DETROIT -- Visionary Vehicles LLC founder Malcolm Bricklin said Monday that he will work with China's Chery Automobile Co. to trademark the Chery name in the United States, despite opposition from General Motors.
GM's lawyers this month sent Bricklin a letter asking him not to use the Chery brand name in the United States. GM argued that the Chery name sounds too much like Chevy.
"GM has been building, promoting and selling vehicles under the Chevy name for more than 90 years," said GM spokeswoman Geri Lama. "Chevy is synonymous with General Motors and Chevrolet in the minds of consumers. GM will continue to oppose the use of the name Chery in the United States because it is too close to Chevy."
In a statement Monday, Bricklin said: "General Motors must resort to unfounded legal attacks to make up for their declining sales and unimaginative product line."
Bricklin said he still hasn't decided if he will use the Chery name for the Chinese-built vehicles his company plans to sell here, starting in 2007.
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