| German activists operating under the | | | | Their V6 sports utility vehicle is |
| banner of the green lobby have taken to | | | | highly sought after by consumers, who |
| slashing tyres on high performance | | | | obviously still remain to be convinced |
| vehicles in Berlin in order to 'educate' | | | | of the benefits of buying a green hybrid |
| the drivers of such vehicles. Each owner | | | | car. So, despite targeting the |
| of the 80-plus vehicles that were | | | | manufacturer, it looks like they are not |
| subject to an attack in the last week of | | | | to blame as they are only responding to |
| July found a hand-written note under the | | | | consumer demand, and the market in |
| windscreen wiper detailing the dangers | | | | Germany is currently demanding high |
| of carbon emissions, in particular from | | | | performance, high carbon emitting |
| their type of preferred vehicle. | | | | vehicles. |
| Police investigating the incidents | | | | And it's not only Porsche who are the |
| believe that they are the work of | | | | targets of the car terrorists; Daimler |
| organised groups allied to international | | | | and BMW are also accused of putting |
| activists in France and Belgium who | | | | performance ahead of green issues. The |
| prefer to smear the vehicles with | | | | fact that a lobby of all three German |
| manure, rather than slash the tyres. In | | | | manufacturers have been successful in |
| what effectively amounts to war being | | | | getting the EU to change their minds on |
| declared on sports and utility vehicle | | | | carbon emission targets for vehicles |
| drivers by self-styled | | | | doesn't help their cause in the eyes of |
| environmentalists, the 4 x 4 wheel | | | | the green lobby. In a co-ordinated |
| vandalism highlights the frustration | | | | drive, the trio have managed to effect a |
| felt by the activists in the difference | | | | change in the EU draft legislation |
| in the speed of progress on green issues | | | | resulting in carbon emissions being |
| between the majority of German society | | | | categorised by vehicle size as opposed |
| and the German motor industry. While the | | | | to the original absolute target for all |
| population has readily adopted renewable | | | | vehicles. This means that the future for |
| policies, the car industry appears to be | | | | high performance vehicles in Germany and |
| dragging its heels. Porsche recently | | | | the rest of the EU looks bright, despite |
| came under attack from Greenpeace, being | | | | the best efforts of the green lobby to |
| labelled a "climate pig" by the | | | | effect change. |
| environmentalists for concentrating on | | | | However, whether wholesale slashing of |
| power and performance over green issues | | | | 4x4 tyres will really persuade |
| in its product range. | | | | car-loving Germans to abandon their |
| However, despite recently introducing a | | | | prized performance assets, or make them |
| hybrid engine which promises to cut | | | | even more determined to not be |
| carbon emissions by 20%, the German auto | | | | brow-beaten by a minority of vandals |
| giant's own research shows that demand | | | | remains to be seen. |
| for the green cars will be limited. | | | | |