Probe Into Spying Continues Says Renault

Mar 10 2011

In a development that many UK car finance buyers will find interesting, auto manufacturer Renault says that investigations into alleged industrial espionage are continuing.

 

This follows after it was widely reported in the press in January that Renault has been the victim of an industrial espionage campaign.  Three managers were subsequently fired amidst wide-spread speculations that the Chinese were involved in an attempt to steal plans for an electric car from Renault.

 

At the beginning of this month UK car finance buyers visiting France noticed reports in French newspapers that no evidence could be found to incriminate the three managers that were sacked.  They denied any wrongdoing throughout the whole episode.

 

At the time the Chinese also vehemently denied the accusations against them.  Renault never officially confirmed that they suspected the Chinese to be involved in the matter.

 

A lawyer for the company confirms that at the moment they have not yet been able to find any evidence of bank accounts linked to the event in either Lichtenstein or Switzerland.

 

In an interview with Europe 1 radio Jean Reinhart nevertheless insisted that Renault has been a victim of espionage.

 

Reinhart said "Nothing has come back to us for the moment, which means that this morning we are unable to say whether we have been manipulated or not."

 

He continued that right now they still had no solid information to prove one way or the other whether they have been the victims of industrial espionage.  Even if they could not find suspicious bank accounts, Renault still wants to know what happened and, therefore, the investigations will continue.

 

If any UK car finance buyer should visit China in the near future and notice a Chinese electric car that looks suspiciously similar to a Renault, the French automaker would no doubt like to hear about it.

 

Author: Louise Hutchinson

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