Volkswagen's unfolding diesel emissions crisis may prove to involve other automakers as well: German magazine Autobild reports that a German-market, diesel-powered BMW X3 xDrive 20d put out 11 times the legal limit of pollution in a test commissioned by the magazine.
Automotive News, which translated the Autobild report, explains that the BMW was tested by the International Council on Clean Transportation, the same group whose findings led U.S. regulators to investigate Volkswagen's U.S. diesel models.
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Over at Jalopnik, Máté Petrány reports that the Euro-spec X3 tested by the magazine put out 11.88 times the Euro 6 limit for NOx emissions—slightly worse than a U.S.-spec Passat TDI tested by the magazine, but almost half of the emissions produced by a U.S.-spec Jetta TDI and a Euro-spec Audi A8 3.0 TDI included in the test.
BMW denied the report, saying in a statement that "there is no function to recognize emissions testing cycles at BMW. All emissions systems remain active outside the testing cycle." BMW shares dropped nearly 10 percent in European trading as a result of the report.
In the wake of the ongoing diesel emissions crisis, the European Union urged all 28 member-countries to open investigations into real-world vehicle emissions. The German transport ministry vowed to conduct spot-checks on Volkswagens and other manufacturers alike, Bloomberg Business reports.
Meanwhile at Volkswagen, the resignation of CEO Martin Winterkorn seems to be only the first executive-level departure: Bloomberg reports that Audi development chief Ulrich Hackenberg and Porsche development head Wolfgang Hatz will leave the company. The VW Group will announce Winterkorn's replacement tomorrow.