— A Porsche class action lawsuit alleges a stop-sale for vehicles primarily equipped with Sport Chrono packages has prevented vehicle owners from using the Porsche network to sell their vehicles.
The Porsche lawsuit includes "[a]ll persons in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania who (a) are current owners of a Class Vehicle, or (b) sold a Class Vehicle on or after November 12, 2020."
The Porsche class action includes these models, most which are equipped with Sport Chrono packages.
- 2012-2016 Porsche 991 Carrera (Sport Chrono)
- 2012-2016 Porsche 991 Cabriolet (Sport Chrono)
- 2012-2016 Porsche 991 4 (Sport Chrono)
- 2012-2016 Porsche 991 4 Cabriolet (Sport Chrono)
- 2012-2016 Porsche 991 S (Sport Chrono)
- 2012-2016 Porsche 991 S Cabriolet (Sport Chrono)
- 2012-2016 Porsche 991 4S (Sport Chrono)
- 2012-2016 Porsche 991 4S Cabriolet (Sport Chrono)
- 2015-2016 Porsche 991 GTS
- 2015-2016 Porsche 991 GTS Cabriolet
- 2015-2016 Porsche 991 4 GTS
- 2015-2016 Porsche 991 4 GTS Cabriolet
- 2015-2016 Porsche 991 4 GTS Targa
- 2015-2016 Porsche 991 Targa 4 (Sport Chrono)
- 2015-2016 Porsche 991 Targa 4S (Sport Chrono)
- 2015-2017 Porsche Cayenne S (Sport Chrono)
- 2016-2018 Porsche E2 II Cayenne GTS (Sport Chrono)
- 2014-2016 Porsche Panamera Turbo (Sport Chrono)
- 2014-2016 Porsche Panamera Turbo Executive (Sport Chrono)
- 2014-2016 Panamera G1 Turbo S
- 2014-2016 Porsche Panamera G1 Turbo S Executive
- 2013-2014 Porsche Boxster S (Sport Chrono)
- 2013-2014 Porsche Cayman S (Sport Chrono)
- 2015 Porsche Boxster GTS (Sport Chrono)
- 2016 Porsche Cayman (Sport Chrono)
The Porsche stop-sale order allegedly forbids about 190 Porsche dealerships from selling any of the affected vehicles and prevents customers from using dealers to purchase vehicles.
Porsche also owns and operates the Porsche Finder tool to sell used vehicles, but the stop-sale prevents customers from using this "important benefit" typically available to a Porsche vehicle owner.
According to the lawsuit, the Sport Chrono package provides the driver with the ability to select between “Normal,” “Sport” and “Sport Plus” driving modes which change the vehicle’s performance profile. The driving modes are selected by a knob on the steering wheel.
In 2020, Porsche announced a German investigation over allegations gasoline-powered 911 and Panamera vehicles built from 2008-2013 may have emissions problems. Porsche discovered what it called “irregularities" related to emissions hardware and software and notified German regulators.
It was after the German action that Porsche issued a stop-sale for vehicles equipped with Sport Chrono packages. However, the Porsche stop-sale order includes not just the 911 and Panamera, but also Boxster, Cayman and Cayenne models equipped with Sport Chrono packages.
The class action lawsuit alleges Porsche has since expanded the list of vehicles affected by the stop-sale, but a detailed list hasn't been available to the public.
The lawsuit says Porsche eventually announced it was working on a software update for the vehicles, but the plaintiff claims the update will impact performance and overall vehicle value.
Pennsylvania plaintiff Bruce C. Turner purchased and still owns a 2015 Porsche Boxster GTS equipped with the Sport Chrono package that he purchased for $75,750, and a 2016 Porsche Cayman equipped with the Sport Chrono package that he purchased for $76,000.
The plaintiff says he tried to sell both Porsche vehicles to a Porsche dealer after the stop-sale order was issued, but the dealership refused.
The Porsche class action lawsuit concerning the stop-sale order was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania: Turner, v. Dr. Ing. H.C.F. Porsche AG, et al.
The plaintiff is represented by Saltz Mongeluzzi & Bendesky, P.C., Fine, Kaplan and Black, RPC, Gustafson Gluek, PLLC, and Boni, Zack & Snyder LLC.