Dieselgate: VW exec bloodbath continues
Four new execs, including Audi's R&D chief and Porsche’s powertrain boss, face the chop as scandal deepensUPDATED: See latest story above.
More executives will be forced to go as Volkswagen Group frantically cleans up its act, following the wake of the 'Dieselgate' scandal, according to new reports.
Audi’s R&D boss Ulrich Hackenberg and Porsche powertrain chief, Wolfgang Hatz, are both expected to resign this evening (our time) following a Supervisory Board meeting, says German newspaper Bild.
Newswire Reuters is also reporting that US boss Michael Horn will also go as part of the Dieselgate cull.
The final executive who will be sacrificed on Friday, according to German newspaper Spiegel, will be VW brand development chief Heinz-Jakob Neusser, clearing the way for US investigators to do their work.
Neusser, Hackenberg, Hatz and Winterkorn (who resigned yesterday) were the four senior executives within Volkswagen in charge when the auto-maker rigged the US diesel emissions.
All are expected to follow Winterkorn’s lead by accepting responsibility, but pleading no knowledge of wrongdoing during their time in charge.
Friday is also the day when the Volkswagen board is expected to announce the appointment of Matthias Mueller as its new CEO of the Volkswagen Group.
Currently, Mueller heads up Porsche but he was the VW Group’s former head product strategist -- although not thought to have been involved with any of the models affected.
Dieselgate related reading
Müller locked in as Volkswagen CEO
BMW forced to deny emissions rigging
Volkswagen boss Winterkorn to go as crisis spreads
Dieselgate worsens, 11m vehicles could be affected
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