VW to recall 2.46m German cars with illegal software

[FRANKFURT] Volkswagen will have to recall 2.46 million cars fitted with the illegal emission control software in Germany alone, newspaper Die Welt reported on Monday.

Without saying what its sources are, the newspaper said that 1.54 million German Volkswagen-branded cars needed to be fixed, as well as 531,813 of the Audi brand, another 286,970 at Skoda and 104,197 at Seat.

Volkswagen, which could not immediately be reached for comment outside regular business hours, had earlier said about 8.5 million cars will need to be fixed in Europe.

The car maker has set aside 6.7 billion euros (S$10 billion) to help cover the costs of the diesel recalls and another 2 billion euros for compensation payments related to its manipulations of carbon dioxide emission levels.

Europe's largest automaker has said it has the approval of Germany's KBA motoring watchdog for fixes for more than 90 per cent of the affected cars, including models with 1.6 litre and 2 litre engines.

Analysts have said the costs of fines, lawsuits and vehicle refits caused by VW's rigging of diesel emissions tests could top 40 billion euros.

REUTERS