18 replies to this topic

[Roxoff]

Be very careful how you go about this and what you show. Just about everything relating to the Mini, including its silhouette and apearance, is trademarked and the property of BMW. Even though you would own the copyright on the photos that you took, it's still their trademark. They fairly regularly threaten legal action against all sorts of small traders for this sort of thing.

So they think this is the 'self preservation society', eh? Surely pictures of my own car are my own property?

[Dan]

There is lots of info on the internet about intellectual property law, trademarks, registered designs and copyright.

[Mini_Magic]

Be very careful how you go about this and what you show. Just about everything relating to the Mini, including its silhouette and apearance, is trademarked and the property of BMW. Even though you would own the copyright on the photos that you took, it's still their trademark. They fairly regularly threaten legal action against all sorts of small traders for this sort of thing.

they really are such a lovely bunch.

Rover would probably do exactly the same thing if they were still around.

To answer the original question, I wouldn't buy one but my friends and relatives would probably buy it for me.

[Ethel]

It was Rover who registered the Mini's shape as a Trademark, so yes BMW are only carrying on where they left off.

That said, there is a time limit on patents & registered designs for a reason, trying to cheat the system with a trademark, as Rover did, could be looked on just as unfavourably by a court as some tacky Mini shaped merchandise - I don't think BMW would rush to risk a test case.