MG V’s MG at the British High Court

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From The Brummie Mail:

A HIGH Court showdown has been ordered over badge rights to the world’s most expensive MG – with a tiny West Midland firm pitted against one of the world’s biggest car makers.

Trademarks Court official Allan James has ruled that Chinese group Nanjing’s claim for an alleged infringement of badge rights by Midland car veteran William Riley should now go to the High Court.

The decision – in a preliminary civil court case determining trademark usage – paves the way for a full David and Goliath courtroom battle, threatening the future of Mr Riley’s fledgling Tenbury Wells-based MG Sports and Racing Europe Ltd. In September Nanjing Automobile, swallowed up at the end of 2007 by the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation, issued a bid for High Court proceedings to be brought against Mr Riley over his launch of the turbocharged MG X-Power model.

The dispute between Mr Riley, 63, and the Chinese over the MG badge rights had rumbled on for more than a year, with a series of arguments over ownership lodged with the UK Patents Office.

But the Chinese raised the stakes by issuing High Court proceedings – and Mr James’ ruling now heralds a crucial courtroom battle between the smallest UK-owned car maker, with just a 10-strong workforce, and global giants SAIC/Nanjing.