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Delhi High Court Upholds Registration of TRANSFORMOTION, Rejects Volkswagen’s Opposition to 4MOTION May 1, 2026
Published in: Alerts
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In Volkswagen AG v. The Registrar of Trade Marks & Anr. (2026:DHC:2029), the Delhi High Court upheld registration of Maruti Suzuki’s “TRANSFORMOTION”, rejecting Volkswagen’s opposition based on alleged similarity with its “4MOTION” mark.
Volkswagen argued deceptive similarity, but the Court held that the marks are visually, phonetically, and conceptually distinct, noting the clear structural difference between “4MOTION” and “TRANSFORMOTION”. The Court further observed that “MOTION” is commonly used in the automobile industry and cannot be monopolised. It also accepted that “TRANSFORMOTION” is a coined expression derived from “transformation”, giving it a distinct identity. Emphasising that automobiles are high-value goods purchased with care, the Court found a low likelihood of consumer confusion and recognised the independent goodwill of both parties.
The ruling highlights that trademark protection does not extend to common or descriptive industry elements, and that similarity must be assessed holistically, particularly in markets involving informed consumers where minor overlaps are unlikely to mislead.
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