In a legal tussle that continues to unfold, Stellantis, formerly known as Fiat Chrysler, has once again faced defeat in its attempt to halt the sale of the Mahindra Roxor, a prominent model under the Mahindra & Mahindra brand.
As reported by Reuters on Sunday (July 23, 2023), the US District Judge Gershwin Drain, presiding in Detroit, ruled that the design of the Mahindra Roxor is unlikely to cause significant confusion among consumers, thus failing to justify imposing a ban on its sales.
This ruling marks a repetition of an earlier decision, as a US appeals court had previously ordered a reconsideration of the case.
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The legal feud between Fiat Chrysler and Mahindra dates back to 2018 when Fiat Chrysler filed a lawsuit in Detroit and lodged a complaint with the US International Trade Commission, accusing the Indian company of replicating key elements of its trademarked Jeep design in the Roxor models.
Previously, Drain had prevented Mahindra from selling Roxors before 2020, following an import ban issued by the International Trade Commission. However, Drain rejected Fiat Chrysler’s request to prohibit sales of a redesigned version of the Roxor, as the Commission had concluded that the new design did not infringe upon Fiat Chrysler’s trademark rights.
In another setback for Fiat Chrysler, Drain has now ruled out imposing a ban on post-2020 Roxor sales, stating that after careful consideration of new factors, the “safe distancing rules” still do not apply.