Volkswagen Prepares For Recalls & Cuts Amid Emissions Scandal

Volkswagen is getting ready for vehicle recalls and massive cuts, which CEO Matthias Muller says, will be necessary as a result of costs associated with the ongoing emissions scandal.

The automaker has admitted to inserting software into 11 million diesel cars around the world with the intention of fooling regulators into believing that the vehicles were compliant with emissions standards.

According to the Car and Driver blog, Muller singled out Bugatti by saying that every model and every brand would be reconsidered in the light of their contribution to the bottom line.

He also added that fixes for the emissions-cheating diesel cars could lower their top speed. Muller said that is something that must be done in order to meet the emission targets.

VW Will Not Buy Back Vehicles

Millions of vehicles are expected to be recalled starting in January 2016. But that does not include the United States where no timetable has been set. Muller has said that VW will complete the vehicle fixes globally by the end of 2016.

Meanwhile, Michael Horn, CEO of Volkswagen USA testified before Congress Thursday.

He said for the first time that the automaker would fix 482,000 U.S. diesel cars involved in the scandal, but wouldn’t buy them back from consumers and legislators have suggested. Horn did say that the company is considering compensating owners for lost value.

He said the automaker will repair cars through a combination of hardware and software changes. Still, Horn could not give a timeline for the repairs because the oldest models, which date back to 2009, will require significant hardware changes.

It could take years to repair all the vehicles due to the complicated repairs that will be needed, Horn said.

Consumers Shortchanged

Several consumers have filed class action lawsuits nationwide against Volkswagen. We certainly hope U.S. regulators hold Volkswagen accountable for what is a brazen and fraudulent act. Not only has the automaker pulled wool over the eyes of federal regulators, but they have shortchanged their customers and lied to them.

It’s unacceptable.

If you own one of these cars, you’re probably stuck like everyone else. You won’t be able to sell or do anything with it until it’s fixed, and that could take more than a year.

If you are interested in taking action against Volkswagen, contact an experienced California class action lawyer to obtain more information about your rights and options.