Emission Scandal: Mexico Issues Volkswagen $8.9 Million Fine
Volkswagen's Mexico unit has been fined $8.9 million by environmental authorities for failing to obtain the required certification permits for thousands of cars that it imported into the country.
Volkswagen's Mexico unit has been fined $8.9 million by environmental authorities for failing to obtain the required certification permits for thousands of cars that it imported into the country.
Profepa, Mexico's environmental prosecutor, said in a statement that it levied a fine of just over 168 million pesos ($8.9 million) on the German carmaker for importing and selling 45,494 vehicles without obtaining the proper emission as well as noise level certification permits.
The Mexico fine covers a range of brands in the automobile manufacturer's family, including Audi, Bentley, Porsche, SEAT, and, of course, Volkswagen (VW). All the vehicles affected are 2016 models.
In a December 2015 inspection, the agency discovered that those vehicles lacked two NOM environmental compliance certificates, one that establishes the maximum allowable level of total hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and particles from new cars' exhaust pipes and another that sets the maximum allowable level of noise and the measurement methodology.
Profepa said the fine was separate from an investigation being conducted in Mexico over the Volkswagen defeat device scandal.
In September of last year, Environment Secretary Rafael Pacchiano said Mexico would review Volkswagen's emissions certificates for diesel engine vehicles the automaker had sold in Mexico since 2009 to verify if they were in compliance with national standards.
That probe came after Volkswagen acknowledged that the defeat devices had been installed on nearly 500,000 2.0-liter diesel-powered Audi, Porsche, and Volkswagen vehicles sold in the US since 2008. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) accused the carmaker last September of using the devices to dupe regulators.
The software on those engines detected when emissions testing was taking place and turned on emissions controls only when the vehicles were being operated in a test laboratory.
When those same vehicles were being driven under normal conditions, the controls were turned off and they spewed up to 40 times the United States' legally allowable amount of nitrogen oxide, which contributes to the formation of smog and acid rain.
Volkswagen said last September, after the scandal broke, that 11 million of its vehicles worldwide had been equipped with the defeat devices.
Despite a tumultuous journey in recent seasons, Quartararo reaffirms his commitment to Yamaha, citing belief in their new approach and potential for success
The Yamaha YZF R3 is fast, looks good and is a hoot to ride as well. But the price is where all the good work comes undone. Only if there was a way for Yamaha to price it right!
The Yamaha YZF R3 is fast, looks good and is a hoot to ride as well. But the price is where all the good work comes undone. Only if there was a way for Yamaha to price it right!
The new Royal Enfield Himalayan now joins car&bike’s long term fleet. Over the next few months, we will tell you how the motorcycle holds up to the rigours of daily riding, highway jaunts, off-road riding and much more.
The legacy of the Royal Enfield Bullet 350 has a new challenger in the Jawa 350. But which of these modern classic 350s with iconic nameplates is a better choice for you? We try and find the answer.
