Porsche Issued a Major Recall for Nearly 18,000 Panamera and Cayenne Models
Smart Struggles for Sales Even At Its Home in Europe
While it has been roughly 20 years since the company released its first car to the market way back in 1998, the automaker Smart has struggled ever since to grab a strong grip on the microcar niche it’s been catering all this time.
Smart Automobile, which is a subsidiary of Daimler AG, who is also the owner of luxury car brand Mercedes-Benz, managed to celebrate the release of its two millionth car in September last year since the company started building vehicles two decades ago. Nevertheless, its sales has not been its strongest aspect with the company managing only around half the number of cars built compared to its closest competitor Mini, which is owned by BMW.
While the outlook is not completely bleak, since the brand does enjoy a healthy popularity in a number of urban regions in Europe such as Paris, Barcelona and Rome, where space for driving and especially parking a vehicle is almost a luxury privilege, it has not managed to gain traction in other ordinary towns and cities.
The company has attempted to broaden its brand identity in the past by trying to move away from the stereotypical small two-seater design by creating a high performance roadster and a small SUV. However, these plans were abandoned soon after, due to design complications and lack of interest from vehicle buyers.
The CEO and director of Smart Automobile, Annette Winkler, stated that the company would not produce small crossovers. Instead, it will focus on new app-based services such as in-car parcel delivery and private car sharing in the future.
The renowned German luxury car manufacturer Porsche has issued a recall notice to it’s customers in the US, stating that an issue in the vehicles engines that will eventually lead to engine stalling.
The mechanical defect, which is said to have affected nearly 18,000 Porsche Panamera sedans and Porsche Cayenne SUV models across the United States, can cause a sudden engine stall due to a faulty camshaft controller that has the potential to loosen inside the engine over a given period of time. The National Highway Traffic Safety Academy (NHTSA) warned owners of the affected vehicles that the defect could significantly increase the risk of a fatal crash, if left unfixed.
The vehicle models affected include the Porsche Panamera S, Panamera 4S and the Panamera Turbo that were manufactured from 2010 to 2012 as well as the Porsche Panamera and Panamera 4 that were manufactured in 2011 and 2012. Apart from that, the defect has also affected the Porsche Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo models that were released to the market in 2011.
While Porsche didn’t provide a notification schedule, the company stated that it will notify owners about the replacement procedure, which can include a replacement for the fastening screws of the camshaft adjusters. The fix may be offered free of charge, though conditions may apply.
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Image Source: thecarconnection.com
Image Source: europe.autonews.com
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