RE: Mercedes has Gullwing replica crushed

[Rumblestripe]

Seems very mean spirited. I suppose it gets the message out there.

[Terry Barr]

ralphrj said:

There are over 3,000 Gullwings compared to just over 100 GT40s so the scale of rarity is very different.

Also, did Ford trademark the shape of the GT40? It is common knowledge that they failed to protect the name.

If I remember correctly, Ford handed over the whole GT40 operation to John Wayer on the condition that he was never to build another new one. They were scared of the bad PR if someone had an accident in one. So it would appear that Ford sort of divorced themselves from the GT40.

[ralphrj]

AdamPT said:

real gullwings go for a lot more than 300k euros, more like 650k + these days

I couldn't remember how much they sold for when I was doing a feasibility study on a Classic Centre at Brooklands a few years ago. The ones MB are currently offering for sale are POA (unsurprisingly).

[LuS1fer]

Thank goodness Ferrari aren't so petty or there would be a world shortage of MR2s and Fieros.

How long does copyright last? I thought it was 50 years or is that royalties on songs, I forget.

[zebedee]

its a trademark apparently (presumably a registered design), not a copyright issue

[Amizade]

IP Lawyers rub hands with glee !!

[Carfolio]

Good. One less faker faking ;-)

[Frimley111R]

And, from China, a source close ot the domestic manufacturers said "We don't give a st."

[365daytonafan]

bobberz said:

B0llocks! The hundreds of thousands of Shelby Cobra replicas out there haven't hurt the value of the real ones, which still go for $500,000-$1,000,000+.

Do you really believe that someone who is in the position to buy a 300SL would mistake a fibreglass replica for a real aluminium one?

While it doesn't affect the value of the car there is nother worse than being asked is your car replica when it's original. Happened a few times with the Daytona, and it smarts everytime.

[Oddball RS]

Petty, very petty, and i bet they wouldn't do that if the Chinesse were involved seem to think the North Korean's copied the 190?

[zebedee]

365daytonafan said:

bobberz said:

B0llocks! The hundreds of thousands of Shelby Cobra replicas out there haven't hurt the value of the real ones, which still go for $500,000-$1,000,000+.

Do you really believe that someone who is in the position to buy a 300SL would mistake a fibreglass replica for a real aluminium one?

While it doesn't affect the value of the car there is nother worse than being asked is your car replica when it's original. Happened a few times with the Daytona, and it smarts everytime.

I'm not sure it would bother me at all. And there are a lot of things worse, amputation for one.

[williamp]

so, if I was having my car restored and Dave replicated the body in aluminium, does that men my car will be crushed too?? the chassis is original, but the bodywork wasnt made by M-B or authorised by them, so its a replica, right??

[ChrisDB7]

365daytonafan said:

While it doesn't affect the value of the car there is nother worse than being asked is your car replica when it's original. Happened a few times with the Daytona, and it smarts everytime.

Its a compliment in some ways. Its nice to have a car that someone bothered to make a replica of!

[SystemParanoia]

they didnt kill the whole car... just the body if im reading it right

[kurtiejjj]

A bit harsh perhaps but it might open up new opportunities. Why build a rip-off replica that will always look ridicuous next to the real thing when you can also design and build a new bodyshell which might be inspired (but not copied) by the SL? There are so many talented 3d car designers out there, only hoping some of their terrific designs make it into production, support them and have a car built according to a new design. Nowadays with 3d techniques and 3d printing it really is (almost) a doddle!

[Roop]

SystemParanoia said:

which company is that ?

None, that I know of, but the principle still stands even of there aren't any.

[johnpeat]

All st like this does is buy lawyers new yachts and wings for their mansions...

It's bullying bullst from a company which should know better. How little do I have to change a car to make it not the same 'design' - add 2" to the wheelbase? 3" to the width?? 1degree of angle to the front wing???

We need to stop feeding this nonsense and grow up - it's a car ffs, if someone wants a replica, let them get on with it...

Imagine if all this legal bluster and bullst had been invented before the wheel - MB would be royally fked

[V8 FOU]

The problem for "real" Cobra owners must be the number of people asking them which make of kit theirs is! So many replicas, that the cachet is devalued if not the price.
In this case, the builder was probably being a bit naieve if he didn't think that Daimler might be less than pleased.....

[johnpeat]

V8 FOU said:

The problem for "real" Cobra owners must be the number of people asking them which make of kit theirs is! So many replicas, that the cachet is devalued if not the price.
In this case, the builder was probably being a bit naieve if he didn't think that Daimler might be less than pleased.....

The owner knows they have a 'real' car or not - why would they care what other people think?

Did they buy it for what it is or what it makes them look like - because if the latter, that's their problem entirely.

I don't want litigation and legal seizure just to help the wealthy remain vain...

[ZesPak]

Hmm. I'd say if this was made for sale/to order in any way, I agree with the actions taken by Daimler. However, if it was built by a guy in his garage as a project for his own, it would be a very petty move of Daimler.

Double standards, I know. I really hope it wasn't some poor engineers garage project, which might have cost him all his savings and months/years of his free time.