kljukec je napisal/-a:če bi bli roverji v zadnjih letih tko dobri, kokr obujate, potrem danes nebi bil kitajski, ampak dobro stoječa firma
The intellectual property rights dispute between Nanjing Automobile Corp and China's leading car maker Shanghai Automotive Industrial Corp has resurfaced following the launch of the former's MG 7 series this week.
Nanjing Auto's MG 7 is considered a rival to the Roewe 750, a Rover 75-based sedan unveiled in October last year by SAIC as its first own-brand high-end model.
The problem lies in the fact that the IPR of both the Roewe 750 and the MG 7 is derived from the original Rover 75 model.
Nanjing Auto outbid SAIC in 2005 to acquire the failed British car maker MG Rover Group and its engine producer for 53 million pounds (US$103 million).
But SAIC bought the technology for two Rover models - the 25 and 75 - and their engines for 67 million pounds in 2004.
"According to the technology transfer agreement between MG Rover Group and SAIC, SAIC owns the IPR to the 25 and 75 models and any company must get approval from and pay SAIC for the use of the technology," yesterday's Shanghai Securities News quoted an insider close to the deal between SAIC and MG Rover as saying.
But Nanjing Auto disputed this view, saying it owns the IPR over the patent license because it is the actual purchaser of the British company and not SAIC.
Zhang Xin, the head of the MG project, said: "The difference between the two cars is that Nanjing Auto's MG 7 is a pure English breed".
SAIC declined to provide a detailed comment on the issue but a spokesman said: "Looking at the legal documents, it is clear who the IPR owner is. What SAIC is focusing on is the development of its own-brand models and we hope Nanjing Auto will also do a good job in developing its own-brand models," he added.
"An asset sales agreement signed before a company's bankruptcy is protected by the law," said Bill Fisher, executive vice president of AmAsia International Inc, the leading importer and distributor of Chinese automobiles to North America.
Fisher issued a warning to future overseas distributors of the MG 7 to be aware of the risks of IPR disputes.
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