Re: History of Cars in India Quote:
Originally Posted by karlosdeville A selection of literature from some of Bajaj's export markets in the 1980s. I wonder when they first started to export. |
They started exporting after their collaboration with Piaggio expired. The collaboration expired in 1971. My dad had booked a Vespa scooter through Bajaj Auto and after a long wait he was delivered a Bajaj-150 in late 1974!
Bajaj was exporting scooters in good numbers and that too to first world countries! It soon emerged as a serious threat to Piaggio in the international market. The inside back cover of every TIME magazine issue in late 1970s used to feature a full page Bajaj scooter ad! In response, Piaggio filed several legal cases against Bajaj Auto in multiple jurisdictions across Europe and US, alleging passing off, infringement of technical know-how, industrial design, etc. Piaggio was successful in obtaining injunction orders against Bajaj in some territories. Eventually, Bajaj gave up! Also, it did not come out with newer and more modern designs even as Honda started making scooters.
Here is a quote from the judgement given by a California court, dismissing Piaggio's claim against Bajaj Auto for lack of jurisdiction: Quote:
The contract expired on April 1, 1971. Piaggio asserts that Bajaj then violated the license agreement by refusing to return the plans and specifications. Piaggio contends Bajaj misappropriated the designs to "slavishly" and illegally continue to manufacture Vespa vehicles after the license expired. Bajaj maintains it tendered the plans, but Piaggio allowed it to keep them. More importantly, Bajaj claims that the last agreement between the parties was executed with the express understanding that Bajaj's right to produce these vehicles would survive the license agreement. Indeed, Bajaj argues that this was a condition of the Indian Government's approval of the final licensing agreement.
In 1980, nine years after the alleged breach of contract first occurred, Piaggio and its American distributor, Vespa of America Corporation, brought this suit. In the intervening years, Bajaj has risen to become the world's second largest manufacturer of scooters, second only to Piaggio. Bajaj scooters are sold in 171 countries. They first entered the American scooter market in 1977. To date, however, total sales have amounted to only about 1,300 scooters. The three-wheeled vehicles have never been marketed in this country.
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More details here: http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/...0/224/1451344/
Last edited by directinjection : 10th May 2017 at 17:54.
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