A class‑action lawsuit has been filed against BMW by the Dutch Consumer Association, alleging that the luxury carmaker falsified emissions data in roughly 100,000 vehicles sold in the Netherlands. The Consumentenbond group, together with Car Claim, says BMW installed software that lowered nitrogen‑oxide emissions during testing, while the cars emit far higher levels under normal driving conditions. Sandra Molenaar, head of Consumentenbond, called the deception “shameless,” adding that BMW misled both inspection bodies and consumers. The association is seeking compensation for those misled by the company.
The suit covers all BMW and MINI diesel cars sold in the Dutch market between 1 January 2009 and 1 September 2019. BMW says it learned of the lawsuit through the media but has not yet received a formal claim. Spokesman Andrew Mason noted that “no such claim has yet been served,” so the company does not know the specific allegations advanced by Car Claim. The Car Claim group is urging BMW to recall the affected vehicles, refit them, and compensate current and former drivers.
This lawsuit is the latest development in the long‑running “dieselgate” scandal, which began in 2015 when Volkswagen admitted to fitting millions of cars with software to manipulate emissions tests. The scandal has entangled several major automakers and sparked legal action in France, South Korea, the United States and other countries. In 2019, German prosecutors fined BMW €8.5 million for diesel cars that emitted higher levels of harmful pollutants than allowed, though prosecutors characterized the infraction as an error rather than deliberate fraud.
Guido van Woerkom, chairman of Car Claim, said that while legal proceedings have been initiated, the group continues to urge BMW to engage in discussions to reach a fair solution together. The outcome of this case will be closely watched, as it could have broader implications for the automotive industry’s efforts to address emissions concerns.
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