[Astleviz]

Winterkorn may get upto 65 million $ as severance compensation. The actual amount may vary depending on how the supervisory board characterizes his exit.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/former-v...off-1443103501

[RavenAvi]

Volkswagen UK's chief has admitted that the "cheat device" installed on Volkswagen cars had affected the results of emission tests in Europe.

He also elaborated that the fixes to the UK version of the 1.6L diesel engines won't need a separate urea tank, and the remaining 2.0L & 1.2L diesel engines can be fixed by software reprogramming and patches only.

When asked during a 45-minute grilling from MPs on the transport select committee if the defeat device had been used during type approval testing for the UK, Willis admitted:

"It seems from what I understand - and I'm not an engineer - that the system of gas regulation in the engine influenced the NOx output in cars that we sell in the UK. These cars are type approved across all of Europe, of course, and they're type approved in Germany, with separate people overlooking it.
"We mishandled the situation in so far as our engines behaved differently within the testing regime to the real world. That's why we need to fix the cars, that's why we need to get the customers in, and that's why we need to put the cars right. We mishandled the situation, without a shadow of a doubt. "It seems that in the test regime the engine behaved differently to the real-world situation via software. The software affected the flow of gas to the engine which reduced the NOx."

Of the 1.2 million affected cars in the UK, Willis said 400,000 - believed to be those with the 1.6-litre version of the EA189 diesel engine - would need additional corrective work beyond a software upgrade, including new fuel injectors, and that this would "take a longer period of time".

"My understanding is that the addition of urea tanks is not part of the solution in Europe," he stated. "There's a different technical configuration on the cars and different technical regulations apply. My understanding is that the costs are different, too."

While details on the technical fix Volkswagen will use to correct the affected cars remain limited, Willis said that customers should notice no difference in fuel economy once the fix has been applied. "Our engineers are working to the brief that there cannot be any change in miles per gallon," he said.

ACI

[dark.knight]

Originally Posted by Astleviz

Winterkorn may get upto 65 million $ as severance compensation.The actual amount may vary depending on how the supervisory board characterizes his exit.

A well deserved pay-out, how could his life possibly go on without the 420 odd crores (in Rupees) he is about to receive for being the martyr of what is supposedly, a two-man illegal software tweak job in the lowest rungs of the technical department.

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

Volkswagen UK's chief has admitted that the "cheat device" installed on Volkswagen cars had affected the results of emission tests in Europe

Thanks for the regular updates RavenAvi. Here's my problem & I'm looking only at the actuals, so far Volkswagen hasn't yet clarified or even spoken at length about the reasons why this tweak was implemented. Yes there were more than a few apologies & direct admission of guilt, but if we look closer it somehow feels like it is too hurried given the scale of such misrepresentation. I'm learning each day that increasingly, cars are becoming electronic machines and less mechanical.

This is the fact, its far easier to create any programming by software discreetly, than it would be to do so mechanically. Nowadays we have high-end cars and even segments lower than that, having multiple driving modes. What can stop them from creating a very clean-green Eco Driving Mode, but everything changes when its in Sport Mode? What can stop owners from remapping their cars after driving it out of the factory? The reason I'm raising such points is not to find various reasons on which to put the blame, but to find out a logical-consistency to the emissions regulations. VW mis-used a loophole, no one can deny that. However now all that's being done is mere whitewashing.. soon VW will say we emerged strong out of the crises by undoing all the erroneous programming, VW owners will rejoice & appreciate their honesty (even though admissions came only after American regulations caught them lock, stock & barrel) & then movies & case studies would be made on how to economically recover from the trickiest situations. Other sterling examples include Union Carbide, Exxon Mobil & BP.

What happens to the environment in the meanwhile? My guess is combined with refinery industries, thermal power generation, the continued usage of diesel itself (in cars of all brands, trucks, heavy machinery & power generators) the ecosystem will continue to take a beating increasingly by the year. The only solution - drastic reduction of consumption of such energy resources as a whole rather than relying on mere "software" as a balancing mechanism.

[MavericK46]

Not sure if this has been shared earlier, but here's the link anyway:
- http://www.wsj.com/articles/at-volks...rns-1444064101

His return to the Wolfsburg plant and specifically, the way in which he arrived as described in the link above indicates that he is now effectively Numero Uno.. Again...

Cheers !

Sundar

[volkman10]

VW's future is electric: emissions scandal prompts new direction.

In the wake of the wide-reaching emissions scandal, the VW-Group Board of Management has today revealed major changes in the group's future product portfolio. There will be "streamlined processes" to cut costs, and the development of modular electric car platforms

the next Phaeton, designed as the brand's 'halo' car for technology, will be a pure-electric drive luxury saloon with "long-distance capability, connectivity and next-generation assistance systems". It'll inspire a full range of plug-ins, high-volume electric vehicles with 185-mile range and 48-volt mild hybrids.

Despite the commitment to electric tech VW will push forward with petrol and diesel engines, pledging to improve efficiency further. AdBlue tech will become mandatory across European and North American models, while petrol and CNG concepts will be developed further

The strategy changes also focus on improving cost efficiency, following the massive share price drop the firm suffered after admitting to rigging emissions tests in the US. Investments will be reduced by €1bn a year, with the core product range taking a priority. This could mean loss-making projects, such as next-generation Bugatti Veyron, could take a back seat

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/volkswa...-new-direction

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by volkman10

VW's future is electric: emissions scandal prompts new direction.

Here's the statement that VAG themselves have put out: http://www.volkswagenag.com/content/...Effizienz.html

Also, talk about putting the cart before the horse. Strategic directions just 4 weeks after the scandal broke? And from the CEO for the Volkswagen Brand Board of Management, no less.

This reads more like a statement to appease and calm stakeholders that VAG are looking at the future.

The following part cracked me up:

Diesel vehicles will only be equipped with exhaust emissions systems that use the best environmental technology

So, they're going to put in better software that doesn't get them caught?

[msprabhakar]

Originally Posted by Astleviz

Winterkorn may get upto 65 million $ as severance compensation. The actual amount may vary depending on how the supervisory board characterizes his exit.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/former-v...off-1443103501

Perfect example for how money can't buy you sleep...

[RavenAvi]

More trouble for the Volkswagen group in the form of a new disclosure which states that additional suspect software exists in its 2016 diesel models that would potentially help it's car exhaust systems run cleaner during government tests!

Volkswagen confirmed to The Associated Press that the "auxiliary emissions control device" at issue operates differently than the "defeat" device software included in the company's 2009 to 2015 models disclosed last month. That disclosure triggered the worldwide cheating scandal engulfing the world's largest automaker.

The issue with the 2016 vehicles was first disclosed last week to Environmental Protection Agency and California regulators. The new software makes a pollution-control catalyst heat up faster, improving the device's performance in separating smog-causing nitrogen oxide into harmless gases.

ET Auto


The Chairman of Volkswagen Group's Skoda Auto division, Dr Winfried Vahland, has resigned from his position. An official statement confirms that Dr Vahland is leaving the company at his own request.

The company further informed that Vahland is leaving the company at his own request, and this decision is not related to the emissions scandal issue.

Vahland will therefore not be taking up the position of overall responsibility for the North American Region.

He began his work in Volkswagen Group in 1990, and was appointed Chairman of the Board of Management of Skoda in 2010.

ET Auto


At least 30 Volkswagen Group managers were involved in the "cheat" device incident, according to a report by German magazine Spiegel citing internal and external investigations.

ET Auto


Mercedes-Benz gives a clean chit to diesel technology and advances made in it, despite the emissions scandal in which the Volkswagen Group has found itself in.

"This scandal has nothing to do with the performance (of diesel car sales)... I don't believe that (scandal) is a reason to question capabilities and technical advances of what you can do with diesel," Mercedes-Benz India MD and CEO Roland Folger told reporters here.

When asked if sales have been affected by the scandal, he said: "We at Mercedes have not seen any impact on our diesel sales at all."

Folger, who took over as new Mercedes-Benz India head earlier this month, said he expects the company to continue reporting good growth in the Indian market.

The company reported sales of 10,079 units in India during January-September this year, which is almost the entire volume it sold in 2014.

ET Auto

[shyn]

Apparently Leonardo di Caprio and Paramount will together be producing a movie on the Dieselgate scandal. The movie is to be based on a book being written by a journalist who has been following the story since the beginning.
Source: http://m.autoevolution.com/volkswage...ie-100920.html
About time the movie industry cashed in on it like the press has been doing until now!

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by shyn

Apparently Leonardo di Caprio and Paramount will together be producing a movie on the Dieselgate scandal. The movie is to be based on a book being written by a journalist who has been following the story since the beginning.

Apparently Leonardo DiCaprio owns only a Toyota Prius and is actively involved in sorting issues for a cleaner environment. Did not know that.

So he was the logical choice for Paramount to tie up with. Would be good if he stars in it also.

[rselva]

It appears that cheating is systemic in VW. The 2016 diesel models had undisclosed auxiliary emissions control device which makes a pollution-control catalyst heat up faster, improving performance of the device that separates smog-causing nitrogen oxide into nitrogen and oxygen gases.

The delay means that thousands of 2016 Beetles, Golfs and Jettas will remain quarantined in US ports until a fix can be developed, approved and implemented. Diesel versions of the Passat sedan manufactured at the company’s plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, also are on hold.

Source

[volkman10]

VW ordered to recall 2.4 million cars in Germany with cheat software.

Germany's federal transport authority, the KBA, will force Volkswagen to recall 2.4 million vehicles in the country affected by the automaker's software that can cheat emissions tests.

The KBA has rejected a proposal by VW under which owners of the affected diesel cars could voluntarily bring in their cars for fixes.

http://europe.autonews.com/article/2...autonews-blast

[csnanjappa]

Does anyone have any idea why the VW shares are doing well , they are up nearly 25% from lows which was three weeks ago when the news came out .

[StarScream]

Originally Posted by rselva

It appears that cheating is systemic in VW. The 2016 diesel models had undisclosed auxiliary emissions control device which makes a pollution-control catalyst heat up faster, improving performance of the device that separates smog-causing nitrogen oxide into nitrogen and oxygen gases.

Source

Am I missing something here? Heating up a catalytic converter so that it works better and sooner can't be a bad thing?

[rselva]

Originally Posted by StarScream

Am I missing something here? Heating up a catalytic converter so that it works better and sooner can't be a bad thing?

Apparently it works only in test mode which is why VW did not disclose it during the EPA certification (It is required by law to disclose such devices). In fact, VW withdrew application for 2016 engines approval.