Volkswagen tells US dealers to stop sales of a number of 2015 diesel cars

Volkswagen has told US dealers to stop sales of a number of 2015 diesel cars after regulators found that the software Volkswagen had designed for the affected vehicles was found to give false emissions data, the company said Sunday.

Launching an investigation, the carmaker's chief executive officer Martin Winterkorn said in a statement yesterday, "I personally am deeply sorry that we have broken the trust of our customers. Volkswagen has ordered an external investigation of this matter," he said.

''The Board of Management at Volkswagen AG takes these findings very seriously. I personally am deeply sorry that we have broken the trust of our customers and the public,'' Winterkorn said. ''We will cooperate fully with the responsible agencies, with transparency and urgency, to clearly, openly, and completely establish all of the facts of this case. Volkswagen has ordered an external investigation of this matter,'' the CEO added.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said on Friday that the software deceived regulators measuring toxic emissions, adding that the carmaker could face fines of up to $18 billion as a result.

The Detroit News reported late Friday that VW dealers still had a number of 2015 diesel Jetta, Passat and Beetle cars for sale.

A VW representative yesterday confirmed the partial halt of sales of the affected vehicles but gave no numbers.

Winterkorn said, "We do not and will not tolerate violations of any kind of our internal rules or of the law," adding that the company was fully cooperating with the relevant agencies.

"There is no way to put an optimistic spin on this - this is really serious."

Later yesterday, Volkswagen announced suspension of sales in the US of 2015 and 2016 VW and Audi vehicles with 4-cylinder turbo diesel engines.

In addition to the legal and goodwill implications it now faced, Volkswagen would also now face intense legal scrutiny as it becomes the latest car company to be caught deliberately circumventing laws or regulations governing the auto industry.

The disclosure of VW's alleged wrongdoing follows only a week after General Motors agreed to pay around $900 million to settle criminal charges over faulty ignition switches which a number of GM officials disregarded for years disregarded.