Ford suing Ferrari over F150 name

[BelperJim]

American car maker Ford is suing Ferrari for a trademark infringement over the use of the F150 name for its latest Formula 1 car.

According to Ford, Ferrari has used the name "in order to capitalise on and profit from the substantial goodwill that Ford has developed in the F-150 trademark".

Ford's F-150 pick-up truck is a top-selling vehicle in the United States.

"Ferrari has misappropriated the F-150 trademark in naming its new racing vehicle the 'F150' in order to capitalise on and profit from the substantial goodwill that Ford has developed in the F-150 trademark," Reuters quoted Ford as saying in a complaint filed in a court in Detroit.

Ford said its pick-up's logo (pictured, below) bears striking resemblance to that of Ferrari's car (pictured, above).

The American car maker is seeking unspecified damages and wants Ferrari to be blocked from using the trademark in the US.

Ferrari said it chose the F150 name to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy.

Autosport Article - http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89369

[DrTre]

BelperJim said:

"Ferrari has misappropriated the F-150 trademark in naming its new racing vehicle the 'F150' in order to capitalise on and profit from the substantial goodwill that Ford has developed in the F-150 trademark," Reuters quoted Ford as saying in a complaint filed in a court in Detroit.

Oh dear Henry, oh dear.

[Gun]

You really couldn't make it up could you!

[williamp]

well, think about it:

one marque is almost 100 years old and has an almost continuous history of motorsport success accross every field: F1, sportscars (le mans, etc), NASCAR, aussie racing, rallying...

..The other is Ferrari.

Besides, Ford used the name first. Sounds fair to me

[DJC]

One is a pick up truck that is in regular series production.

One is an F1 racing car that will lsat for one season.


Somehow I think there is enough to differentiate there for a judge to throw it out of court.

[bishbash]

Sounds fair to me too, they have to protect their intellectual property, they can't allow this to set a precedent.

[E30M3SE]

I can see how 'some' may get easily confused.

[Streps]

It's supposed to be for the 150 years of Unification for Italy


made me laugh

[llewop]

Some of the phrasing of Ford's statement is rather melodramatic - as has been said - who's really going to confuse an American truck with an F1 car! But I guess you state your case in the strongest terms and then drop back from that if necessary.

Ferarri have only themselves to blame for not thinking it through (or assuming that there wouldn't be a problem from Ford) and because, of late, it seems their numbering of F1 cars is not far away from a random number generator!

2008 F2008
2009 F60
2010 F10
2011 F150

[DrTre]

bishbash said:

Sounds fair to me too, they have to protect their intellectual property, they can't allow this to set a precedent.

Protect it by all means, but I'd do it by saying "We are protecting our IP, there are reasonable grounds for confusion". To imply that Ferrari have deliberately tried to benefit from the success of the truck is utterly laughable.

[unseen]

Ford cannot still be annoyed that Enzo did not sell them Ferrari after all these years can they?

[Hugo a Gogo]

Ferrari should call it the P155 0FF

[E30M3SE]

llewop said:

.............it seems their numbering of F1 cars is not far away from a random number generator!

2008 F2008
2009 F60
2010 F10
2011 F150

Hardly random,

F2008 Car for 2008 season
F2009 60 years in F1
F10 Car for 2010 season
F150 150 years of a re-united Italy, being an Italian team based in Italy, and cashing in at the same time, on Frauds successes of course.

Edited by E30M3SE on Thursday 10th February 10:53

[IainT]

DJC said:

One is a pick up truck that is in regular series production.

That's a pretty damning critique of the latest Ferrari!

[llewop]

E30M3SE said:

llewop said:

.............it seems their numbering of F1 cars is not far away from a random number generator!

2008 F2008
2009 F60
2010 F10
2011 F150

Hardly random,

F2008 Car for 2008 season
F2009 60 years in F1
F10 Car for 2010 season
F150 150 years of a re-united Italy, being an Italian team based in Italy, and cashing in at the same time, on Frauds successes of course.

Edited by E30M3SE on Thursday 10th February 10:53

I didn't say it was random - but could be perceived as - I knew what they were for as I had had to check as there isn't a pattern! My point was that if last years car had been F149 and before that F148 etc then they could argue some logic. But: 150 years of re-united Italy!

[BigBen]

llewop said:

I didn't say it was random - but could be perceived as - I knew what they were for as I had had to check as there isn't a pattern! My point was that if last years car had been F149 and before that F148 etc then they could argue some logic. But: 150 years of re-united Italy!

I read somewhere that it was a subtle way of having a pop at Berlusconi whilst supporting Monte's political ambitions. Perhaps someone who follows Italian politics more closely than I can comment?

[E30M3SE]

llewop said:

I didn't say it was random - but could be perceived as - I knew what they were for as I had had to check as there isn't a pattern! My point was that if last years car had been F149 and before that F148 etc then they could argue some logic. But: 150 years of re-united Italy!

Like I said, Italian team, obviously it means alot to them just as other nations celebrating and having national holidays to mark their independence. Each to their own.

[LDN]

The logos are different but I can see why Ford deem them similar...

[Paul_M3]

Surely this is just a brillaint marketing move by Ford?

Use a couple of their lawyers to take this to court, and generate loads of news stories talking about the Ford F150....most of which will presumably have photos attached. (And possibly the price/performance specs for comparison with the F1 car)

Could be the equivelent of millions of dollars worth of free marketing.

[williamp]

I can imagine the advert now: The Ford F-150. Big enough to carry an F1 car in the flat bed!