The long-running Dieselgate saga looks to have been finally settled in the UK after the parties reach an out of court agreement for £193 million.
The litigation, which was brought against Volkswagen by three separate law firms, on behalf of 91,000 clients in relation to the Emissions Scandal.
The German car manufacturer has been facing court cases across the globe after being found to have installed software which activated during laboratory emissions tests to trick the test into thinking the vehicles passed nitrogen oxide standards, when actually the levels were up to 40 times higher when the vehicles were driven on the roads. It is thought that the software was fitted to 11 million vehicles globally.
“The Volkswagen Group would, once again, like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologise to their customers for the two mode software installed in the EA189 vehicles,” a VW statement said following the agreement.
“The Volkswagen Group will continue to work to rebuild the trust of their customers here in England and Wales. This settlement represents an important further stage in that process.”
Bozena Michalowska and Shazia Yamin, lead solicitors at Leigh Day, said: “We are pleased that Volkswagen has repeated its sincere apology for the use of the prohibited two mode software.
“We are delighted that this case has finally been settled for our clients and the claimants in the NOx emissions litigation. We have been unwavering in our belief in our clients’ case, that is why we have fought long and hard for this outcome. We are clear that it was in the interest of our clients to settle this early.”