Volkswagen rigged emission tests on about 2.8 million diesel vehicles in Germany, the country’s transport minister said on Friday, nearly six times as many as it has admitted to falsifying in the US.
His comments, pointing to cheating on a bigger scale than previously thought, deepened the crisis at the world’s largest automaker as its supervisory board held a crucial meeting.
Volkswagen appointed Matthias Mueller, the head of its Porsche unit, as its new chief executive. The 62-year-old Mueller, speaking at a news conference at company headquarters in Wolfsburg on Friday, said his first priority would be to win back trust following a plunge in VW stock and the resignation of long-time CEO Martin Winterkorn earlier this week.
Volkswagen is under heavy pressure to show it can get to grips with the biggest business-related scandal in its 78-year history.
At least four senior executives are expected to be purged. The board will also dismiss the head of its US business, the top engineers of its luxury Audi and Porsche brands and the head of brand development at its VW division, sources added, aiming to show it is acting decisively to end the crisis.
Volkswagen shares have plunged as much as 40%, wiping tens of billions of euros off its market value, since US regulators said last Friday it had admitted to programming diesel cars to detect when they were being tested and alter the running of their engines to conceal their true emissions.
The scandal keeps growing. German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt said on Thursday Volkswagen had also cheated tests in Europe, where its sales are much higher, and on Friday put the number of affected vehicles in Germany at 2.8 million.
Regulators and prosecutors across the world are investigating the scandal.
The wider car market has been rocked, with manufacturers fearing a drop in sales of diesel cars and tighter regulations, while customers and motor dealers are furious that Volkswagen has yet to say whether it will have to recall any cars.
“VW needs to be open about what has happened, how it was possible that this could happen to make sure that this never happens again in the future,” said a leading Volkswagen shareholder, underlining the importance of the board meeting. “These are priorities that should override all other considerations at the moment.” — Reuters
Emissions scandal: India too orders inquiry
New Delhi/Mumbai: A probe has begun to find out if German auto major Volkswagen manipulated emission tests in India as it did in the US, where it faces fine of up to $18 billion. The Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), an apex automotive testing agency, has started the probe after it was asked by the Ministry of Heavy Industries to inquire into the matter. “We have sought details from Volkswagen and are awaiting their response,” ARAI director Rashmi Urdhwareshe said. “We have asked the ARAI to investigate the matter and submit a report by Wednesday (September 30),” Union Heavy Industries Minister Anant Geete said.
His comments, pointing to cheating on a bigger scale than previously thought, deepened the crisis at the world’s largest automaker as its supervisory board held a crucial meeting.
Volkswagen appointed Matthias Mueller, the head of its Porsche unit, as its new chief executive. The 62-year-old Mueller, speaking at a news conference at company headquarters in Wolfsburg on Friday, said his first priority would be to win back trust following a plunge in VW stock and the resignation of long-time CEO Martin Winterkorn earlier this week.
Volkswagen is under heavy pressure to show it can get to grips with the biggest business-related scandal in its 78-year history.
At least four senior executives are expected to be purged. The board will also dismiss the head of its US business, the top engineers of its luxury Audi and Porsche brands and the head of brand development at its VW division, sources added, aiming to show it is acting decisively to end the crisis.
Volkswagen shares have plunged as much as 40%, wiping tens of billions of euros off its market value, since US regulators said last Friday it had admitted to programming diesel cars to detect when they were being tested and alter the running of their engines to conceal their true emissions.
The scandal keeps growing. German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt said on Thursday Volkswagen had also cheated tests in Europe, where its sales are much higher, and on Friday put the number of affected vehicles in Germany at 2.8 million.
Regulators and prosecutors across the world are investigating the scandal.
The wider car market has been rocked, with manufacturers fearing a drop in sales of diesel cars and tighter regulations, while customers and motor dealers are furious that Volkswagen has yet to say whether it will have to recall any cars.
“VW needs to be open about what has happened, how it was possible that this could happen to make sure that this never happens again in the future,” said a leading Volkswagen shareholder, underlining the importance of the board meeting. “These are priorities that should override all other considerations at the moment.” — Reuters
Emissions scandal: India too orders inquiry
New Delhi/Mumbai: A probe has begun to find out if German auto major Volkswagen manipulated emission tests in India as it did in the US, where it faces fine of up to $18 billion. The Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), an apex automotive testing agency, has started the probe after it was asked by the Ministry of Heavy Industries to inquire into the matter. “We have sought details from Volkswagen and are awaiting their response,” ARAI director Rashmi Urdhwareshe said. “We have asked the ARAI to investigate the matter and submit a report by Wednesday (September 30),” Union Heavy Industries Minister Anant Geete said.
