Lawsuits

Fiat versus Great Wall

Accusation: the Great Wall GWPeri is a copy of the Fiat Panda. (Great Wall has infringed the European patents numbered 00044722-0001 of the Fiat Panda in the design of the Great Wall Peri).

Date: July 2008.
Court: Shijiazhung Intermediate People's Court, China.
Judgement: The exterior design of the GWPeri can be easily distinguished from the Panda. Fiat lost and had to pay US$ 1290.- court fees.
Outcome: Fiat lost.

Date: July 2008.
Court: Turin, Italy.
Judgement: Great Wall is banned from selling the GWPeri compact car in the EU. GWPeri is simply a Panda with a different front. The court imposed a euro 15.000.- fine for the first imported GWPeri and Great Wall will be penalized euro 50.000.- for each GWPeri it sends to the EU.
Outcome: Great Wall lost.

Date: January 2009.
Court: Hebei Province People's High Court, China.
Judgement: The Court dismissed a claim by Fiat alleging infringement of a Fiat patent. So the appeal was rejected.
Outcome: Fiat lost.

Date: June 2009.
Court: Shijiazhuang Intermediate People's Court
Accusation: Great Wall declares to have submitted evidence to prove that Fiat once instigated espionage to prowl into its research center and take photos of Peri small car that was still under development.
Outcome: in October 2011 ceased the pursuit of Fiat, as the production of the Peri halted in September 2010.

Date: June 2011.
Court: Turin, Italy.
Judgement: Great Wall has to compensate Fiat with nearly 30.000 euros and additional court fines. Great Wall will be prohibited from selling and advertising the vehicle in the EU, with each offense punishable by up to a fine of 15.000 euros.
Outcome: Great Wall lost. In October 2011 Great Wall decided not to appeal. (Great Wall already halted production of the Peri in September 2010, and has not exported any cars to the EU since then.)