46
18th - 24th May
motoring
Porsche accused of lying about emissions PORSCHE is accused of fixing emissions in a move which is reported to have cost the United Kingdom (UK) government €3.44 million. They drove the Cayman R models o ff i n s e c o n d g e a r d u r i n g t e s t i n g t o lower its CO2 emission readings. It fixed the vehicle’s UK emissions level at 221g/km,while the same model has a 228g/km rating in mainland Europe. The alleged trick means owners pay road tax according to the UK’s ‘band K’ bracket paying €360 instead of €618. This is how much they would pay if the car was bracketed according to its European emissions reading. The alleged fixing emerged in 2011 after 51-year-old John Cieslik crashed his Cayman R. He sued the German motoring giant on the grounds that a manufacturing defect had sparked the collision. Porsche paid Cieslik off in February that year.
But in preparation for a legal battle he had discovered information about the alleged emissions bracket fixing after approaching the UK’s Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA). The VCA is in charge of
certifying vehicle emissions in the UK and initially refused to reveal Porsche’s emissions data. But a freedom of information tribunal in 2015 forced Porsche to own up to the emissions mismatch. Porsche executive Steven Laux said
d u r i n g t h e h e a r i n g t h e d i ff e r e n c e i n CO2 emission readings between the UK and rest of Europe models is down to contrasting taxation regimes in the two locations. Porsche told British media it was not able to comment due to ‘ongoing’ legal proceedings’. TRICKED: Drivers allegedly started the car in second gear.