U.S. collectively sues antitrust, Canada's Ford is brought back to the old caseFord Motor Canada has also encountered an aggressive class action lawsuit. California has accused it of violating antitrust regulations restricting the export of low-cost Canadian-made cars into the United States. The California Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that the plaintiff consumer provided sufficient evidence. This lawsuit originated from the auto industry's efforts to reduce vehicles produced between 1990 and 2000 and then entered the US auto market via the "gray market." Plaintiff’s lawyer Michael Christian said the lawsuit hopes to compensate California users who bought new cars from 2000 to 2003 for the overpaid price difference. However, the court refused to restore the charges against Ford. The allegations against U.S. and Canadian automakers, the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (Canadian Automobile Dealers Association) and the National Automobile Dealers Association (National Automobile Dealers Association) have been judged, dealt with, or left out due to bankruptcy. The lawsuit alleges that the price of imported cars in Canada is lower than similar American-made cars. The price of a 2000 F350 Crewcab 4x4 DRW Lariat imported from Canada may be US$8,265 lower than the US version. Litigation accuses car manufacturers of blacklisting export agents, amending franchise agency agreements to prohibit export, imposing restrictions on car distribution, forcibly terminating distribution, invalidating authorization, and refusing to notify export agents of recall information. The Appeal Board stated that the plaintiff provided important evidence, including telephone calls and personal interview records with the manufacturer, Ford Canada’s general counsel. Ford Canada spokesperson Matt Drennan-Scace said he would not comment on the ongoing litigation. |