Uwe Gemballa missing

Did anyone else catch this?

http://www.autospies.com/news/UPDATE-Porsche-Uber-Tuner-Uwe-Gemballa-Disappears-In-South-Africa-51942/ said: Uwe Gemballa, the founder and big boss of the popular Porsche tuner, Gemballa, has been reported missing. According to a number reports, Gemballa was found missing during the 51-year olds trip to South Africa. There’s no confirmed location as to where he disappeared but the prevailing opinion is that the Gemballa fell off the grid while he was in Johannesburg, which, incidentally, is one of the most notoriously dangerous cities in the world known for its stratospheric crime rate. UPDATED: In a twist to yesterday’s story about Gemballa’s founder – Uwe Gemballa – being missing in South Africa, we’ve just been called by a contact in Germany who has told us that German Government officials have sealed the offices of Gemballa this morning. It would be wrong of us to speculate at this point on the reasons for this, although we did hear rumours yesterday about the possible reasons for Uwe’s disappearance which we couldn’t publish.

Maybe he was contemplating the new VW/Porsche and just decided to leave?

Death and taxes, man. Sound like Uwe hit the highwe to avoid the Finanzamt.

he was found missing? either he is missing or he is found. can't be both, well, not at the same time anyway.

AngryCorvair wrote: he was found missing? either he is missing or he is found. can't be both, well, not at the same time anyway.

Beat me to it.

Maybe he's hiding out in Galt's Gulch.

I remember the first Gemballa Avalanche I saw. I figured it was so named because a whole mountain of poor taste fell on some unsuspecting 911.

AngryCorvair wrote: he was found missing? either he is missing or he is found. can't be both, well, not at the same time anyway.

I don't know, the Germans might be able to pull that off.

Jensenman wrote: I remember the first Gemballa Avalanche I saw. I figured it was so named because a whole mountain of poor taste fell on some unsuspecting 911.

Sir Mix-a-Lot has an '84 slantnose Gemballa cabrio. Are you accusing Sir Mix-a-Lot of having bad taste?

jg

JG Pasterjak wrote: Sir Mix-a-Lot has an '84 slantnose Gemballa cabrio. Are you accusing Sir Mix-a-Lot of having bad taste? jg

My posse's on broadway!

Vanilla Ice had one too.

If I were a wealthy man, Johannesburg would be one of the last places on the planet I'd want to be.

I think Hammer had one too...I recall V-Ice dissin' Hammer because it wasn't as pimped out as his....word to his mother.

Sounds like anybody who's anybody who made a rap video in the '80s might have had a stylin' Gemballa Porsche.

Still, they were probably more tasteful than the current lot of wealth/status-symbol cars.

"I ain't trippin on vandals cuz my white Gemballas got no door handles" - Buckin' My Horse

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/update-german-officials-close-down-gemballa-facility-uwe-gemballa-hiding-from-german-officials-ar85094.html said: Reports of Uwe Gemballa’s mysterious disappearance in South Africa has turned out to be premature. But while we’re glad to know that Gemballa is probably still alive, his tuning company, Gemballa, may not be as fortunate. According to Cars UK, Gemballa didn’t exactly ’disappear’ when he went to Johannesburg. Turns out, he might be hiding from German authorities. While there’s no definite word on why Gemballa fled out of the Germany, reports have it that German officials raided and effectively closed down his tuning facility, resulting in all the cars in the plant to be impounded. As a result, all the owners with cars inside would have to show definitive proof that they own those cars for them to have any chance of reclaiming their belongings. Like we said, we don’t know the reason why Uwe Gemballa decided to fall off the grid, but if the latest happenings involving his tuning his house has any merit, then he – and his company, for that matter - might be in some deep trouble. Keep checking back here for more updates regarding this rather perplexing turn of events.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/253130/

Uwe Gemballa, the CEO of the Porsche tuning company that bears his name, has been found murdered near Pretoria, South Africa. The tuning company, Gemballa Automobiletechnik, is known for creating Porsche performance conversions and customers have included Arab royalty and movie stars. Gemballa was found shot in the head with his hands tied and his body wrapped in cellophane. The German businessman had been missing since 8 February after travelling to the country for a business trip. At the time, police said there was little evidence to suggest kidnapping. There is speculation he may have been involved in international crime. He was reportedly facing difficulty paying Gemballa employees and his wife, who has been given power of attorney for the company, has filed bankruptcy for the tuning company. According to German magazine Stern, the Porsche tuner had been working on a business deal with Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir who is involved in South African organised crime. Local police have not commented on any of the surrounding circumstances of Gemballa's death. Vishnu Naidoo, a South African police spokesman said: “We have found the body of Gemballa and we're now investigating the circumstances around his death. A murder docket has been opened.” No arrests have yet been made, but two German police officers are in South Africa to assist with the investigation. Andrew Papworth

Looks like Uwe is no longer missing

John Brown wrote: http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/253130/

"There is speculation he may have been involved in international crime."

This reporter is brilliant. German guy goes to South Africa and gets offed. Sounds like international crime to me.

hmmm...Angry German officials, a murdered German businessman, and a Czech fugitive turned South African warlord? I smell a reality series!!!

...wheres lawman Steven Segal when we need him?

The Uwe Gemballa saga may finally have come to a close with the swift, decisive conviction of his alleged murderer. Just to recap, Gemballa disappeared in February of 2010 and was later found dead this past October. According to reports, Gemballa was working with Radovan Krejcir, a Czech billionaire and alleged mobster living in South Africa. Uwe needed cash for his automotive operations and Krejcir used the Gemballa cars to bring money into the country. One car arrived without its cargo and Gemballa's life was cut short, supposedly on orders from Krejcir. Now, reports say Uwe Gemballa's murderer has been caught, tried and convicted, all within the span of 24 hours. Thabiso Mpshe, a 28-year old resident of Pretoria, was arrested on Friday, October 29, and appeared before the Johannesburg High Court that afternoon where he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. A spokesperson for the police department was unable to say if a deal has been struck between Mpshe and the prosecution. Thanks for the tip, Stefan!

Galt's Gulch? Nah, that was based on Ouray, Colorado (Really, look it up), and I live here, haven't seen him. Maybe we hang in different bars...kind of hard to hide in a town of 850 people, though.

Arrest to conviction in 24 hours. That sounds extremely legit.

MrBenjamonkey wrote: Arrest to conviction in 24 hours. That sounds extremely legit.

...or it sounds really effective (assuming they got the right guy-which might be a big assumption).

I wonder how long it'll take to off him.

AngryCorvair wrote: he was found missing? either he is missing or he is found. can't be both, well, not at the same time anyway.

Get Schroedinger on the case.

MrBenjamonkey wrote: Arrest to conviction in 24 hours. That sounds extremely legit.

The justice system works swiftly in the future now that they've abolished all lawyers.

Didn't Bruce Willis break this guy's brother's berkeleying neck and then later fight him to the death in the original Die Hard?

So wait let me get this straight, all I have to do is start a porsche tuning/customization company to rub elbows with billionaire international mobsters, and help them move money into my country with flashy cars as wrapping paper?

Where do I sign up?