Flash.(Safir's trademark infringement case with Ford Motor Co. )

Vintage Ferrari fire sale

When we last left Walter Medlin, the 21st century's answer to Howard Hughes, Hurricane Charley had just blown through central Florida, taking with it a barn that held part of Medlin's collection: 17 Ferraris, an old Indy car and an Avanti (AW, Sept. 6, 2004).

Now, Hurricane IRS has seized Medlin's 1967 Ferrari P4 (which was not in the barn during the storm) and plans to auction it off March 30 to satisfy a $2.9 million tax lien against Medlin, a Florida land developer. The auction of the Le Mans racer will be in Phoenix, with bids starting at $2 million. For a look at the car, go to ww.ustreas.gov/auctions/irs/ phaz_anti_655.htm.

GT40 fight rages on

That little spat isn't over between Ford and Safir GT40 Spares, the Cincinnati-based company that owns the GT40 name.

You'll recall Ford opted to drop the "40'' from the name of its GT supercar in 2002 after Safir GT40 Spares reportedly demanded some $40 million in royalties for the use of the name it trademarked in 1985.

Now Safir GT40 Spares, which sells GT40 replacement parts, is trying to obtain a trademark on the shape of the GT40 via the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Though the company isn't commenting on its plans, a trademark on the shape could put Safir in position to demand royalties on every Ford GT sold.