DaimlerChrysler Won't Appeal Federal Judge's Ruling on Hummer H2 Grille

SOUTH BEND, Ind. June 3, 2003; The AP reported that DaimlerChrysler AG will not challenge a federal judge's ruling against it over whether the grille of the Hummer H2 is too similar to those on Jeeps.

Attorneys for General Motors Corp. and DaimlerChrysler signed an agreement May 19 stipulating that U.S. District Judge Robert L. Miller Jr.'s ruling of Feb. 25 is final and that each side will pay its own legal fees. GM disclosed the agreement on Monday.

In the lawsuit, DaimlerChrysler contended the H2 grille, made by South Bend-based AM General Corp. for GM, was too similar to the Jeep grille.

The company argued that when it transferred Humvee rights to South Bend-based AM General in 1983, the rights did not include the use of the grille on consumer vehicles.

Miller rejected that claim, saying, "DaimlerChrysler cannot assert intellectual property rights in the Hummer (the civilian version of the Humvee) because it transferred them all in 1983. ... DaimlerChrysler does not own this intellectual property, so it cannot complain about its misappropriation."

As part of the agreement, GM dropped all counterclaims against DaimlerChrysler.

The Hummer is built for GM at AM General's Mishawaka plant.