VW "Clean Diesels" not so clean: VW cheated on emissions tests

[Bill USA]

VW cheated on U.S. pollution tests for 'clean diesels'
http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-volkswagen-probe-20150918-story.html

Volkswagen called them “clean diesels,” branding them as the fun-to-drive alternatives to hybrids as it dominated the U.S. market for the engine technology..

Turns out the increasingly eco-conscious buyers of the sporty German cars have been unwittingly pumping smog into the air — because of software VW installed to cheat on U.S. emissions tests.

The world’s largest automaker has admitted selling 482,000 such diesels since 2009, California and U.S. regulators announced Friday. The scandal could cost the company billions of dollars in fines and lawsuit judgments and threatens to stunt the development of all diesel vehicles.

VW’s software trick allows the cars to emit up to 40 times the legally allowed amount of nitrogen oxide, environmental officials said. The automaker will have to recall all the vehicles and modify the emissions systems at its own expense, regulators said. Additionally it could face a fine of about $18 billion, or $37,500 per car, federal environmental officials said.
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Volkswagen Halts U.S. Sales of Certain Diesel Cars
http://www.wsj.com/articles/volkswagen-ceo-apologizes-after-epa-accusations-1442754877

Volkswagen AG ’s crisis over allegedly cheating on U.S. emissions tests deepened, with the German auto maker halting American sales of popular diesel-powered cars and issuing a sweeping apology for violating customers’ trust.

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The company could face billions of dollars in fines and the crisis could further weaken Volkswagen Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn’s position. He narrowly survived efforts by a major shareholder to oust him earlier this year and was passed over for the chairman’s job, the company’s top post, this month.

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A Volkswagen spokesman on Sunday said the auto maker halted the sale of all 2015 and 2016 models containing the four-cylinder 2.0 liter TDI engine. The EPA investigation affects cars sold since 2008. The company hasn’t issued a recall, the spokesman said.

Realization that Volkswagen may have cheated to get better emissions results could undermine its U.S. recovery and further weaken its shares, which are down 37% from their peak on March 16, said analysts.
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