An Open Letter To Carlos Ghosn and Nissan Motor Company: Have You Taken "Frugal Engineering" A Little Too Far?

An Open Letter To Carlos Ghosn and Nissan Motor Company: Have You Taken 'Frugal Engineering' A Little Too Far?

In 2006, you famously coined the term 'Frugal Engineering' to describe the ability to innovate cost-effectively and quickly under severe resource constraints. We certainly don't believe that you intended for your company to go as far as using the design ideas of others without proper compensation or recognition. Yet, that is exactly what has happened. In looking at the DeltaWing race car alongside the ZEOD, who would not believe that the ZEOD race car's design is obviously based upon our technology? 
In an article published in AutoSport on June 22, 2013 Nissan's Director of Motorsport Innovation, Ben Bowlby is quoted as follows: 
'This is a new car, but it uses the narrow track technology of the DeltaWing and that gives us great efficiency. It is something we understand and it is an efficient way of getting around Le Mans.'
Nissan plans to compete at Le Mans in June, 2014 with the ZEOD race car. I believe that certain individuals in your company have not made you aware of important facts with respect to the use of our technology. These facts have been laid out in a civil action filed in the Superior Court of the State of Georgia, U.S.A. In decisively rejecting Nissan's ill-informed attempt to dismiss the case, the Court found that 'Nissan hired Mr. Bowlby to help it develop its own version of the DeltaWing, which Nissan calls the ZEOD RC.' and, further found that 'Clearly,DWP56 (Plaintiff) has adequately pled the facts demonstrating that it has standing to pursue this action against the Defendants. (Nissan et al)' 
I encourage you sir, to sit down with us to discuss how to remedy what we believe is the improper use of intellectual property developed and owned by DeltaWing. 

Donald E. Panoz Managing Partner Project 56, LLC

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