Forthing puts Taikon 5 name on ice

Forthing has ‘temporarily’ ceased referring to its Australian market mid-sized SUV as the Taikon 5 following a legal dispute from Porsche and Volkswagen, which claims the use of the name is misleading to customers.

Porsche AG filed the trademark infringement claim in New Zealand where the Forthing brand launched in April 2026, claiming the Taikon name is too similar to its Taycan model moniker.

This has in turn prompted the Chinese brand to put the name on hiatus in Australia while the matter is ongoing.

Following Porsche’s lead, fellow German marque Volkswagen has since joined the legal stoush, arguing its Tayron name is also deceptively close in pronunciation.

Despite the pressure, Forthing is not yet required by law to take any action in either country but has nonetheless ‘taken this precautionary temporary step’ until the case is resolved.

Speaking at the launch of the (for now) nameless electrified SUV, Forthing national manager Shaun Garrard said the case has necessitated a slowing of its marketing strategy, but there was no shortlist of alternative names at this stage.

“I want to emphasise the point that we haven’t changed the model name in Australia,” he clarified.

“We’re taking a risk-mitigation approach by removing it from our marketing materials and it’s a temporary solution at this stage.

“We are not considering other names at this stage. We’re waiting to see the outcome of the legal case before proceeding,” added Garrard.

While some may view the hurdle in Forthing’s local roll out as a thorn in its side, Porsche and Volkswagen’s legal dispute is drawing more attention to the Chinese challenger brand right when it needs it most.

While Garrard didn’t go so far as to say the attention was welcome, he did confirm the company wasn’t unhappy about a prestige high-performance brand making comparisons between its vehicles and Forthing.

“We’re flattered Porsche feels this way and that they’ve expressed such interest in the Forthing brand,” he stated.

Until the New Zealand court makes a decision regarding the complaint, little will change beyond the disappearance of the Taikon name from Forthing Australia website.

If Porsche and VW’s claim is upheld, the company will need to arrange a second christening for its first Australian model, but it’s business as usual for the challenger brand right now.

It has the option to apply a name borrowed from another global market in which the model is already offered, which include the Friday, Leiting, T-Five and simply 5.

Garrard explained that Forthing has not asked its dealers to take any action at this stage but some had independently decided to remove boot badging from existing vehicles.

However, the moniker remains inextricably woven throughout the model, appearing in owner’s manuals, on tailored floor mats and in sales contracts.

A ruling is expected to be handed down toward the end of 2026.

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