OTTAWA: Volkswagen Canada Inc. has halted sales of vehicles equipped with diesel engines in Canada amid reports that U.S. emissions tests were manipulated to fool U.S. regulators.
Golf, Jetta and Beetle cars from the 2009-2015 model years are equipped with the same diesel engines as the U.S. vehicles, as were Passat cars from the 2012 and 2013 model years, Volkswagen Canada spokesman Thomas Tetzlaff said Monday.
“We have issued a stop sale notice to our dealers in Canada for the affected vehicles, so they can’t sell them,” Mr. Tetzlaff said. The affected vehicles have not, however, been recalled.
The 2.0-litre diesel engine affected is offered only as an option on Audi A3 cars in Canada. Audi, the luxury division of Volkswagen, has stopped offering that engine as an option, Audi Canada spokesman Cort Nielsen said.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said last week that software for Volkswagen and Audi cars equipped with diesel engines deceived regulators measuring toxic emissions.
Volkswagen shares plummeted 20 per cent Monday in reaction to the controversy.
Martin Winterkorn, chief executive officer of Volkswagen AG, said in a statement Monday that he is “deeply sorry that we have broken the trust of our customers and the public.”
The auto maker will co-operate with regulatory agencies and has ordered its own internal investigation, Dr. Winterkorn said.
“We do not and will not tolerate violations of any kind of our internal rules or of the law,” the statement said.
Canadian regulators do not independently test vehicles to make sure they are meeting requirements, but relies on tests performed by the EPA.
Mr. Tetzlaff said Volkswagen Canada is co-operating with the EPA and has informed Canadian regulators of the situation.
About 22 per cent of the vehicles Volkswagen sells in Canada are equipped with diesel engines, Mr. Tetzlaff said.
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