GM, Bricklin Headed for Court?

In response to General Motors Corp.'s threat of legal action, Visionary Vehicles LLC CEO Malcolm Bricklin calls the auto maker's products “unimaginative” and labels Chevrolets as “lemons.”

The squabble stems from Bricklin's plan to import vehicles into the U.S. from China-based Chery Automobile Co. Ltd. beginning in 2007.

GM already is pursuing legal action against Chery in China, due to “extreme similarities” between the Chery QQ model and the Chevrolet Spark microcar, which is based on GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co.'s Matiz.

GM management has said it will take action against Visionary Vehicles in the U.S. if the QQ is sold here.

Bricklin says he received a letter from GM contending that “Chery” sounds too similar to “Chevy,” and warning that the auto maker will challenge the pending trademark application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. A GM spokeswoman confirms the legal correspondence.

Says Bricklin: “GM must resort to unfounded legal attacks to make up for their declining sales and unimaginative product line. The American consumer will see soon enough that comparing Chery to Chevy is like comparing cherries to lemons.”