BMW News: BMW investigated over blocking sales to Swiss residents

The bad news continues for BMW this week. 4WheelNews is reporting on the investigation opened by The Swiss Competition Commission.

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According to the latest reports, it appears that BMW is currently being investigated by the Swiss antitrust authorities for allegedly preventing vehicle sales to Swiss residents found in some European countries, such as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Sources confirmed the fact that the Bavarian manufacturer blocked sales of Bmw and MINI brand vehicles to customers who are residents of Switzerland. Many of you may be asking why is BMW doing this.

Well, first of all, Switzerland is not a member of the European Union. But, the main reason is that the Swiss franc gained than 9 percent against the euro this year, and this made BMW vehicles more expensive in Switzerland.

The Swiss Competition Commission said that it is currently investigating this. “We have asked BMW for comment after we opened our inquiries yesterday,” Patrik Ducrey, a spokesman for the commission, said on Tuesday. If found guilty, BMW could face a maximum fine of 10 percent of group revenue generated in Switzerland, over the past three fiscal years. Still, the investigation could take the Swiss Competition Commission almost two years. The investigation was confirmed by a BMW spokesman.

Would be nice if the writer explained why the headline says Bad news continues... (Everything else on the page appears to be good news for BMW.)

Originally Posted by ProRail

Would be nice if the writer explained why the headline says Bad news continues... (Everything else on the page appears to be good news for BMW.)

I was talking about this -

http://www.bimmerfest.com/news/49430...ump-%28hpfp%29

Originally Posted by tim330i

I was talking about this -

http://www.bimmerfest.com/news/49430...ump-%28hpfp%29

I suspect that in the long run this will be good for BMW. "Oh, look how responsibly BMW is responding to this little problem with some of their models. Is that a great company, or what?"

A bunch of European folks will buy their BMWs in Switzerland to dodge some taxes and get it for cheaper. No idea how the VAT duty works on that.

I dunno why BMW would have to pay a fine. It their car, they don't have to sell if they don't want to.....

Obviously someone in switzerland has pissed off someone in Munchen !!!!!