Deals
How a Top-Secret Deal Could Have Stopped VW's Diesel Scandal
- Alliance talks involved discussions of cross shareholdings
- Volkswagen favored its diesel technology over Daimler’s
VW Pleads Guilty as U.S. Charges Five More in Scandal
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Volkswagen AG might have stayed clear of the diesel cheating that led to the worst crisis in its history had the company not pulled out of a promising deal with Daimler AG more than a decade ago.
Led by former Chief Executive Officer Bernd Pischetsrieder, Volkswagen examined strategic options for tie-ups and cooperation projects in 2005, a time when the company was undergoing painful restructuring. The deliberations included senior-level talks on a possible deal with its German rival that would have given it access to Daimler’s diesel technology and could have even included cross-shareholdings of about 10 percent, according to people who were involved in the discussions.