Mazda exec: committed to selling diesel cars in US despite VW scandal

[TOKYO] Mazda Motor Corp remains committed to launching its diesel-powered cars in the United States although their introduction might be delayed in the wake of the Volkswagen emissions test-rigging scandal, a senior company executive said.

Kiyoshi Fujiwara, a Mazda managing executive officer in charge of research and development and cost innovation, said reports that the Hiroshima-based automaker had given up on diesel's potential use in cars sold in the US market because of the VW debacle were untrue. "We're committed to launching diesel-fuelled cars in the United States," Fujiwara said. But the toughened fuel-economy and emissions-testing processes "will cause a delay in plans for everybody looking to sell diesel cars in the US market. That's why we cannot say when we are going to be able to launch our diesel cars in the US market at this point," he said.

REUTERS