U be the JUDGE

[Charles]

There has been a lot of talk here about names-famous and otherwise and just who controls their use. The seduction of many by nostalga continues with people using the past to further their positon today. General Motors among others has developed a heritage with products today that reflect past glories. Though sadly for them they don't control 50% of the domestic market the way they used to. Their "JUDGE" model name is immediately linked with the famous 1969 Pontiac GTO. But today it is a different story with SLP Engineering registering the "JUDGE" name and the slogan "here comes the judge" for their own use on a new Pontiac GTO hi-performance version based on the Holden OZ car. How does the "421 JUDGE" sound? Not good if you are General Motors and especially if the Pontiac faithful have been roasting the pale shadow that GM is trying to present as the "HOT" GTO. GM thinks they own the "JUDGE" name because it is associated with a product they sold in the past but have not supported in a meaningful way in over three decades. In time honoured tradition there will be special performance versions of the new GTO following the initial introduction of a new model but what will the General call them? Perhaps a real "judge" will have to make that call.