Berlin: Dutch Volkswagen dealers are halting the sale of diesel cars that may be affected by the German automaker's emissions-rigging scandal.
Pon, the Dutch importer of Volkswagens, Audis, SEATs and Skodas, said in a statement that the temporary sales halt applies to 4,100 cars that its dealers still have in stock.
The company said Monday the decision comes "in anticipation of full clarity from the manufacturer Volkswagen AG about a solution to the problems with these engines."
Pon says the cars affected all have "Euro 5 diesel engines of the type EA189."
Volkswagen said last week that 11 million vehicles worldwide contain software involved in the emissions-rigging scandal, and later added that 5 million of those were cars were produced by its core VW brand. The group hasn't yet given a full listing of what cars were involved.
Czech carmaker Skoda Auto, which belongs to Volkswagen AG, says 1.2 million of its vehicles had the engine that manipulated emissions data. Skoda Auto spokesman Jozef Balaz told Czech public television on Monday that Volkswagen plans to recall all those cars and will cover the cost.
Volkswagen previously said 11 million vehicles worldwide contain software involved in the emissions-rigging scandal.
Meanwhile, German prosecutors have opened an investigation against former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn in the company's emissions-rigging scandal.
The investigation would concentrate on the suspicion of fraud committed through the sale of vehicles with manipulated emissions data. It added that the probe aims to establish who was responsible. Prosecutors have received a number of criminal complaints in the case, including one from Volkswagen itself that doesn't name any suspects.
Volkswagen said last week that 11 million vehicles worldwide contain software involved in the emissions-rigging scandal, and later added that 5 million of those were cars were produced by its core VW brand. The group hasn't yet given a full listing of what cars were involved.
A European environmental organization says it has found some new models of Mercedes, Volkswagens, BMWs and other new cars consume much more gasoline than lab tests claim.
The organization, Transport & Environment, said Monday it had found no proof the cars are equipped with the same sort of "defeat devices" installed on diesel-powered Volkswagens to enable them to cheat on emissions tests.
But the group called on European Union governments to broaden their probes into the "defeat devices" to cover gasoline cars as well.
Transport & Environment said according to its research, the gap between lab test results for fuel economy and real-world performance rose last year to 40 per cent on average, from 8 per cent in 2001.
It said the difference for Mercedes A, C and E class models is over 50 per cent.
The company has set aside $7.3 billion to pay for the scandal.
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