Key Takeaways
- BMW is opposing the sale of nearly 300 salvaged cars from the Fremantle Highway fire, citing safety risks and potential reputation damage.
- A Rotterdam-based business group purchased the cars from an insurance company and has since filed a preliminary injunction to sell the cars.
- BMW argues that the cars pose a safety threat and could damage the automaker’s reputation.
BMW is locking horns with a group of ambitious entrepreneurs who hope to profit from selling nearly 300 BMWs salvaged from the disaster-stricken Fremantle Highway, reports The Northern Times. Nearly a year ago, the car carrier dominated the headlines after it caught fire while sailing in the Wadden Sea. Carrying almost 3,800 vehicles, 498 of which were electric, the fire destroyed hundreds of brand-new cars and even claimed the life of a sailor.
However, not all the vehicles onboard were burned to a crisp, with numerous BMWs making it out unscathed. After being put up for sale by a Taiwanese insurance company, a group of Rotterdam-based businesses purchased the vehicles to sell them. BMW caught wind of this and was not pleased, so it filed a preliminary injunction late last year to prevent the sale of these cars. But why?
BMW Says These Cars Pose A Safety Risk
The Munich-based automaker says it does not want these vehicles sold as they could be a safety concern. BMW is also worried that it could suffer reputational damage should anything happen to customers who buy these vehicles. While the cars escaped unscathed, they could have suffered unseen damage that caused essential functions (safety features, mechanics) to operate improperly.
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The group that purchased the vehicles has now approached a court in The Hague, asking for the injunction to be lifted so it can sell the BMWs. They claim the cars haven’t been damaged, noting that “there was only soot on the cars.” BMW is determined that these cars never reach the buying public.
Risks Should Not Be Underestimated, Says BMW
“The risks associated with these total loss declared cars are enormous,” said a lawyer for BMW. “Those risks should not be underestimated.” The German marque has argued that the fire has compromised the wiring, metal parts, paint, and other components, which would make these vehicles unfit for public roads. Interestingly, rival brands Audi and Mercedes have sent their cars that were on the Fremantle Highway to be recycled – not an uncommon practice for vehicles aboard sunken ships.
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And it’s not just the European market that BMW is concerned about – the automaker doesn’t want these cars sold anywhere. The group that owns the vehicles proposed selling the 260 cars outside of Europe, in markets that have less stringent safety regulations. BMW doesn’t seem to agree, though, and opposed this compromise. It remains to be seen what happens with these cars and whether they will be sold as driveable cars or dismantled for spare parts.
Source:
The Northern Times
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