GM sues Ohio company for rare ‘Vette replicas

The 1963 Corvette Grand Sport roadster is the rarest and arguably most important Corvette model ever made. Only five were built, and they sell for millions at auction.

But an Ohio company is being sued by General Motors for churning out replica versions that sell for less than $90,000.

The lawsuit was filed this month in U.S. District Court against Mongoose Motorsports LLC of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, which specializes in building replica 1984-88 GTP models and the legendary Grand Sport.

The lawsuit is a bid by GM to protect valuable and lucrative trademark rights to an iconic brand beloved by auto enthusiasts, and it sheds light on a niche industry.

GM is suing for trademark infringement, claiming the iconic brand has been irreparably harmed by the ersatz sports cars, which the automaker says copy the Corvette's design — curve for curve.

"This is not an homage," GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson said. Detroit News