[Ersatz] 300SL Roadster

[mdsalemi]

For those you think they've seen everything...

https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/7167-1992-mercedes-benz-300sl-roadster/

[thelews]

I've seen one in person, years ago.  Neighbor of mine just saw one in Scottsdale.  I guess it's a bit like breast enhancement.  Hard to beat the real thing.

[stickandrudderman]

Wasn't there a court case in Germany a few years ago that resulted in something like this being crushed?

[BobH]

There was indeed

https://mercedesheritage.com/classic-mercedes-culture/mercedes-benz-crushes-unlawlful-gullwing-replica

[Cees Klumper]

So, Hyman can expect a letter on official letterhead soon?
They don't mention the controversy in the advert. As in "But don't drive through Germany in this car".

[mdsalemi]

Oh, my…

The reach of the MB lawyers is worldwide. They found and shut down someone years ago, making cast-brass grill stars for Pagodas, and someone making data plates too. I think the same for the one piece SS wheel covers. A cease and desist letter should be enough, as "the pockets are deep" in Stuttgart. You may win a court case but you'll go broke trying.

The court case and note were about the Gullwing not roadster…but I doubt that really matters, now does it?

Maybe this will be a stealth ownership, or quietly withdrawn from sale. Mark Hyman is a savvy guy...

[MikeSimon]

I never understood the obsession of some OEs to go after replicas. Nobody claims it is the real thing and uses the original brand for something illegal. there are a ton of replica Porsche Spyders and AC Cobras on the market and nobody makes a fuss. As the Japanese used to say: "Copying someone is the highest form of flattery".
Will MB lose any 300SL Roadster sales because of this?

[hansr433]

In the 80s, I was introduced to Tony Ostermeier by Toby Halicki, the producer of Gone in 60 Seconds, two real characters.  I got a tour of his facility and the tooling and the quality of the 300SL replica parts was really amazing.  Tony got around any copyright issues by not calling his car a 300SL and by using a Trident-type insignia instead of the MB Star.  Even then the Ostermeier car was not cheap since all the parts were either custom-made or sourced from Mercedes.  Tony told me that MBNA was very happy to sell him new crate engines and they knew exactly what he was doing.
Toby was a real gearhead.  He owned a scrapyard that had supplied the cars for his movie, and drove a Rolls Royce which he parked in his office.  The whole side of the building could be lifted like a giant garage door and he would drive straight into his office.  Being the 80s, I did not take photos but I will never forget that visit.