Daily Diesel Debacle Roundup
- German minister denies prior knowledge of emissions cheating – Reuters: Germany’s transport minister rejected accusations on Wednesday that he had prior knowledge of the emissions control technology used by Volkswagen to rig test results.
- Canada threatens action against VW if rules violated – Automotive News: The Canadian government is pledging unspecified ‘enforcement action’ if Volkswagen cars sold in the country used pollution-masking technology.
- ‘European Detroit’ on edge as VW scandal widens – Automotive News: Nowhere is Volkswagen AG’s widening emissions scandal being felt more acutely than in Wolfsburg, the ultimate company town in Germany.
- Diesel cars loiter in lots as VW dealers, owners sit and wait – Automotive News: At the VW of Oakland dealership in California, the German company’s “clean diesel-” powered cars were a big hit with eco-friendly customers.
- West Virginia engineer presented VW emissions findings a year ago – Automotive News: Daniel Carder, an unassuming engineer from West Virginia, said he and his research team publicly presented their findings about Volkswagen’s diesel emission discrepancies about a year ago. VW officials questioned them at the time.
- Volkswagen hires law firm that defended BP after oil spill – Automotive News: Volkswagen AG has hired the U.S. law firm Kirkland and Ellis LLP to help it deal with the widening scandal over the carmaker’s faked pollution controls, according to a company spokeswoman.
- Economists say VW a new risk to German growth – Freep: Economists voice worries over the impact on German growth from the Volkswagen crisis.
- UK: SMMT moves to highlight British emissions test stringency – Just-auto: Britain’s Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT) insists there is no evidence to suggest any other company is involved in the diesel emissions scandal presently enveloping Volkswagen or that the issue is an industry-wide one.
- France will be “severe” on Volkswagen -minister – Reuters: France will act harshly on any wayward behaviour exposed by an inquiry into German carmaker Volkswagen, Energy Minister Segolene Royal said on Wednesday.
- Volkswagen chief faces grilling by board over diesel scandal – Reuters: Volkswagen Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn faces a reckoning with his board on Wednesday, summoned to explain the falsification of U.S. emissions tests in the biggest scandal in the 78-year history of the world’s largest carmaker.
- VW hit by lawsuits over emissions scandal – Detroit News: Class action lawsuits are being filed against VW alleging that it engaged in deceptive and fraudulent business practices
- US: EPA now examining VW/Audi/Porsche V6 diesels – Just-auto: An official with the United States’ Environmental Protection Agency has reportedly told the Detroit News that vehicles powered by the Volkswagen Group’s 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine are being tested for potential exhaust emissions irregularities.
- VW emissions scandal: how Volkswagen’s ‘defeat device’ works – Autocar: The vehicles affected by Volkswagen’s emissions scandal are capable of detecting when they’re being tested – here’s how The Environmental Protection Ageny’s (EPA) official notification issued to Volkswagen on 18 September sheds light on how Volkswagen managed to influence the emissions tests with some clever software.”VW manufactured and installed software in the electronic control module (ECM) of these vehicles that sensed when the vehicle was being tested for compliance with EPA emission stan
- GERMANY: VW CEO under pressure as board convenes for special session – Just-auto: Volkswagen Group CEO Martin Winterkorn is coming under growing pressure as the emissions scandal continues to make headlines around the world. Reports say that Winterkorn faced an emergency meeting with board members today to explain the unfolding crisis and the company’s response.
- GERMANY: Component integration automaker responsibility: Bosch – Just-auto: Bosch says it is up to automakers how they integrate components into complete vehicle systems as the diesel emissions hurricane engulfing Volkswagen gathers momentum.
- Berlin caught up in Volkswagen scandal – FT: German government was aware in July of software used for cheating in emissions tests
- German government denies it knew of diesel rigging technology – Reuters: Germany’s transport ministry denied on Wednesday that it had known about the technology Volkswagen used to cheat emissions tests despite acknowledging only months ago that it knew of a general gap between ‘test’ and on-road emissions.
- ACEA says no evidence Volkswagen scandal is industry-wide issue – Reuters: European car association ACEA on Wednesday said it was taking a scandal at Germany’s Volkswagen over falsified U.S. vehicle emission tests “very seriously”, but signalled it might be an isolated issue.
- GERMANY: Berlin orders urgent VW meeting in Wolfsburg as storm blows – Just-auto: Germany’s Transport Ministry, the Bundesministerium fur Verkehr und Digitale Infrastruktur (BMVI), has convened an urgent meeting with Volkswagen at its headquarters in Wolfsburg to discuss the rapidly escalating crisis surrounding its diesel emissions testing discrepancies in the US.
- VW emissions scandal: Winterkorn faces board enquiry – Autocar: Dieselgate cheating crisis could force CEO out of his job; engine type EA189 at centre of controversy; VW shares down by 35% Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn faces a fight to continue as the company’s leader today, as a select group of board members meet to decide whether he should be replaced in the wake of the emissions test cheating scandal.Winterkorn had been scheduled to have an extension to his contract ratified by the VW Supervisory Board this coming Friday. However, an even more select
- VW shares swing amid pressure on CEO – FT: Stock dips below the EUR100 mark for first time in four years
- European lawmakers vote to speed tougher car emissions regime – Reuters: European politicians on Wednesday voted to speed up rules to tighten compliance with pollution limits on cars, adding to pressure for reform after U.S. regulators caught Volkswagen AG rigging the performance of vehicles in tests.
- VW board meets: Crunch time for CEO Winterkorn – CNBC: Usually, board meetings are reasonably tame affairs. Yet Wednesday’s meeting of Volkswagen’s supervisory board’s presidium, a mixture of…
- VW’s school of hard NOx – Autocar: The emissions cheating scandal isn’t about real-world fuel economy – it’s potentially much more serious than that Another new day, another opportunity for the ramifications of VW’s efficiency cheating scandal to bounce around the world on social media and, increasingly, in the pages of the tabloids.A crafty way to get around the emissions tests on half a million US-market diesel cars is worthy of a mention, it seems; the confession that the crisis could in fact affect 11 million vehicles worldw
- Volkswagen faces class action suits as CEO grilled by board – business live – Guardian: It’s also astonishing that Volkswagen’s supervisory board didn’t insist on an immediate … The Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg, Germany, last night.
- BRIEF-D’Ieteren releases statement on Volkswagen diesel engine irregularities – Reuters: Said on Tuesday D’Ieteren Auto, the group’s division in charge of the import and distribution of the Volkswagen group’s brands in Belgium, has never…
- For Germans, the Volkswagen scandal is a national embarrassment – Washington Post: When news emerged that Volkswagen, the country’s big car manufacturer, had equipped at least 11 million vehicles with devices to cheat emissions…
- VW controversy a further knock on diesels – Detroit News: Emissions scandal may add to U.S. wariness of technology, despite popularity of such vehicles in Europe
- Volkswagen Emissions Scandal Takes Toll in Corporate Bond Market – Bloomberg: The auto-maker faces civil penalties of as much as $19.9 billion for government allegations covering the 482,000 diesel cars it sold in the U.S.,…
- Is Volkswagen’s Scandal Electric Vehicles’ Gain? – Bloomberg: Analyst Salim Morsy discusses how Volkswagen’s scandal may boost electric car sales.
In other news:
- UK boss Tim Tozer leaves Vauxhall – Autocar: Tim Tozer has left his position as UK managing director for Vauxhall with immediate effect; Rory Harvey named as his replacement UK managing director
- America Loves Pope Francis, But Not His Stance on Climate Change: Bloomberg Poll – Bloomberg: Some poll respondents admire no-frills style of the pope, who upon his arrival in the United States on Tuesday got into the smallest car of the…
- Americans Still Want to Park Their Own Cars – Detroit Bureau: While the future isn’t entirely now when it comes to autonomous vehicles, some aspects, such as self-parking, are; however, Americans seem to be unsure if they’re willing to give up control.
- Chinese’s capital witnesses 20% local Toyota dealerships quit sales network – Automotive News: It has never witnessed before that 20% FAW Toyota’s dealerships in Chinese capital Beijing asked to…
- GMC preps ’16 Sierra Elevation edition with new infotainment system – Automotive News: GMC will introduce a bolder, limited edition of the 2016 Sierra pickup on Thursday at the State Fair of Texas. The truck, called the Sierra Elevation Edition, is scheduled to arrive at dealers nationwide in the first quarter of next year.
- New Ford Figo hatchback to be launched in India on 23 September; Bookings, price, features and … – Ibtimes: The highly-anticipated new Figo hatchback from the house of Ford is all set to go on sale in India on Wednesday, 23 September. Ford Figo is the…
- Uber Picks China’s Chengdu to Introduce New Commuting Feature – Bloomberg: Usually, a driver goes to fetch a passenger requesting a ride on the car-booking app. With uberCOMMUTE, drivers will be able to find people looking…
- Ballot error causing some UAW-FCA members to revote – Detroit News: United Auto Workers are voting on a tentative four-year deal with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles