Ferrari is famous for being hyper-aggressive when it comes to its brand image and Intellectual Property (IP). Blame it on the Italian marque’s iconic status or its grand success ever since its inception, but Ferrari is one of the most counterfeited brands in the world. Obviously, Ferrari takes the fight against counterfeiting very seriously. The legendary Italian automaker recently released an infographic stating the extent of its efforts to challenge counterfeiters. According to the data, Ferrari tracked, seized, and destroyed more than 400,000 knockoff items. While most of them are fake memorabilia, clothing, perfumes, and even Prancing Horse labels, the automaker announced that it also crushed 3 knock-off cars.
Knock-off Ferrari cars are very popular, especially the classic models that are relatively easy to replicate. Ferrari even tried to trademark the iconic 250 GTO’s design, eventually losing a legal battle with a much smaller company named Ares Design in 2020. Ferrari has not released information on how it managed to track and destroy the three replicas. However, you might remember that the brand launched an Anti-Counterfeiting Reward program that rewarded anyone who reported knock-offs. According to the official page, participating in the program will earn you an “official thank you” along with a “complimentary Ferrari gadget.”
“The counterfeiters are becoming ever more capable,” said Carlo Daneo, General Legal Counsel of Ferrari. “It may sound incredible, but, quite apart from the false accessories such as T-shirts and hats, there are people who ingeniously realize fake Ferrari cars, of course, to be sold at very high prices.”
Several years ago, the Maranello-based marque gave the go-ahead to build seven replica cars for the filming of the namesake movie about the incredible life of Enzo Ferrari. Those replicas of 1957 Ferrari race cars were built with the help of 20 expert restorers with extreme attention to detail. However, all of them were immediately dismantled after the movie was wrapped up. What a shame!
