Singer Tom Waits has settled a lawsuit against German carmaker Adam Opel AG and its advertising agency, McCann Erickson Deutschland, over a car ad that imitated his distinctive voice.

Waits issued a statement Thursday saying, "I'm glad to be out of the car sales business once and for all."

Tom Waits, shown in this 2002 file photo, says he'll donate the proceeds of his lawsuit to charity.Tom Waits, shown in this 2002 file photo, says he'll donate the proceeds of his lawsuit to charity.
(Associated Press)

No financial details were disclosed, but Waits said he will donate his settlement to charity.

Waits claimed Opel and its ad agency had hired a singer to impersonate his distinctive gravel-voiced style after he turned down the job.

The suit sought an injunction and $300,000 US in damages.

It is the third successful lawsuit for the American star, who closely guards his image and refuses to do commercials.

In 2004, he won a suit against a Spanish producer and in 1992 he won a suit against Frito-Lay, with both cases involving use of a sound-alike singer.