Dodge Reignites Classic Copyright Issue With Scat Pack Revival

Dodge is currently in the midst or reigniting some serious automotive lust thanks to its latest bit of high-horsepower lovelies. Not everyone is going to opt (or need) the 707-horsepower Hellcat variants of the Charger and the Challenger, however, and that’s where the less potent but still awesomely loud Scat Pack cars come in. There’s a problem though, as the revival of the Scat Pack naming has also brought about the return of a rather old lawsuit against the automaker.

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First we have to dive into a little bit of history. Chrysler first launched the Scat Pack name on a handful of 1968 models. Those being the Charger, Coronet, Dart, and SuperBee. The Scat Pack essentially took the more affordable R/T trim cars and gave them a bunch of go-fast goodies. That’s exactly what Chrysler is doing with its all-new Scat Pack models too. The modern 5.7-liter HEMI-equipped R/T Challenger and Charger, complete with cloth seating, are instead stuffed with the 6.4-liter V-8. They also sound nearly as good as the supercharged 6.2-liter-having Hellcats.

Back to the lawsuit though, as the new Scat Pack cars have reignited an old feud. There’s a California company called Scat Enterprises, which has been making aftermarket parts for over 50 years. When Chrysler first launched the Scat Pack cars in 1968, Scat Enterprises sent a cease-and-desist letter to the automaker as a means of defending its own name. The early Scat Pack cars went away in 1971.

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According to Automotive News (subscription required), Chrysler reached out to the US Patent and Trademark Office to establish the fact that it was going to revive the Scat Pack name. The attempt was denied by the USPTO but Chrysler went ahead anyway and slapped the name on a pair of cars at the 2013 SEMA show. Chrysler and Scat Enterprises have apparently attempted to resolve the matter, but that hasn’t led to anything meaningful.

Scat Enterprises is now suing the automaker. It wants all marketing material delivered to its office so that it can oversee the destruction of said material. Additionally, the aftermarket company is also looking for monetary damages. Chrysler stands by its use of the Scat Pack name, and views the lawsuit as a way for the smaller company to create an “opportunistic attempt to hold Chrysler hostage just days before the upcoming SEMA show”.

We’ll certainly be paying attention to how this one unfolds, and we’ll let you know when there’s more to talk about.

Source: Motor Authority

By: Jeff Glucker