| Author | Message | ||
| tommy jones (360mode)
New member Username: 360mode Post Number: 17 Registered: 9-2002 |
whatever, i'm selling my coupe - I can finally afford a spyder  | ||
| Ken Thomas (Future328driver)
Junior Member Username: Future328driver Post Number: 192 Registered: 12-2001 |
FYI...here are the design patent numbers for the cars that Ferrari has obtained bady design patents for: F40 D306,274 456 D356,982 F50 D358,569 550 D389,436 355 D406,548 360 D411,138 550B D458,872 These patents can be printed out fro the www.uspto.gov website. I am planning to make copies of the front pages and reduce them to a 3x5 size and make a framed collection of them to put in my office. Mercedes and Porsche also have design patents on some of there body designs. | ||
| Ken Thomas (Future328driver)
Junior Member Username: Future328driver Post Number: 190 Registered: 12-2001 |
Most definitely Ferrari can sue. They have a design patent on the shape of the Modena body (US Patent #D411,138). They also have design patents on the body design for the 355, 550 and 550 Barchetta. I would imagine that a design patent for the body design of the Enzo is in the process of being granted. Ferrari is most likely going to patent the body designs of all future models. Anyone that creates a reproduction of that body form is in violation of Ferrari's design patent rights. This includes not only kit car manufacturers, but also companies that are not specifically licensed to produce scale models of the cars. Also, if they put actual Ferrari badges on a reporduction of the Modena body, they will then be in violation of Ferrari's trademark rights. Ferrari is very aggressive when it comes to suing kit car makers who sell Ferrari-like body kits. I would imagine that Ferrari's legal strategy is only to get injunctions against the production and sale of reporduction kits, rather than recovery of damages since most of these kit cars companies are cash-poor shops and would cave under threat of a lawsuit. If anyone is interested in viewing the patents, go to www.uspto.gov and do a patent search for the Modena patent number. That patent will lead you to the other design patents that Ferrari has been granted. | ||
| Ernie Bonilla (Ernie)
Member Username: Ernie Post Number: 365 Registered: 11-2001 |
The only use I can see for taking molds of the real thing, is to use the parts on THE REAL THING! | ||
| Andrew Menasce (Amenasce)
Member Username: Amenasce Post Number: 263 Registered: 10-2001 |
they are just rebodying a MR2 and they arent selling it in mass quantity nor are they selling the body parts , so i dont see how Ferrari could sue them.. | ||
| James Angle (Jimangle)
New member Username: Jimangle Post Number: 6 Registered: 9-2002 |
I never did understand kit cars. They probably put about 6 months of work into the body work alone, and to me, it's still a toyota. In other words, a waste of time. | ||
| Martin (Miami348ts)
Advanced Member Username: Miami348ts Post Number: 2906 Registered: 5-2001 |
I would like to see this project when completed. I do not think it looks that bad yet, but you have to see it when complete to see how the proportions are. That is what kills most kits. as for Ferrari they will surely sue if they come and build this kit in quantity. | ||
| L.C.Plester (Lcplester)
Junior Member Username: Lcplester Post Number: 74 Registered: 2-2002 |
Ferrari should take them to court... Build from molds taken from real 360!  I wonder who gave the 360 for copies in the first place... http://www.kitcars.com/Classifieds/AdDetails.asp?classified_id=1094 |