Replicas are 'hot'. In an increasingly overheated market, where classic prices for masterpieces continue to rise and where the limited numbers of originals have long since ended up at mega prices with heartless investors and people who don't know what to do with their money because of craziness ... Well, replicas become 'salonfähig '. You can be seen with a replica. At least: If it is not a Mercedes Gullwing replica. Because that is just not allowed.
A real work of art
Because: the body shape of the W 198 series Gullwing Coupe is considered a work of applied art and has been protected by copyright for decades. It has therefore been established that anyone who builds, offers or sells replicas of the vehicle violates the rights of the automaker, even if those replicas do not contain the Daimler AG logos or trademarks.
The strict enforcement of these rules is being maintained in Europe and North America for the time being. A few MB 300 SL replicas and the templates have already been destroyed. Our American friend Bob - from Bob's Classics - luckily sold his 'tupperware' Gullwing just in time.
There is of course something to be said for that
But it also has to do with management, marketing and legal revenue models. Because let's be real: how many fewer MB 300 SLs would Mercedes sell through the production of a replica? In the meantime, Bugatti and Shelby have also taken action as left and right when it comes to producing replicas of their brands. Where Bugatti's earnings model is actually more in selling expensive sunglasses and clothing ... This is also about models that have not been made under the brands for decades and that are usually made out of passion rather than thoughts about large-scale financial gain. . And that the Argentinian builders of the 100 make or made Bugatti's correct replica? The biggest fear within the hard-core Bugattists was that those cars could be sold as 'Real' after ten, twenty or thirty years.
Always that management
Milder minds - and usually managers, marketers and lawyers are not - would argue that making replicas is a tribute to the original and a blessing for people who want to make their dreams come true. Or at least want to get as close as possible.
Replicas are not that threatening
We did some searching and came up with the makers of Auburn, Bugatti, Ford (GT40), Mercedes, Porsche and Shelby Cobra replicas on production numbers from 'less than ten' to 'hundreds'. Funnily - or tragically - it appears to many of those replica builders that one starts somewhere, sells a few to a small dozen of his mental children, goes over, sells molds and residual files ...
And that easily repeats itself about six or seven times before the last owner of the molds decides to go crying and do something else. And what if we look at a Cobra lookalike with a two-liter Pinto engine? Wouldn't Caroll Shelby have smiled mildly about that? Could that not be a nice car? At least if the builder / owner would not have done too much to make him look like Een Echte? And how threatening is a Bugatti replica of Onyx for the reputation of the builders of the Veyron? Even if it is equipped with such a legendary and hyper-potent Rover K-series 1397 CC engine coupled to an MG Midget gearbox and rear axle.
Teal also made those 'fake', 'tributes' or affordable dream cars. Although: we already saw an Onyx T35 replica that was put up for auction at € 45.000. It took the selling party six years to assemble it.
Replicas of automobile highlights from history
We do appreciate them. At least if it is not about a Ruska BUGatti on VW chassis or about replicas that too emphatically pretend to be Originals. Because that has some sadness somewhere.
That in turn argues for the Ruska BUGatti with its VW chassis. On the other hand: this Ruska was for sale in Italy for around 14D euros. In this state…
We are waiting for a DAF 44 replica.
On a VW platform
I personally find it worse that old name rights of old brands are bought in order to have guaranteed attention and 'history'… as happened with Indian for example.
The new ones are fine motorcycles of course, but just as everyone's friends as a Honda (and that is more a compliment to Honda than to Indian) .. it has nothing to do with “a real” anymore ..
The fact that the name right holder then makes a fuss about the fact that aftermarket parts for “a real” can no longer be sold as Indian, while their products do not match… that's sad.
In the case of a replica offering as real; as a future owner do your homework and save you a lot of suffering .. if you want to go for a real one of course.
The Dance of Authenticity is a strange thing. The name alone turns out to be 'a product'. And if there is a 'product', then there is 'marketing'. Although nowadays that is often the other way around. The new Triumph - fantastic motorcycles etc etc etc - is built on a bought name and rights. By a real estate manager. And now the oldest are new Triumphs again classics or young timers. And Benelli is now a Chinese brand. And the lawyers are the ultimate winners when there is a fight. Tis a strange world….