Photo: Volkswagen
Like anyone with at least an ounce of common sense, we never did buy that whole “it was only a few people who knew about the defeat device” excuse, and recent reports coming from Germany are proving us (and everybody else) right.
The most worrying fact is that Volkswagen refused to come clean even to this date, maintaining that responsibility for the whole dieselgate debacle lies with a small group of engineers.
Michael Horn (pictured), Volkswagen of America CEO, said exactly that during his sworn testimony in front of the Congress, placing the blame on “individuals” and speaking about some sort of rogue group operating outside company regulations without the management’s knowledge.
According to unspecified sources cited by German publication Der Spiegel, no less than 30 Volkswagen managers were perfectly aware of the engine fraud. If that turns out to be true, the total number of people who knew what was going on (people who could be called accomplices from now on) will grow exponentially.
Also, the fact that the EA 189 diesel engine launched in 2008 repeatedly passed emission tests in different markets without the need of expensive emission control devices, as other diesel engines have, should have made people ask questions, an unnamed VW manager is quoted as saying by the same German publication.
A full official response from Volkswagen is still on the way, but a spokesperson already denied on Wednesday the allegation that more than 30 people knew, by saying that the number was “without foundation.”
We already told you yesterday about a new possible scandal in the US involving 2016 diesel models this time, where a warm-up device for the particulate filter is still pending EPA’s decision on whether it can be considered another defeat device or not.
Volkswagen is clearly in the strings at this moment, but it really has nobody else to blame but its own greed and lack of morals. We’re still waiting to see how all this pans out, and we should get the first real taste later this week, when the new VW CEO, Matthias Muller, is expected to address the company’s management. We’ll keep you posted on this one, as after a short hiatus, the dieselgate scandal is once again becoming interesting.
Michael Horn (pictured), Volkswagen of America CEO, said exactly that during his sworn testimony in front of the Congress, placing the blame on “individuals” and speaking about some sort of rogue group operating outside company regulations without the management’s knowledge.
According to unspecified sources cited by German publication Der Spiegel, no less than 30 Volkswagen managers were perfectly aware of the engine fraud. If that turns out to be true, the total number of people who knew what was going on (people who could be called accomplices from now on) will grow exponentially.
Also, the fact that the EA 189 diesel engine launched in 2008 repeatedly passed emission tests in different markets without the need of expensive emission control devices, as other diesel engines have, should have made people ask questions, an unnamed VW manager is quoted as saying by the same German publication.
A full official response from Volkswagen is still on the way, but a spokesperson already denied on Wednesday the allegation that more than 30 people knew, by saying that the number was “without foundation.”
We already told you yesterday about a new possible scandal in the US involving 2016 diesel models this time, where a warm-up device for the particulate filter is still pending EPA’s decision on whether it can be considered another defeat device or not.
Volkswagen is clearly in the strings at this moment, but it really has nobody else to blame but its own greed and lack of morals. We’re still waiting to see how all this pans out, and we should get the first real taste later this week, when the new VW CEO, Matthias Muller, is expected to address the company’s management. We’ll keep you posted on this one, as after a short hiatus, the dieselgate scandal is once again becoming interesting.
Google News