Piaggio Convicts Peugeot for Plagiarism!
This page is translated from the original post "Piaggio fait condamner Peugeot pour plagiat !" in French.
- 10/06/2024 17:02
This is the epilogue of a long and complex legal saga that has pitted Piaggio against Peugeot for nearly 4 years over the patents of the Italian three-wheeled scooter.
The case concerns, of course, the MP3, the three-wheeled scooter developed by Piaggio that can lean sideways like a classic motorcycle. From its presentation, the system developed by the Italian brand was closely scrutinized in every detail by competitors eager to uncover the secrets of the strange machine. Piaggio had, of course, protected itself by filing a flurry of patents because when it comes to safeguarding the financial benefits of such a successful model, they take it seriously in Pontedera. But the line between copying and reinterpretation is quite thin. Peugeot Motorcycles has just painfully experienced this.
Oh, the copier!
The French manufacturer was accused of developing a leaning system that replicated the structural concept of that of its Italian competitor to create its own three-wheeled scooter, the Metropolis. We are indeed talking about plagiarism and not theft of technology, as Peugeot had taken care to develop its own parts. This is not enough for Piaggio, which believes that the kinematics of the French system is far too close to that of its MP3 to not be directly inspired by it.
After the failure of several previous conciliation attempts without success, the case was brought before the Italian courts and in 2021, the courts recognized Piaggio’s rightful claim and condemned Peugeot, which immediately appealed. A similar ruling was made in January 2023, still in favor of Piaggio. Far from considering itself defeated, Peugeot has sought cassation, but on June 4, the judgment was definitively upheld.
Found guilty, Peugeot had to pay Piaggio over one million euros in damages and certainly as much, if not more, in legal fees and various expert costs. That’s a significant sum, but a drop in the bucket compared to the financial stakes surrounding these ultra-popular vehicles. The next meeting between the two manufacturers is set for later this year, this time before the French courts.
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