Ferrari and Italian charity in court over use of 'Purosangue' name
Autocar's prediction for the Ferrari Purosange
Firm's first SUV could be due a new moniker as anti-doping organisation fights for exclusivity
Ferrari has become embroiled in a legal dispute with a charity organisation over its plan to use the name ‘Purosangue’ for its first SUV.
The name, meaning ‘thoroughbred’ or ‘pure blood’, was confirmed for Maranello’s Porsche Cayenne rival in 2018, but has been used by an Italian anti-doping charity called The Purosangue Foundation since 2013.
According to a Financial Times report, the car maker claims that the charity has not made enough commercial use of its name to claim exclusivity, and has opened legal proceedings in Bologna to attempt to obtain the right to use the name.
The smaller brand registered Purosangue as a trademark in 2013, and later blocked Ferrari’s attempt to trademark the name itself when the first details of the SUV were made public.
An attorney for The Purosangue Foundation told the FT that the charity has a branding partnership in place with clothing brand Adidas, which constitutes ongoing use of the Purosangue brand.
Ferrari has turned to the law to protect its brand image on several occasions. In 2014, the company sent music producer Deadmau5 a cease and desist notice after he painted his 458 in a distinctive paint scheme inspired by a viral video.
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