German Carmakers Can't Catch a Break as Next Scandal Looms Large

  • Carmakers told regulator of decades of engine technology talks
  • VW’s Audi, Daimler’s Mercedes recall cars for emissions fix
Photographer: Miles Willis/Bloomberg
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Another week, another scare from the German car industry.

What began with Daimler AG’s massive recall of more than 3 million diesel cars to lower their emissions, ended on Friday with Audi also embarking on a voluntary recall of 850,000 vehicles. Adding to the spate of bad news was a report in Der Spiegel magazine that the biggest car manufacturers -- Daimler, BMW AG and Volkswagen AG as well as VW’s Audi and Porsche brands -- may have colluded for decades on technology. The companies declined to comment.