April 24, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] Porsche Korea on Aug. 1 said it has stopped selling Cayenne SUVs here following Germany’s latest decision to recall them and revoke certification for using illegal emissions software. 

“After the recall decision in Europe, we have decided to stop selling the Cayenne diesel models here,” a spokesperson for Porsche Korea told The Investor. “We are discussing further measures, including a recall, with the Environment Ministry.”

On the previous day, the local unit of the German luxury carmaker notified its dealers to stop selling the popular SUV. On July 28, the German Transport Ministry announced a recall of 22,000 Cayenne diesel SUVs sold in Europe for using devices to cheat emissions tests. Porsche has become yet another globally renowned auto brand to face such measures since the Volkswagen fiasco two years ago. 

The ministry said it decided to inspect 2,880 units of Cayenne 3.0-liter TDI models sold in Korea since January 2015 for emission control devices. The regulators are planning to impose fines and revoke certification for cars found to have been rigged, as well as recall all sold vehicles sold. 

Porsche Korea now has no diesel models selling here after pulling five other cars off the market including Macan S, Macan Turbo and Cayenne GT after neglecting to get approval under the government’s new fuel-efficiency system. Industry watchers are expressing concern since in the first six months of this year, 47 percent of Porsche Korea’s sales comprised of Cayenne cars.

Further, the government has halted the certification of three Porsche models -- Macan S diesel, Cayenne S E-hybrid and Cayenne Turbo -- for falsifying certification documents.

By Ahn Sung-mi (sahn@heraldcorp.com)