‘Vintage’ Bronco tuning vendor sued by Ford

Vintage Modern, the holder of the Vintage Broncos brand, is under fire for alleged “riding on the coattails” of the Blue Oval’s “significant investment and reputation.”

The tuning company specializes in making modern Ford Bronco SUVs look like retro cars. It gives them a classic exterior paint job and a new interior trim that involves aged leather and other such materials. The equipment stays standard, meaning drivers can savor the retro vibes while taking advantage of things like climate control, rearview camera, ABS and stability control.

In its action submitted on October 31, Ford alleges that Vintage Modern resorts to “misleading” practices and “unfairly profits” from its misuse of Ford and Bronco trademarks. This is especially odd, because the tuner deletes every Ford logo from every car it modifies, putting its own “Vintage” lettering in its place. It also has what appears to be a proper disclaimer on its website, emphasizing that it is not affiliated with, nor endorsed by, Ford in any way.

The court decision is pending.