Ferrari as a company acts like owning their car is a gift given to you by the Mafia. If the model is particularly rare (or is intended to be rare) you have to be invited personally by the company for the opportunity to shell out a metric ton of your money to own the vehicle. Even the more common Ferraris seem to always be under the radar of the familia in Maranello, who seem to do all they can to make sure their prize builds are in the right hands.
So, it shouldn’t come to a surprise to anyone who understands how Ferrari works that someone inside the offices in Italy were a little less-than-pleased when Joel Zimmerman, a/k/a Deadmau5, had his Ferrari 458 Italia wrapped in a NyanCat meme-inspired vinyl wrap. But when he also had badges made up for the car to replace the prancing horse badges with a leaping version of “Longcat” and had “Purrari” badges made, apparently he crossed an unspoken line. Ferrari North America sent Zimmerman a cease-and-desist letter to have the badges and customized NyanCat floor mats removed from the car. A little too late, however, as he had returned the car to normal in preparation for it’s imminent sale.
Think about that for a second. The guy bought the car. It’s not like it’s a loaner, he bought the damn thing. The wrap was out there, but hey, the hell with it, it’s his car and he’s having fun with it. Imagine if someone got a CND letter from GM because they had Super Sport stripes painted on a Camaro that wasn’t a Super Sport…it’s a lot like that. Even Deadmau5 thought the whole thing was ridiculous:
Source: Jalopnik
I guess the lemon buy back plan was a fail. Next time he won’t be such a pussy.
screw Ferrari. This is about as anti bangshift / hot rodding as it gets. Hell, imagine, like you say, if GM Ford or Chrysler tried this crap on. There’d be no hot rodding at all. And GS, I don’t care that you once dreamed that you owned a Ferrari, if you jump in to defend their actions then you’re showing your true colors. So don’t. Try and be a little mature and keep yer damn trap shut.
The “Ass end” of that Ferrari would be perfect for a “toothy” pumpkin smile. Even sharks won’t eat lawyers.
Hahaha, did they honestly think Deadmau5 would care?
Ferrari actions are only a couple of steps more ridiculous than Hot Rod’s proposed Drag Week rules change banning decals and lettering that they’re not getting paid for . . . . #StupidCorporateOverreach
If you had a hit of common sense you’d realize that the banning of Non Sponsor Advertising is the best thing that could happen for Drag Week starting in 2015.
If a company wants to sponsor Drag Week then they can sponsor the whole event.
If they want to sponsor a driver then they will have to accept that the driver’s cars won’t be their private billboards.
And the official wording on the rules hasn’t even come out yet.
Way to jump the gun because of some strawman argument you put together in your head.
OK BS Lawyers , what would my counter suit be?
I would also wounder where I stand if I re-wrap the car?
Having never owned a Ferrari do you have to sign a contract saying I will never personalize it, and if not is “pound sand” the correct reply when the sheriff serves my counter suit papers?
How much of Ferrari’s money am I about to recover?
Screw Ferrari ……
You guys haven’t heard of Volkswagen of America (VOA) chit they have/are pulling — — IF you have a business or anything with the word Volkswagen or VW in it, like Joe’s VW repair, they have sent the Lawyers out to either have name removed or the business closed — —
Ford has been doing that for years with the mustang trademark.
If I had more money than I knew what to do with and wanted to do some epic trolling, this makes me want to get some sort of uber-rare Ferrari and do some sort of truly blasphemous engine swap. I’m thinking it would hard to beat putting a 427 Side Oiler in there and some Ford blue ovals to remind Ferrari why the pulled out of LeMans.
Photoshop! Photoshop!
So a 250GTO with a 427 High Riser hanging out of the hood may ruffle a few feathers.
Just put a diesel engine in one, that should get their attention
Honestly, what could ferrari do? its his car, he owns it and can do whatever he want with it.
What a joke!
Well, it’s not something I would do. If a Ferrari ain’t red, I don’t like it, but, I gotta laugh about this one.
The guy is a maroon, but, it’s his car.
I think if I had that kind of money and got a letter like that I would be inclined to rewrap it. Maybe in something even more hidious. Although thats pretty bad as it is.
Ferrari was a little late to the party on this one. Deadmau ran the Gumball 3000 with the wrapped and appeared in numerous videos. He even had Tori Bellaci (Mythbusters) as his co driver. And that was months ago.
It’s called trademark infringement. Legally , You can’t replicate or imitate a company’s logo /name. If he made a total different logo I’m sure there wouldn’t have a been as much stink about it. But he didnt.
http://www.torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/deadmau5-purrari-2.jpg
If thats the case Jaguar should have served the papers , the jumping kitty looks more like the Jag Cat than the prancing pony.
Unless I’m mistaken, trademark infringement would only apply if he tried to sell it with the logos like that. Might be mistaken, but I think that’s how it works.
I don’t see how it’s worst than the arab sheiks having Ferraris streched into limos or made into doors or station wagons.
and yet they let Justin Beiber buy one….for shame ferrari
Will Buick be coming after me for this badge?
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=319860923457&set=a.319853403457.147372.539723457&type=3&theater
The worst part is: This guy’s shitty and vapid dubstep music made him enough money to purchase this.