VW offers goodwill gesture in US
Motorists in the US affected by the Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal have been offered a goodwill gesture.
VW’s offer will see customers in America receive vouchers and gift cards worth $1,000. In addition, the 482,000 motorists will be offered roadside assistance free of charge – providing they have had their VW vehicle since at least November 2012.
Audi is expected to introduce a parallel programme on Friday November 13, while VW is also undertaking a repair programme on the affected cars
Drivers are not being made to waive their entitlement to take VW to court or go to arbitration, the car manufacturer stresses.
The company has already offered a $2,000 trade-in offer to owners of a VW, in which they could exchange their cars for newer vehicles.
It is hoped that both acts will help to placate drivers who bought a 2-litre diesel-fuelled VW and win back customer trust.
Michael Horn, chief executive of VW’s US arm, says the firm is ‘working tirelessly’ in its bid to find a sanctioned solution to the cars affected.
The firm has said that around 11 million four-cylinder diesel motors around the world have test-cheating software fitted.
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officers say these vehicles can produce between 10 and 40 times more nitrogen oxide than legal amounts when on the road.
