Porsche headquarters in Stuttgart
US owners get compensation of up to $ 1110 per Porsche for allegedly false information on fuel consumption.
(Photo: DPA)
Porsche accepts a compromise in the legal dispute over allegedly misleading fuel consumption data for hundreds of thousands of cars in the USA. Porsche has concluded a settlement to settle civil claims, the company confirmed on Thursday when asked. The class members’ allegations involve potential fuel economy and emissions discrepancies. According to court documents, Porsche will pay US car owners at least $80 million as part of the settlement.
The sports car manufacturer, which belongs to the Volkswagen Group, was initially targeted by US plaintiff attorneys in 2020 due to media reports about irregularities in the emission values of petrol engines. A whistleblower is said to have reported alleged irregularities in transmission parts of petrol models. Another driving force was the large law firm Lieff Cabraser, which already played an important role in the VW “Dieselgate” scandal.
At the time, Porsche countered that it had tracked down possible deviations from type approvals itself. According to the lawsuit, the findings prompted Porsche to report them to the German and US authorities.
After the US class action lawsuits initially focused on possible exhaust gas manipulations, the settlement that has now been concluded is ultimately primarily about allegedly misleading information on fuel consumption. The plaintiffs accuse Porsche of having physically modified test vehicles, which had an impact on emissions and fuel consumption.
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In its statement, Porsche emphasized that it had not acknowledged the accusations made by the plaintiffs in these proceedings. “The agreement serves to end the issue,” the company said. The comparison only applies to vehicles sold in the United States.
In Germany, the Federal Motor Transport Authority initiated proceedings in 2021. In the United States, according to court documents, there are around 500,000 Porsche cars built between 2005 and 2020. The owners are said to receive compensation of up to $1,110 per car.
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