It is clear that in 2022, when the DR Ickx was launched, the car manufacturer could not imagine finding itself two years later losing a lawsuit for illegal use of the surname of one of the greatest drivers of all time: Jacky Ickx.
And instead this has happened over the last few months, with the former Ferrari driver filing a lawsuit against DR Automobiles in the summer of last year for the illicit use of his surname.
DR Automobiles srl launched a car called Ickx in 2022. The former Belgian driver filed a lawsuit and from September to October 2023 precautionary proceedings took place before a single judge of the Court of Turin. This issued a provisional measure in favor of Ickx, prohibiting the company from using his surname any longer, and also ordering the withdrawal of the cars from the market.
DR, despite having lodged a complaint, was confirmed by the panel made up of three judges. The car in question, the Ickx, is an off-road vehicle which has been described in this way by the company itself.
Sportequipe and ICKX, this is who the two new DR brands are aimed at
Photo by: Motor1
“The car's name is taken from Jacky Ickx, a Belgian racing driver who won several prestigious races… Ickx's incredible talent and dedication to his craft have made him a legend in the world of motor sports.”
This choice, however, would have been made without asking Ickx anything. The former driver only learned of the car's name a few months ago. At that point he decided to file a lawsuit by relying on a firm of lawyers. After 5 months and two degrees of precautionary proceedings, on January 19th the hearing was held for the final discussion against the complaint promoted and presented by DR.
According to the lawyers appointed by the company, the name of the car was coincidental. Precisely that would have been the cornerstone of the defense statement used to annull the provision. The judges, however, were not convinced by the evidence presented by the defense. Indeed, according to the Turin court there was nothing accidental in the choice of the name of the car in question.
At this point DR Automobiles was banned from using the Ickx name on its cars and also confirmed the temporary withdrawal of Ickx-named cars from the market. The House will be required to do so by March 23 this year.
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