Volkswagen isn’t the only company under fire for dieselgate. Now Audi — the Volkswagen Group’s luxury brand — is under scrutiny, too.
Specifically, German prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into the high-end carmaker in its hometown of Ingolstadt.
According to Bloomberg, investigators are specifically looking for individuals responsible for the VW Group’s emissions-cheating software included on the group’s 2.0-liter diesel engines, which affeced as many as 2.1 million Audis world-wide. So far, however, prosecutors have not identified any suspects.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identified the Volkswagen Group’s 3.0-liter V6 diesel engines of also violating emissions laws. Volkswagen denies, however that these engines, which were most prevalent in Audi models in the States, were fitted with emissions-cheating “defeat devices.”
Despite that, the very next day, VW admitted at least 800,000 additional European models — separate from the 11 million previously recognized — are guilty of emissions “irregularities.”
The Group estimates these additionally identified vehicles will cost it $2.19 billion. Though it didn’t indicate where that figure came from, it’s likely its a combination of fines, lawsuits and recalls.
Previously, Volkswagen had announced it was setting aside $7.3 billion in order to cover the fallout from dieselgate. Since things have escalated quickly and now Automotive News is reporting the group is seeking a short-term $2.15 billion loan from several banks.
The company has said it doesn’t need the money but will use it as a cushion. Whatever the reason, the loan and the newly opened Audi criminal investigation indicates the scandal is far from over.
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Source: Mashable