Audi has revealed a new diesel emissions retrofit for clients in Europe, following in the footsteps of a similar move revealed earlier this week by Mercedes. A overall of 850,000 vehicles are eligible for the software application update.
The move comes as fresh scepticism of diesel emissions figures is levelled at major European carmakers – an ongoing spillover of the Volkswagen group’s dieselgate detraction in 2015.
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• Mercedes problems voluntary recall for 3 million diesel cars
According to Audi, diesel vehicles utilizing six-cylinder and eight-cylinder engines – EU5 and EU6 generation V6 TDI and V8 TDI designs – are eligible for the software application fix, which will “further improve their emissions in real driving conditions beyond the current legal requirements”.
So far, UK Volkswagen group clients impacted by the diesel emissions detraction have been limited to owners of vehicles utilizing EA 189 1.2-litre, 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre pre-Euro 6 diesel engines. The group’s six-cylinder 3.0-litre TDI system has been at the centre of the storm in the United States, but not in Europe, where the current emissions software application installed on the system is legal.
The retrofit programme spans beyond the Audi brand. The firm has verified that Volkswagen and Porsche designs utilizing these engines come under the voluntary recall too. As such a broad number of designs across the Volkswagen group marques is affected.