Nissan’s radical BladeGlider electric sports car has led to the Japanese automaker being sued over the concept’s design. The company responsible for the original DeltaWing race car, DeltaWing Project 56, which is led by motorsport icon Don Panoz and formerly linked with Nissan, has filed a civil suit in a court in Georgia against Nissan and one of the BladeGlider’s key designers, Ben Bowlby.

Bowlby was previously involved with the DeltaWing project and since joining Nissan has helped design the automaker’s new ZEOD RC electric Le Mans prototype, another wedge-shaped car, as well as the BladeGlider. Also mentioned in the suit is Nissan motorsport boss Darren Cox.

Automotive News (subscription required) is reporting that the suit is seeking a cease-and-desist order that would prevent Nissan from displaying, racing or selling cars with the distinctive ‘delta’ wedge shape made famous on the DeltaWing race car.

DeltaWing Project 56, which has spent millions in developing its wedge-shaped race car and proving that the concept works, is claiming intellectual property rights to the wedge shape and is hoping to license the design to automakers.

Nissan, meanwhile, has said that it plans to produce a sports car based on its BladeGlider concept. The wedge shape, though slightly odd for a car, remains effective on a track and offers advantages in weight and aerodynamic efficiency.

Stay tuned for an update.

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