As mentioned in our tribute to Enzo Ferrari, founder of one of the most iconic brands in the world first worked for Alfa Romeo. As history was in 1939, left the Milanese manufacturer, but part of the agreement was that he could not do all the vehicles under his name for four years - so he used Auto Avio Construzioni brand instead.
Years passed, and after the end of World War II, Enzo Ferrari eventually founded his own label, and produced his first car, the 125 The rest, as they say, is history - or so we thought Car Coop Lawrence Miller sent an e-mail describing its history that has to do with the name of Auto Avio Construzioni brand and its legal battle with Ferrari.
Muller's involvement began in 2004 when he bought the right to Construzioni Auto Avio brand with plans to construct a measure Ferrari F430 with a V12 engine instead of the usual V8 model.
In May 2008, Muller gave an interview to the French magazine Sport Auto to disclose any details of his company's project. Ferrari, however, immediately intervened and lodged a complaint against him, putting an end to all projects related to the models until the problem has been solved.
Carscoop Muller said he was trying to reach an agreement, but said that the Italian Ferrari 'will not even talk about "him, the automaker said they had exclusive Auto Avio Construction name, because it was owned by Enzo Ferrari .
In particular, it is the first time we hear from Ferrari's legal team fighting. In 2008, Ferrari made headlines when he threatened legal action against a British man who wanted to convert its 360 Modena in a limousine.
But back to Muller, after Ferrari blocked his plans, he decided to use the Auto Avio Construzioni brand to create a single Alfa Romeo 159, he bought the car market collapsed Greek.
Among other changes, updated 1.8-liter Auto Avio Construzioni Team Sport Sedan output turbocharged inline four 200hp boost to 240hp and 340 nm and 370 nm, while painting the body in a two-tone finish.
From Laurent Muller:
Since 2004 I am the owner of the trademark "Auto Avio Costruzioni". This was the name Enzo Ferrari choose for his company when he left Alfa Romeo in 1939. The agreement with Alfa said that he couldn't use his name to build a car during 4 years as he left Alfa Romeo ( Scuderia Ferrari was in fact a great name for Alfa racing).
With the money Enzo founded his company. (with no possibility to build cars...) But in the end of 1939, he receive an order to build 2 cars for the Mille Miglia of 1940. At the start of the race 2 "Auto Avio Costruzioni 815" were there.
So this was the only 2 cars built, and after the war in 1947, the next Ferrari car was the 125, the first real Ferrari. But you already know the story...
So in 2004, I have the idea of buying the trademark and with some friends we wanted to build a special car based on a Ferrari F430, but with a V12 engine.
After 4 years, we announced the project in the French Sport Auto of May 2008. The car was due in 2010 to celebrate the 70 years of the first Auto Avio 815...
But as soon as Ferrari see the article, they decided to make a law suit against us. So all the project was stopped, and since then we are waiting for the law suit to really begins.
We first try to make an agreement with Ferrari, but it was quite impossible to speak with them, so arrogant that the only solution for us is to go to the end of the law suit to prove them that they have no rights on this trademark (the deposit was never done by Ferrari Spa during more than 60 years...and now they claims that Auto Avio belongs to them because it was Enzo creation...).
All this is not really interesting for you, but what I want to tell you is the fact that, we have for the moment no rights to modify a Ferrari, but we use our trademark to transform an Alfa Romeo 159 TBi. It is a one-piece edition, with a special color red- metal grey Touring (an Alfa color) with an 1.8 turbo with 240 Horsepower and 370 NM (instead of 200 HP and 320 NM) (with special ECU)
What is funny is that we can sell this car for only 39'900 Swiss francs ( approx. 32,000 euros), a far less than the catalog price of the original one. We bought the car from the Greek market where Alfa could not sell any 159 anymore...
We hope to make a great Ferrari one day, but we will see if the law is the same for the little we are as for a big company like Ferrari.
I send you this story, because I think you are the only one that can speak about it, all the cars newspapers are too afraid of never testing again the future new red cars of Maranello..."
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