Volkswagen sales bounce back in US

Lansing, Michigan

THERE were times last year when Jeff Williams wondered how his Volkswagen dealership was going to bounce back from the diesel-emissions scandal that had rocked the German automaker and badly tarnished its image in the United States.

After Volkswagen admitted that it had used illegal software to cheat on emissions tests, and the company was hit with a federal investigation and lawsuits from customers and dealers, many American consumers turned their backs on the brand.

"We literally had weeks when no one came in looking to buy - nobody," Mr Williams recalled. "I had four salespeople. I had to cut d…