Volkswagen attacks “bastardised” logo ripoff

Volkswagen has sparked a design dispute after filing a lawsuit against a car dealership, claiming that its logo is “unauthorised misappropriation”. The Dallas-based dealership named “VDubs Only” has been accused of creating a “bastardised” version of the German manufacturer’s logo that could potentially mislead consumers.

As one of the most recognisable car logos out there, it seems bizarre that Volkswagen feels threatened by a small dealership. It’s by no means the most ridiculous logo design dispute we’ve seen but with Volkswagen claiming infringement and dilution of its identity, it’s clear the car brand is driving for a resolution.

The centre of the design dispute evolves around the VDubs Only logo, which features a “V” design against a blue background (sounds familiar but I’d say it’s far from a direct ripoff). Alongside the alleged logo infringement, Volkswagen claims that the VDubs name violates its trademark of the word ‘V-Dub’ which has previously been used in campaigns. It’s worth noting that Volkswagen only owns the rights to the hyphenated form of ‘V-Dub’, so technically there’s no foul in that department.

The official lawsuit claims that these alleged infringements will be “likely to cause potential purchasers of Defendants’ products and services, as well as the public at large, to believe that Defendants’ products and services are affiliated with, authorized, sponsored by, or endorsed by VW.” Volkswagen is searching for a permanent injunction to prevent Vdubs Only from allegedly misappropriating its marks.

For more design debate stories, check out the Michael Jackson logo dispute. If you’re after more car branding controversy take a look at the Mercedes-Benz logo dispute that threatened to oppose a humble microbrewery.