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In just a week the VW emissions scandal has wiped a third of the carmakers
value and become a bigger threat to the German economy than the Greek
debt crisis
Friday 18 September
Volkswagen is told to recall 482,000 cars in the US after it is caught
deploying sophisticated software to cheat emissions tests and allow its cars
to produce up to 40 times more pollution than allowed. The Environment
Protection Agency claims VW installed defeat devices, meaning the cars only
cut their nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution during certification tests. Its
investigation was prompted by research by the International Council on
Clean Technology (ICCT), which had finally forced VW to admit its actions.
Sunday 20 September
VW starts showing some contrition, promising to launch an investigation of
its own. Chief executive Martin Winterkorn says: I personally am deeply
sorry that we have broken the trust of our customers and the public. We do
not and will not tolerate violations of any kind of our internal rules or of the
law.
Monday 21 September
The noxious stench of faked emissions tests spreads to Europe and the
Frankfurt stock exchange.
VW presses ahead with a glitzy product launch in New York that features
Lenny Kravitz singing and an accompanying appearance on stage from US
chief executive Michael Horn, who declares: We have totally screwed up.
Tuesday 22 September
The morning after the party, the headache grows. Volkswagen now admits
there are 11m cars worldwide fitted with its defeat devices. The numbers
could mean that VWs diesels have pumped out as much as 900,000 tonnes
of extra NOx emissions a year about 25 times more than the UKs
controversial Drax power station with huge implications for public health.
Analysts start talking about a Libor moment for the motor industry, and
speculate on the uncertain future of diesel cars.
Shares in other carmakers slip: Peugeot is down 7%, with BMW and Daimler,
the owner of Mercedes-Benz, having 5% wiped off their value
Wednesday 23 September
Winterkorn finally bows to the inevitable and falls on his sword, protesting he
was not aware of any wrongdoing on my part. He walks away with a 28m
pension pot.
Lawyers start to circle: several class-action lawsuits are filed in the US and
Canada, with UK firms saying they are preparing for similar cases here on
behalf of VW owners. Criminal investigations are launched by the US Justice
Department, while German public prosecutors consider the merits of a case.
VW establishes a special committee to investigate, warning that heads will
roll.
Rival carmakers insist that VW is an isolated case. But criticism deepens over
how much governments knew, and when, about true NOx emissions from
diesel engines compared with test results in the motor industry.
It also emerges that Germany was aware of defeat devices and that Britain,
France and Germany had lobbied to dilute proposed real-world emissions
tests for diesel engines, now delayed until at least 2017
Top German economists warn that the VW scandal could jeopardise the
countrys growth, and could now be a bigger problem for the wider German
economy than Greeces debt.
BMW shares take a further hit after transport campaigners claim their diesels
also far exceed emissions limits in real-world tests.
Friday 25 September
Volkswagen unveils its new boss, Matthias Mller, formerly head of its
Porsche division. The carmaker then blames the emissions scandal on a
small group of people and says a small number of unnamed staff have
been suspended.
Rival car manufacturers angrily rebut claims they they employed similar
methods, the EPA promises to up its game on the testing of cars, and the
UK government insists it had not been given enough information to act on
misleading test results.
Volkswagen scandal - tujuh hari yang menggegarkan pembuat kereta Jerman
Jumaat 18 September
Ahad 20 September
VW mula dipaparkan beberapa penyesalan, berjanji untuk menjalankan siasatan
sendiri. Ketua Eksekutif Martin Winterkorn berkata: "Saya secara peribadi amat
maaf bahawa kita telah melanggar kepercayaan dari pelanggan-pelanggan kami
dan orang ramai. Kita tidak pernah dan tidak akan bertolak ansur dengan
pelanggaran apa-apa jenis peraturan dalaman kami atau undang-undang. "
Isnin 21 September
Bau berbahaya ujian pelepasan dipalsukan merebak ke Eropah - dan bursa saham
Frankfurt.
Dalam masa beberapa minit pembukaan pasaran pada pagi Isnin, kira-kira 15
bilion ( 11bn) dilap off harga saham VW. Kerajaan Jerman memberi amaran bahawa
skandal VW itu menjejaskan reputasi keseluruhan industri automotif Jerman.
Selasa 22 September
Pagi selepas parti itu, sakit kepala tumbuh. Volkswagen kini mengakui terdapat 11m
kereta di seluruh dunia dilengkapi dengan peranti kekalahan. Nombor boleh
bermakna bahawa diesel VW telah dipam keluar sebanyak 900,000 tan pelepasan
NOx tambahan setahun - kira-kira 25 kali lebih daripada stesen kuasa Drax
kontroversi di UK - dengan implikasi yang besar bagi kesihatan awam.
Penganalisis mula bercakap tentang "Libor masa" bagi industri motor, dan membuat
spekulasi mengenai masa depan yang tidak menentu kereta diesel.
Saham pembuat kereta lain tergelincir: Peugeot adalah turun 7%, dengan BMW dan
Daimler, pemilik Mercedes-Benz, mempunyai 5% dihilangkan dari nilai mereka
Rabu 23 September
Winterkorn akhirnya menundukkan kepala kepada yang tidak dapat dielakkan dan
jatuh pedangnya, membantah beliau "tidak mengetahui tentang sebarang salah
laku di pihak saya". Dia berjalan jauh dengan 28m periuk pencen.
Peguam mula bulatan: beberapa tuntutan class action difailkan di Amerika Syarikat
dan Kanada, dengan syarikat UK berkata mereka sedang membuat persediaan
untuk kes yang serupa di sini bagi pihak pemilik VW. penyiasatan jenayah
dilancarkan oleh Jabatan Keadilan Amerika Syarikat, manakala Jerman Pendakwa
Raya mempertimbangkan merit kes. VW menetapkan satu jawatankuasa khas untuk
menyiasat, memberi amaran bahawa pihak yang akan dipertanggungjawabkan.
pembuat kereta Rival menegaskan bahawa VW adalah kes terpencil. Tetapi kritikan
mendalami atas berapa banyak kerajaan tahu, dan apabila, kira-kira pelepasan NOx
benar dari enjin diesel berbanding dengan keputusan ujian dalam industri motor.
Ia juga muncul bahawa Jerman menyedari peranti kekalahan dan Britain, Perancis
dan Jerman telah melobi untuk mencairkan dicadangkan ujian pelepasan dunia
sebenar untuk enjin diesel, kini ditangguhkan sehingga sekurang-kurangnya 2017
Top ekonomi Jerman memberi amaran bahawa skandal VW yang boleh menjejaskan
pertumbuhan negara, dan kini boleh menjadi masalah yang lebih besar untuk
ekonomi Jerman yang lebih luas daripada hutang Greece.
saham BMW mengambil hit lanjut selepas kempen pengangkutan menuntut diesel
mereka juga jauh melebihi had pelepasan dalam ujian dunia sebenar.
Jumaat 25 September