Volkswagen emissions scandal: United Kingdom managing director Paul willis said “VW has”

We need completely independent tests that look at all sorts of detail, like Euro NCAP, which uses real-world testing.

What Willis did do is confirm that around a third of the 1.2 million VW cars in the United Kingdom – which VW started selling in 2008 – affected by the emissions scam – 583,000 VWs, 393,000 Audis, 132,000 Skodas and 77,000 Seats – would need more than a software fix, meaning at least 400,000 cars will require new fuel injectors. “The software affected the flow of gas to the engine which reduced the NOx”.

Willis said the performance of vehicles should not be affected by the repairs, although he declined to rule it out entirely: “The brief that our engineers are working to is that there can’t be any change in miles per gallon”. What should customers do?

Engines should be fixed by the end of next year, although there is “some risk” of that target being missed, said Mr Willis. “I think everybody finds it hard to believe it was just one or two rogue engineers”, he said. About 11 million vehicles worldwide will have to be recalled to have the software issue resolved.

Willis told Louise Ellman, the chair of the parliamentary committee, that the first recalls of the faulty models will take place in the first quarter of 2016.

For the first time, VW said models did cheat the EU-type approved test – different to the U.S. test the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found VW cheating in September. And the company moved to cease sales of the affected cars once his firm knew precisely which ones were affected.

Mueller, who became CEO less than two weeks ago when Martin Winterkorn resigned over the scandal, said the cars have different transmissions and country-specific designs.

Willis has promised that the VW Group will speak to Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs to discuss any tax payments on vehicles that may need to be made the wake of the dieselgate scandal.

VW treated consumers like a “pack of fools” MPs told Mr Willis, who said the company had “mishandled the situation, without a shadow of a doubt” and “apologised sincerely and unreserved”.

Those with the larger 2L engine would only need a software fix. How will this affect me?

In a pre-prepared statement Mr Willis delivered a carefully-worded apology to those affected.

Will Volkswagen be fined in the UK?

He continued: “I’m not trying to trivialise what we’re talking about here”. But, he warned, under the right circumstances, “the secretary of state can prosecute”.

Previously, the German manufacturer has only confirmed that the software-based emissions cheat was present on a few vehicles in Europe – and has not outlined whether the defeat device was active during the NEDC emissions test used across the EU.

“It is fairly unbelievable to think that a company of the size and reputation of VW has been doing something like this”.

“I think they are going to suffer very substantial damage as a result of it and they deserve to, quite honestly”.