Lawyers for 70,000 UK motorists have won the first stage of a High Court action against Volkswagen UK over the installation of emissions cheating devices in its diesel vehicles. In December the court was asked to rule whether software installed in the cars was a "defeat device" under EU rules and in a judgement on Monday, Mr Justice Waksman ruled that it was. Volkswagen said it was … [Read more...]
Diesel-gate recall, executives questioned, sales slow
It has been a bad week for German car makers and it could get worse over coming months. German prosecutors this week widened an emissions cheating probe into Volkswagen’s luxury carmaker Audi and Chief Executive Rupert Stadler is among suspects accused of fraud and false advertising. In 2015,Volkswagen admitted falsifying U.S. diesel emissions tests. Munich public prosecutor’s office said it … [Read more...]
Newslines 16 January
Fuel prices are expected to rise over the coming months. Oil production cuts are beginning to be felt in the market but China is buying more and wholesale prices have been rising since New Year. Donington Park has been leased by MotorSport Vision, headed by Jonathan Palmer. He already controls Brands Hatch, Oulton Park, Snetterton, Cadwell Park and Bedford Autodrome and is expanding into … [Read more...]
UK & six EU states face emissions penalties
The European Commission is acting against seven Member States on the grounds they have failed to fulfil their obligations under EU vehicle type approval legislation. The Commission is taking action against them for failing to set up penalties systems to deter car manufacturers from violating car emissions legislation, or not applying such sanctions where a breach of law has occurred. The … [Read more...]
Massive jobs cut by Volkswagen
Volkswagen is axing 30,000 jobs. Most will be in Germany but jobs will also go in the United States, Brazil and Argentina. Unions have agreed the packages to be offered to staff in a bid to prevent enforced redundancies as a result of the massive fines and penalties the VW Group must pay around the world for its diesel emissions falsifications. The jobs will go over the next decade but … [Read more...]
Audi will buy back “illegal” cars in US
Audi will buy back 25,000 diesel engine cars in the U.S. to compensate owners whose cars do not meet exhaust emission standards, reported German weekly Der Spiegel. Audi representatives are in talks with US authorities about fixing 85,000 cars that had engines which were passed in doctored exhaust emissions tests and says it cannot rectify the 25,000 models it will now buy back … [Read more...]
VW UK facing Government action over diesel-gate
The British government has launched an attack on the VW Group for the diesel-gate emissions scandal and revealed its considering prosecution of UK officials. The Transport Committee’s special report on VW’s initial cheating and its subsequent efforts to fix any wrongdoing was scathing and the Government will push the car maker to pay compensation to affected UK car owners. British … [Read more...]
VW is cleaning up a year after “dieselgate”
As “Dieselgate” turns one year old, a study by Transport & Environment reveals that Volkswagen is currently selling the least polluting Euro 6 diesel vehicles. Nonetheless, the marque caught cheating in the US also has the most grossly polluting Euro 5 vehicles on the road, which were sold between 2011 and 2015 . The better performance of Volkswagen Euro 6 cars has nothing to do with the … [Read more...]
Newslines 22 August
The Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Volante convertible will be built, but only 99 cars will be assembled. It echoes design elements from the 1960 DB4 and updated in the Vulcan, and all have been sold before deliveries begin next year. A very special Jaguar E-Type which starred in the BBC’s famous comedy series, Only Fools and Horses, will be offered for sale at Silverstone Auctions’ … [Read more...]
EU put pressure on VW to compensate buyers
Europe's Commissioner for Justice is working with EU consumer groups to pressure Volkswagen to compensate buyers in Europe as it has in the United States over the diesel emissions scandal. The German carmaker has pledged up to $15.3 billion to compensate 475,000 owners of VW diesel-powered cars, but has so far rejected such calls for the 8.5 million affected vehicles in Europe, where different … [Read more...]