Volkswagen enthusiasts are known for their unwavering loyalty, always ready to defend their quirky family vehicles or compare a GTI to a performance-oriented Camaro. Pair a diesel engine with a Volkswagen—especially a Volkswagen station wagon—and you engage a passionate intersection of dedicated fans and automotive journalists, akin to having a dream date at Comic Con.
With Volkswagen suspending all sales of both new and used TDI diesel models due to EPA allegations that nearly half a million VW diesel vehicles manipulated emissions tests, the disappointment among fans is palpable—akin to the stock price of VW plummeting.
For Volkswagen, which previously led efforts to establish clean and respectable diesel engines in America, the repercussions from this escalating scandal could be momentous. Following incidents such as Toyota’s unintended acceleration crisis and General Motors’ ignition-switch issues, VW is now faced with intense scrutiny from media and lawmakers. The fallout may lead to substantial fines and even jeopardize the position of Martin Winterkorn, the already embattled CEO of the Volkswagen Group.
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For dedicated VW fans, this news (“Diesel weasels,” as the New York Post would likely scream) is especially disheartening. It’s similar to realizing that your childhood sports hero was a fraud. In this case, Volkswagen appears to have erred by over-promoting their four-cylinder turbodiesel engines as sufficient without the need for an additional urea fluid tank to cleanse the exhaust. Instead, it has come to light that the company implemented a “defeat device”—a software trick to hide the fact that the actual pollution levels were far above allowable limits. Ausgezeichnet, indeed.
Similar to the fans of Lance Armstrong, VW supporters are now facing harsh realities and attempting to defend the indefensible.
As someone who previously owned several Volkswagens, including GTIs, a Corrado, and a Passat, the news stings. Recently, I persuaded three individuals, including my friend Emmitt George and his wife, Margaret, to consider VW diesels. They were moments away from purchasing a Subaru Forester when I convinced them to try a Jetta TDI wagon instead. They excitedly called me from the dealership and ended up buying it immediately. Emmitt’s brother-in-law also acquired a Passat TDI. I just spoke with Emmitt, a New York actor, who, despite his loyalty being stretched thin, still has affection for his vehicle.
“It’s been fantastic,” he said. “I get 48 mpg on the highway. A $30 fill-up lasts me four weeks. Diesel is cheaper than regular gas in New Jersey right now. It’s unbelievable.”
However, Emmitt has pressing questions—ones that are likely on the minds of many TDI owners everywhere. He asked:
• What if my car doesn’t pass an emissions test? Am I stuck?
• Will they have to replace my car with a gasoline model?
• What will happen to all the cars sitting on dealership lots?
(And perhaps most troubling for an automotive journalist who has long celebrated the benefits of diesel technology…)
• So “clean diesel” was just a marketing gimmick?
Car enthusiasts often fixate on details like dashboard design and leather finishes. However, the more human element can be overshadowed: everyday people purchasing real cars, handling genuine payments, and questioning whether they made a wise choice.
For Volkswagen, discussions about who knew what and when are bound to arise. Yet, it will ultimately not matter whether low-level engineers were trying to protect themselves or whether a more senior figure was aware of the situation. Executives will be perceived as either complicit or incompetent. Regardless of the outcome, the company will bear the consequences.
Supporters of VW will likely point out that, unlike GM’s troubled Cobalts and Saturns, no fatalities have been directly linked to VW’s misdeeds. While Emmitt’s car, alongside approximately 481,999 others, may emit 40 times the legal limits of pollutants, these vehicles represent a minuscule fraction of the 256 million vehicles on American roads, having a negligible impact on the environment.
Still, any attempts at rationalizing the situation fall flat. Similar to Armstrong’s supporters, VW fans face uncomfortable truths and must defend their positions against valid criticisms. Through months and possibly years ahead, they will have to respond to skepticism regarding Volkswagen’s trustworthiness and the integrity of “clean diesel,” which many will liken to the empty promises of “clean coal.”
The entire situation feels like a betrayal. Volkswagen has been caught in clear wrongdoing, all stemming from an ill-fated attempt to cheat emissions tests. This folly will leave car enthusiasts questioning the integrity of the brand they once championed.
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