Family Feud: Porsche Seeking Millions in Damages From Audi Over Dieselgate Engines

Matt Posky
by Matt Posky


Porsche is apparently seeking 200 million euros — or $234 million — in damages from its Audi stablemate over the costs associated with using its emissions cheating diesel engines. According to reports, Porsche has already issued its claim to Audi and the wheels of justice have been set in motion.

With no verified sources or official word from either automaker, the news is more than just a little strange considering both manufacturers are part of Volkswagen Group. However, Audi did supply both Porsche and Volkswagen with defeat device-equipped 3.0-liter V6s for use in various models. One of those models was Porsche’s Cayenne, and sales of the TDI variant were shelved as the scandal raged.

German newspaper Bild am Sonntag reports that the Porsche works council has been fuming with Audi for some time. Council chairman Uwe Hück isn’t happy that the company was supplied with “sick engines,” and claims Audi intentionally deceived Porsche.

According to the paper, Porsche wants compensation to cover the cost of repairing the Audi-engined SUVs, legal counseling, and “customer measures.” A spokesperson for Porsche was reached for comment but stated internal issues within VW Group are not intended for public discussion.

In the U.S., the emissions-cheating 3.0-liter diesel V6 found its way into roughly 85,000 vehicles. Under a $1.22 billion settlement plan, owners can choose to have their vehicles bought back by the manufacturer at “clean” trade-in value or fixed.

[Image: Porsche]

Matt Posky
Matt Posky

A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.

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  • Fred Fred on Oct 09, 2017

    Suing family, has that ever worked out?

  • Conundrum Conundrum on Oct 09, 2017

    The way VW Group generally split up responsibilities, VW did the TDI engines, and Audi did the gasoline engines, designwise. How else to explain chain cam drive on the 2.0 liter gas, but old rubber belt on the diesels? Porsche made its own gasoline engines, and expected professional competence when it bought 3.0 l TDI engines from the parent company, necessary in the European market for its Cayennes. It didn't get that. Somewhere behind this interecine warfare sits that old dragon Ferdinand Piech, the man responsible for the entire fiasco in my humble opinion. He owns a lot of Porsche, and no doubt wants to cement his big pile of loot for posterity and to remind himself what an all time genius he was in his own mind.

    • Snooder Snooder on Oct 10, 2017

      While i agree that Piech is probably in the middle of this, it's probably not in the way you think. Piech was originally pushed out of Porsche, which his family owns. He then became head of Audi, and subsequently the entire VW group. From which he spearheaded the takeover of Porsche, which many feel was motivated by his salt over being forced out of Porsche. This feels like a slap in the face from the Porsche leadership to Piech. A kick the man in the balls while he's down sort of thing.

  • Brn Brn on Oct 09, 2017

    I suspect there's some creative accounting behind this suit.

  • Jh26036 Jh26036 on Oct 10, 2017

    Probably a way to make some "deductions" from their taxes when they have to pay out lawsuits they "lost."

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