BMW denies report about emissions manipulations

In France, where diesel is particularly popular, the share dropped to 58% this year from 77.3% in 2008, largely because the new regulations led manufacturers to abandon diesel for smaller models. Volkswagen’s TDIs had built up a foothold in the mainstream-priced segment, but that company’s four-cylinder TDIs were pulled from the market on MOnday this week until regulators enforce a fix to their emission-control systems. The council is the entity that tipped off the EPA to investigate the discrepancy in the emissions that Volkswagen and Audi vehicles were producing on the road vs.in the lab.

BMW has issued an official response, stating it did not “manipulate or rig any emissions tests” and claimed it was not familiar with the test mentioned by Auto Bild magazine. “Clear, binding specifications and processes are in place through all phases of development at the BMW Group in order to avoid wrongdoing“.

Volkswagen’s name was omitted because the advocacy group says its policy is to not comment on specific cases or circumstances involving individual companies and enforcement actions by the government, but the reference is clearly in reponse to Volkswagen.

A much smaller number pass the test and the coloured in dots show the average emissions for each vehicle category are all non-compliant. If it in fact fails to meet standards, it is likely other vehicles also fall short. In those tests, the X5, also produced in Spartanburg County, and 13 other BMW types tested at or below the emissions standards.

Automakers are said to charge the car’s battery before a test, deduct 4 percent from each test result and use incorrect laboratory settings for the inertia of the vehicle.

The German Green Party said ministers knew in the summer about Volkswagen rigging emissions tests but that “tricks and deceits” were “accepted with a wink”. The new test is meant to bridge the gap between testing and real-life driving.

Their suspicions were aroused because, while emissions standards for cars have been growing more stringent in Europe, where diesel cars are far more popular, scientists were not seeing parallel improvements in urban air quality. Long Story ShortLike the Volkswagens before it, one diesel model of a BMW has badly failed emissions testing, sparking concerns, real or imagined, other automakers might be cheating.

Volkswagen, which installed software in millions of cars that rigged tests created to limit noxious vehicle fumes blamed for respiratory diseases and global pollution, faces criminal and regulatory investigations, a hefty fine and public outrage. The CEO Mr. Winterkorn had to step down from his position, on account of pressures from all segments.

“If we can with some certainty establish that we, as investors, were misled by the company, and that has affected our returns, then I cannot rule out that we would seek compensation from the company“, one of Volkswagen’s top investors in Europe told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.