VW scandal hits half a dozen models sold in Singapore

More than half a dozen Volkswagen (VW) models sold in Singapore are affected by the global emissions scandal that is engulfing the German motoring giant, reports The Straits Times.

Checks by The Straits Times on fuel economy data provided by the Land Transport Authority revealed that the affected models include the previous generation Volkswagen Passat 2.0TDI, Golf GTD 2.0TDI, CC 2.0TDI, Sharan 2.0TDI and Tiguan 2.0TDI.

A Volkswagen spokesman said that its 1.6-litre and 1.2-litre turbodiesel models are also affected. The company is still collating information on how many cars here face problems. Das WeltAuto - the used car division of manufacturer-owned Volkswagen Centre Singapore - meanwhile confirmed that it had sold at least three second hand VW Passat 2.0TDIs. These are fitted with the 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine that tripped up Volkswagen last week. U.S.A regulators found that some diesel VWs were programmed to go on a clean mode when they are being tested for emissions. Otherwise, the vehicles emitted as much as 35 times the declared amount of pollutants.

Soon after the news broke, VW confessed that millions of vehicles worldwide were fitted with the cheating software, leading to Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn's swift resignation on Wednesday.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) is investigating whether Volkswagen cars imported into Singapore have similar 'defeat devices', said a spokesman. NEA is consulting the European regulators and will decide whether further tests are necessary. Elsewhere, VW sister brands Audi and Skoda said none of their cars in Singapore was fitted with the emissions-cheating software.