John Cena seems to have finally settled the lawsuit with Ford after he violated a no-resale terms of the contract. The WWE wrestler has reportedly paid an undisclosed amount to Ford, which the company says will be donating to charity.
Ford carefully chose owners for its new GT supercar after it was announced two years ago. There was an extensive application process and priority was given to celebrities and high-visibility individuals to help publicize the car and the brand. One such individual was actor and wrestling champion John Cena. Cena took delivery of his gleaming ‘Liquid Blue’ Ford GT in September 2017. Upon taking delivery, he even made a short review of the Ford GT.
The contract that each Ford GT owner had to sign prohibited them from selling their car for 24 months. As it turned out, Cena flipped the car to a dealership in Chico, California just weeks after taking delivery. Thus, violating the terms of the contract. Consequently, Ford sued the wrestler seeking damages of $75,000 and the right to buy back the car for its original purchase price, plus any profits Cena made on the resale.
Cena did try to fight back by claiming the paperwork he signed at the dealership was missing the no-resale terms. In the settlement, Cena agreed to pay an undisclosed sum to Ford but it doesn’t seem that the company has got the car back.
Meanwhile, Cena has issued an apologetic statement: “I love the Ford GT and apologize to Ford, and encourage others who own the car to respect the contract. 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.”