VW says will quit world rallying championship in 2017

[BERLIN] Volkswagen said it will pull out of the world rally championship at the end of the season in 2017 as part of a strategic shift to help overcome its emissions scandal.

"The VW brand is facing tremendous challenges," VW brand R&D chief Frank Welsch said on Wednesday, citing the carmaker's push into zero-emission technology.

Top executives and labour leaders are aiming to agree a cost-cutting plan and strategy for the VW brand's operations in Germany in time for a meeting of the carmaker's supervisory board on Nov 18 to ratify future spending plans.

The decision follows a similar move by VW's luxury flagship Audi which last week announced it was pulling out of the World Endurance Championship and the Le Mans 24 Hours race.

REUTERS