NEW YORK: Aston Martin filed a complaint with the Los Angeles federal court when Henrik Fisker’s introduced Thunderbolt prototype at the Concours d’Elegance in Florida.
Thunderbolt, the prototype is unashamedly based on the Aston Martin Vanquish and maintains much of Aston’s styling language combined with Fisker’s idea of an alternative look.
Despite the changes or perhaps because of them – Aston Martin has declared the Thunderbolt to be an unauthorised copy, and has reportedly called in the lawyers.
Aston says the Thunderbolt is actually a DB9 or DBS underneath, and that Fisker claimed it was a restyled Vanquish to raise the prototype’s profile to that of the more upmarket Aston model.
The British carmaker may have been willing to let the prototype slide, but the Thunderbolt is now available for purchase as a package from a Los Angeles-based Aston Martin dealer.
Aston is also believed to be upset by Fisker’s use of its trademark ‘wings’ badge, although the ‘production’ version was scheduled to do away with the logo.
“Fisker’s bad-faith intent to free-ride off the tremendous goodwill associated with the famous Aston Martin mark, wings logo, side vent mark, and Vanquish mark could not be more transparent,” Aston Martin said in a statement to Bloomberg.
Henrik Fisker is a former Aston styler himself, which is likely to have swayed him toward an Aston Martin model for his comeback following the collapse of the Fisker Company.
The electric vehicle company bearing his name has now been sold to China’s Wanxiang, who is reportedly changing the name from Fisker to Elux.
The LA dealer offering the Thunderbolt for sale, Galpin Aston Martin, and Fisker’s design office have yet to comment.
