10 of the formers’ administrative locations searched.
German prosecutors are tightening the noose around the Volkswagen Group, after some 160 officials conducted a raid on some 10 Porsche offices in Bavaria and Baden-Wuettemberg in relation to the manipulation and defrauding of diesel emissions regulations.
The flames around Dieselgate were reignited earlier this year when it came to light that the 3.0-litre V6, developed by Audi and used liberally throughout the greater Volkswagen Group, featured diesel emissions cheat software that ran the engine cleaner when it detected that it was being put through emissions testing procedures. As a result of that discovery, some 80,000 Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche vehicles were found to be in violation of emissions regulations, and the Porsche Macan diesel faced a stop-sale order for a time.
“The three suspects include a member of the management board, and a member of Porsche AG’s higher management. The third suspect is no longer employed at Porsche AG.” — Source
As the quote suggests, investigators are circling around three players that they feel played a key role in the defrauding of regulations. Sources told Autonews Europe that Porsche CEO Oliver Blume “is not the board member targeted by prosecutors,” though we feel that that suggests that while they’re absolving Blume of responsibility, they’re also pointing suggestively in another direction.
In addition to the ten Porsche offices, two Audi offices were also searched on the same day, names the Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm locations, as clarified by an official from the brand.
Stay tuned to CarShowroom as this story develops.
