2:34 pm, September 28, 2015
AUDI has revealed that the diesel engines in 2.01 million of its vehicles worldwide feature the emissions-cheating software that landed parent company Volkswagen in crisis last week.
The software, which activates pollution controls during tests but turns them off when the car is on the road, was originally found to be in VW diesel engines in the US by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Following an investigation, Audi has announced that 1.42 million of its vehicles in western Europe are affected, with a further 577,000 in Germany, and almost 13,000 in America. The models that host the affected engines include the A1, A3, A4, A5, A6, TT, Q3 and Q5.
The revelation by an Audi spokesperson came less than a week after Volkswagen admitted that 11 million of its diesel cars – including VW, Audi, Seat and Skoda models – were fitted with the software.
German prosecutors have now begun an investigation against former Volkswagen chief executive Martin Winterkorn, in order to establish whether he played a role in the emissions-rigging scandal.
Winterkorn had been in the role for almost nine years before he quit last week, but claimed to have no knowledge of the emissions-manipulating software.
MORE ON VW SCANDAL:
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Government was warned about emissions testing
Department for Transport launches emissions investigation
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Skoda, Seat and Audi dealers braced for bad news
UK businesses hit by ripple effect
Biggest UK lawsuit could be on the cards
VW just tip of the iceberg amid claims tests are open to abuse
