Ferrari have finally named their 2011 Formula 1 racing car following a trademark dispute with the American car manufacturer Ford. Ferrari wanted to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861, so they began by calling it the F150. Logical enough.
However, the Ford Motor Company filed a lawsuit, accusing Ferrari of infringing its trademark for the F-150 truck. Ferrari changed the name to F150th Italia after Ford dropped the lawsuit but have now settled on Ferrari 150° Italia.
On their website they wrote:
In order to avoid the slightest risk of anyone confusing a Formula One car with a pick-up truck, the men from Maranello have decided that the car will lose the F that precedes the number 150 and which stands for Ferrari.
It appears that this could have caused so much confusion in the minds of the consumer across the Pond that, at the same time as losing the F, the name will be completely Italianised, replacing the English “th” with the equivalent Italian symbol.