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Ron Burgundy
The chief executive of Volkswagen has apologised and halted sales of some diesel cars in the US after regulators uncovered software allegedly designed to give false exhaust emissions data.
The scandal came to light on Friday when the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it had uncovered a "defeat device" that turned on emission controls when a vehicle was undergoing an emissions test.
It claimed that when cars were on the road during normal operations with the device turned off, the cars emitted as much as 40 times the level of pollutants allowed under US law.
The allegations affect 482,000 diesel cars sold in the US, including the 2009-15 Jetta, Beetle, Audi A3 and Golf, and the 2014-15 Passat.
The EPA said that under its rules, VW could face a fine of up to $18bn (£11.6bn).
The car firm's chief executive Martin Winterkorn said: "I personally am deeply sorry that we have broken the trust of our customers and the public.
"We will cooperate fully with the responsible agencies, with transparency and urgency, to clearly, openly, and completely establish all of the facts of this case. Volkswagen has ordered an external investigation of this matter.
"We do not and will not tolerate violations of any kind of our internal rules or of the law.
"The trust of our customers and the public is and continues to be our most important asset.
"We at Volkswagen will do everything that must be done in order to re-establish the trust that so many people have placed in us, and we will do everything necessary in order to reverse the damage this has caused."
The company's share price fell 14% on opening on Monday as investors fretted over the possibility of a big fine and an impact on sales.
The motor industry signalled that this was likely an isolated case but agreed the emission testing systems in Europe were not perfect amid suggestions they did not truly reflect road conditions.
Mike Hawes, the chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said: "The EU operates a fundamentally different system to the US - with all European tests performed in strict conditions as required by EU law and witnessed by a government-appointed independent approval agency.
“There is no evidence that manufacturers cheat the cycle. Vehicles are removed from the production line randomly and must be standard production models, certified by the relevant authority - the UK body being the Vehicle Certification Agency, which is responsible to the Department for Transport.
"The industry acknowledges, however, that the current test method is outdated and is seeking agreement from the European Commission for a new emissions test that embraces new testing technologies and is more representative of on-road conditions."
Source: Sky News