http://www.gullwing-america.com/ and then have it fitted with a Zonda spec AMG V12, what a car that would be.

I wonder what Mercedes America will do to companies like Gullwing America as I presume the licence they have on the car is worldwide???

It is as the car is being sold in New Zealand and Australia. But is the car licensed? There is no mention on the website that this is the case. They are even blatantly putting merc badges on it and calling it a 300SL.

So why aren't they have their asses sued to kingdom come? Probably becauswe some bright spark has told them that it would be a hell of a lot more difficult and costly, plus it wouldn't be good PR for the brand in the US. It seems that Americans (quite rightly in my opinion) take exception to large non US companies throwing their weight around to quash american SME's (it's called free enterprise after all).

[rutthenut]

ZesPak said:

OllieC said:

how very German

Try making a Ferrari replica and travel to Italy, good luck with that.

Ferrari, guess not. Lancia though, not so bad.

I know a bunch of people who have taken their Stratos replicas to Italy, where they have been very well received. Not claiming the cars as originals, but with essentially the same dynamics as the original cars.

[PILCH 23]

Fascists

[radlet6]

PILCH 23 said:

Fascists

If you are going to hurl sterotypical abuse at other nations please get it right; National Socialists if you please.

[CampDavid]

Releasing a press release to tell the world how you've taken someone's hard work and effort and crushed it in a highly efficent way - probably not the best PR move in the world

[ZesPak]

CampDavid said:

Releasing a press release to tell the world how you've taken someone's hard work and effort and crushed it in a highly efficent way - probably not the best PR move in the world

Zwe do it zo our rezidentz can feel proud about being zgerman. It iz gut fur die Reich.

[BarnatosGhost]

CampDavid said:

Releasing a press release to tell the world how you've taken someone's hard work and effort and crushed it in a highly efficent way - probably not the best PR move in the world

It isn't a happy message in itself, but its a visible head on a stick to show anyone thinking about building a similar car what will likely happen to it.

If I had a real 300SL (yeah, right...) I would be quietly pleased that the manufacturer (long since paid for building my car) is going to the effort of protecting it.

[Mr2Mike]

BarnatosGhost said:

If you want to argue against the whole idea of trademarks, copyrights, and intellectual property, then that is your wont.

The existence of copies, counterfeits, evocations, tributes, reincarnations, fakes, call them what you will, undermines the originals, and the work of the people who created the originals, and the assets of the people who bought the originals,

The value of original versions of commonly "copied" cars does not support your assertion on the asset value, as I posted previously. In what way does it "undermine" the original cars and designers?

[iva cosworth]

Will Mercedes be crushing this "replica " too i wonder ?

[BarnatosGhost]

Mr2Mike said:

BarnatosGhost said:

If you want to argue against the whole idea of trademarks, copyrights, and intellectual property, then that is your wont.

The existence of copies, counterfeits, evocations, tributes, reincarnations, fakes, call them what you will, undermines the originals, and the work of the people who created the originals, and the assets of the people who bought the originals,

The value of original versions of commonly "copied" cars does not support your assertion on the asset value, as I posted previously. In what way does it "undermine" the original cars and designers?

You're getting it the wrong way round. They aren't valuable because they're often copied; they're often copied because they're valuable.

Part of the value of rare cars is in their rarity, and their perceived rarity. I would desire a real cobra more if i didn't see a replica every weekend from March to October

If potential owners of real cobras feel the same then that will artificially suppress their values. A real cobra would be worth more if it were not constantly mistaken by the general public for a replica. Mercedes naturally want to prevent that happening to the gullwing, owned as it is by some of Mercedes' very best customers.

Manufacturers owe nothing to people who want to look like an owner, but don't actually stump up the money. Manufacturers will look after owners. Quite rightly.

[radlet6]

BarnatosGhost said:

You're getting it the wrong way round. They aren't valuable because they're often copied; they're often copied because they're valuable.

Part of the value of rare cars is in their rarity, and their perceived rarity. I would desire a real cobra more if i didn't see a replica every weekend from March to October

If potential owners of real cobras feel the same then that will artificially suppress their values. A real cobra would be worth more if it were not constantly mistaken by the general public for a replica. Mercedes naturally want to prevent that happening to the gullwing, owned as it is by some of Mercedes' very best customers.

Manufacturers owe nothing to people who want to look like an owner, but don't actually stump up the money. Manufacturers will look after owners. Quite rightly.

So how do you explain this which is officially authorised by MB?

http://www.topmarquesmonaco.com/exhibitors/gullwin...

More pics here

http://www.themotorreport.com.au/30357/gullwing-gm...

I want one so badly. Wonder how much I can get for the wife and children?

Edited by radlet6 on Monday 26th March 18:41

[lowdrag]

Dear oh dear oh dear - some people just don't either get it or want to get it. If it is made or sanctioned to be made by Mercedes it is OK. If they don't sanction the build it isn't OK. As has been said numerous times above, it is down to intellectual property. Ford tried once to stop Cobra copies or replicas being made but it fizzled out. Jaguar have never complained, except that they have never let anyone near enough to XJ13 to build another, including people I know who during the 1970's wanted to build a short run and were refused the loan of the car and even someone today who is trying but I doubt will get it rivet perfect. Lotus sold the rights on to Caterham who then took Westfield to court and won. There must be others but off the top of my head I can't think of them, but will we just leave it and accept that Mercedes are guarding their intellectual property with a battery of lawyers, big money and real passion.

[MGJohn]

Damn und Blast !!!!

Just made one of these in my shed ... ...


..