The Car Claim Foundation is filing a major mass claim against Stellantis, parent company of Peugeot, Citroen and Opel, among others, because of the diesel scandal. According to the foundation, the claim procedure involves a financial interest that can amount to €3 billion.
The foundation, known for a case against Volkswagen about the use of cheating software, states on the basis of various research reports and emissions tests that diesel cars of the Peugeot, Citroen, DS and Opel brands also contain prohibited cheating software. In the Netherlands, this is reportedly about 300,000 cars. Peugeot and Citroën are already being prosecuted in France, while Opel recently reached a settlement of millions in Germany to prevent this.
In the collective proceedings, the foundation represents all motorists in the Netherlands who bought or leased a diesel car with such cheating software in the period from September 1, 2009 to September 1, 2019. The proceedings are also directed against the Dutch importer and the Dutch car dealers of these brands. The parent company Stellantis, registered in the Netherlands, is also being summoned. AutoWeek is awaiting a response from the importer.
The cheating diesel scandal at the German Volkswagen came to light in 2015. Volkswagen then admitted to manipulating emissions testing on a large scale with cheating software, making diesel cars appear cleaner than they actually were. The issue has already cost the car company many billions in fines and repair costs. In the Netherlands, the judge in a case of Stichting Car Claim against Volkswagen, software supplier Bosch, importer Pon and Dutch car dealers ruled in July that people and companies that have bought cheating diesels are entitled to a total of hundreds of millions of euros in compensation. An appeal is pending in the case. At the end of November, the foundation also filed a major mass claim against Renault and its subsidiary Dacia.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl