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Ford and Ferrari settle F150 naming dispute

Legal action avoided as car giants agree on name of Ferrari’s new Formula 1 car.

Ferrari 150th Italia

By Tom Phillips

07th March 2011

The Formula 1 season hasn’t yet begun, but Ferrari has already won its first battle, to use the name 150 on for its new F1 challenger.

When it was first launched, Ferrari announced the car’s name as F150, in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy. 

However, Ford took exception to this, and launched legal proceedings, claiming that the new F1 racer’s name could impact on the reputation of its F-150 pick-up truck in the US.

Ferrari then changed its car’s name to 150th Italia, and has now settled on Ferrari 150° Italia, where ° is the Italian symbol for ‘th’. In response, Ford has dropped its legal challenge.

In response to events, Ferrari released a damning press release about the matter, saying:

“It appears that this [the name F150] could have caused so much confusion in the minds of the consumer across the Pond that, at the same time as losing the F, the name will be completely Italianised, replacing the English “th” with the equivalent Italian symbol.

Therefore the name will now read as the Ferrari 150° Italia, which should make it clear even to the thickest of people that the name of the car is a tribute to the anniversary of the unification of our country.

Let’s hope the matter is now definitely closed and that we can concentrate on more serious matters, namely ensuring that our car that already seems to be pretty good out of the box, becomes a real winner.”

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6 Comments

Ford shoots itself in the foot

Personally, I'd rather be associated with a Ferrari F1 car than a dismal Ford pickup. I have driven an F-150 btw, it was less manoeuvrable than the Titanic although it did carry more cargo and certainly used more fuel.
But there's nothing to stop the rest of us calling the 150° the F150 if we don't have the requisite keyboard (Alt + 0176 will do it though).

By PedroConejo on 7 March, 2011, 2:12pm

Dave (IRL)

Well im not a ford fan for starters but I think Ferrari should have used the Patriotic Italian thing to really give Ford a real good kicking with the Italian public. They were being pure petty to begin with.... Might hav gotten more sales for Fiat Group if it had ended up more in the media.

By Dave_ie on 7 March, 2011, 8:20pm

Good on Ford to have stand its ground. If it was the next way around I am sure Ferrari would not want Ford to use a model name on one of its cars.
The F150 has been sold in other markets apart from the US.

By hotredman on 7 March, 2011, 9:51pm

You have got to laugh at the cheek

Ford trying it on Eh’ I don't think anyone will mistake the Ferrari for a ford, or a numb Ford truck for a Ferrari

By Bobbybev on 8 March, 2011, 11:24pm

Name Stealing cannot be upheld in Court

Ferrari should never have infringed on the F150 Brand in the first place, and they know it.

By Caribbean on 9 March, 2011, 9:51am

re: You have got to laugh at the cheek

Clearly you are not aware of Le Mans 1966, 1967 and 1968...

By dillinghamp on 10 March, 2011, 11:26am

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