AC Cars, which developed and manufactured the iconic AC Cobra Sportscar, has emerged victorious in a UK legal battle over the use of the Cobra name.
Clive Sutton Limited, a former AC Cars dealer, advertised imitation cars as 1965 Cobras. However, the cars were in fact recently manufactured in South Africa, with the bodies exported to the US, where the engines would be installed.
They’d then be registered in the US as kit cars, in the year of the car they represented. This is legal in the United States, but not in the UK.
UK regulations state all cars must be registered in the year they were manufactured. Different rules apply for the importation of historic vehicles.
While Clive Sutton Limited attempted to have the AC Cobra name removed from the trade marks register, this was rejected in the final ruling.
AC Cars was established in 1901 and made its first car in 1903, making it Britain’s oldest vehicle manufacturer. However, it is most remembered globally for manufacturing the AC Ace, beginning in 1953, which evolved into the AC Cobra when Carroll Shelby put a Ford V8 in an Ace.
Clive Sutton Limited was supported by Carroll Shelby Licensing, but the attempt to gain the use of the AC Cobra trademark was still rejected.
“We are delighted with the judgment, as it vindicates our desire and commitment to protecting our trade marks and intellectual property, and not to allow imitators of our products to benefit from our heritage,” said David Conza, AC Cars Chief Executive Officer.
“However, more importantly we are protecting our customers who own genuine AC Cobra cars,” he continued.
“We have invested heavily in the development of new products, including the recently announced AC Cobra GT Roadster, and there will be other models following this car.”
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