Copycats No More: Italian Court Recognizes Ferrari 250 GTO As A ‘Work Of Art’

Companies looking to create replica or reproductions of the iconic Ferrari 250 GTO will no longer be able to, following a landmark ruling in an Italian court that the classic Prancing Horse is recognized as a work of art.

The Telegraph reports that Ferrari complained to a commercial tribunal in Bologna that a company in the city of Modena was planning to produce replicas of the 250 GTO and lodged a petition asking for the design and intellectual property rights of the car to be recognized.

The commercial tribunal ruled in favor of Ferrari, deeming the 250 GTO to be a work of art that cannot be imitated or reproduced.

Also Read: The Ferrari 250 GTO Is Now Worth More Than Its Weight In Gold

In its ruling, the tribunal said “the customization of the car’s lines and its aesthetic elements have made the 250 GTO unique, a true automobile icon,” while citing the “numerous awards” it has received over the decades as a reason to consider it as a work of art.

Only 36 original Ferrari 250 GTO’s were ever manufactured by the Italian marque and replicas of the classic are prolific. It remains to be seen what Modena-based company Ferrari complained about, but it, as well as anyone else contemplating building replicas, will no longer be able to without facing legal action.

The 250 GTO is widely regarded as the most valuable production vehicle in the world, and in August last year, a 1962 example sold for a record $48,405,000 at an auction – which, by the way, means that it’s literally worth more than its weight in gold.