— A Porsche emissions lawsuit alleges the automaker deceived consumers by selling cars with lower fuel economy and higher emissions than advertised by Porsche.
California plaintiff Luigi Sciabarrasi says he purchased a new 2011 Porsche Panamera and paid about $90,000 for the car 10 years ago, but the plaintiff has allegedly suffered "damage in the form of overpayment and diminished value."
The emissions lawsuit alleges 2009-2016 Porsche 911 and Panamera cars were manipulated to fool regulators and consumers into believing the vehicles met carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions standards.
The Porsche emissions lawsuit was filed following a German investigation into possible emissions problems in Panamera and 911 cars. The automaker contacted Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority in 2020 regarding possible problems with gasoline-powered engines developed from 2008-2013.
Porsche doesn't say how many cars are affected, but it's possible different software and hardware components were used to certify the 911 and Panamera cars as legal.
According to the Porsche emissions lawsuit, the automaker continues to conceal its illegal activity, starting with manipulating the drivetrains of test cars. The test vehicles allegedly had modified gear ratios that were completely different than the 911 and Panamera cars sold to consumers.
In other words, the test cars allegedly had better fuel economy and carbon dioxide emissions ratings than the cars on the roads.
The automaker allegedly sold cars with emissions levels beyond legal limits because "hardware changes delivered up to an 8% reduction in CO2 emissions in test vehicles."
The Porsche emissions lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Francisco Division: Sciabarrasi, et al., v. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, et al.
The plaintiff is represented by Gibbs Law Group LLP, and Casey Gerry Schenk Francavilla Blatt & Penfield LLP.