Wrestling With the Law: John Cena Settles With Ford Outside of Court
Professional wrestler John Cena has settled a lawsuit filed by Ford Motor Company over the sale of his Ford GT for an undisclosed amount. If you’ll recall, the automaker affixed a clause to the purchasing agreement that forbade buyers from reselling the vehicle for 24 months.
However, after the automaker filed its lawsuit, Cena’s legal team alleged there was a legal loophole that allowed for the flip. Since the agreement was not included in the final dealer documents, it speculated there was some wiggle room. Regardless, it doesn’t appear to have been enough to squirm away from Ford’s contract entirely.
Cena originally claimed he sold the GT for financial reasons and received an unknown amount for it. However, taking into account the rarity of the model, it would not be surprising if that transaction netted the wrestler a tidy profit.
The first production run of the new Ford GT was limited to just 500 units and all of them went to individuals who were selected via an extensive vetting process that weighed the applicant’s enthusiasm for the brand, public notoriety and intent to keep the car. While a little more involved than usual, restricting sales to desirable customers and temporarily prohibiting resale is not uncommon among supercar manufacturers.
On Monday, a statement was delivered to Jalopnik from Cena’s legal representatives from Bush Ross, P.A., explaining that an agreement had been reached with Ford outside of court. The settlement value was not mentioned, but Ford has agreed to donate the proceeds to charity.
“I love the Ford GT and apologize to Ford, and encourage others who own the car to respect the contract,” said Cena in a statement. “I am pleased we could resolve this matter outside of court, and that a worthy charity will benefit from one of the most iconic cars in the world.”
Meanwhile, Ford’s lawsuit with New Autos Inc. is ongoing. As the company that took ownership of Cena’s vehicle, Ford has claimed it is similarly guilty of violating the no-resale clause. The whereabouts of the car are unknown. It was seen displayed in the dealership’s main office in a photo from November 2017 on Google Maps, but was ultimately sold to a private party.
[Image: Bella Twins via YouTube]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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What contractual obligations does New Autos, Inc., or you, or I, have to Ford? A third party bought a used Ford. Since when do I need to call Dearborn and ask permission?
Not mentioned in this article is how John Cena is planning his wedding. He had better have a better understanding of contracts and how to not lose his shirt again if he goes through with that. Marriages almost always cost men money, often lots and lots of money (and freedom, autonomy, and property, et cetera).