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Scandal with Volkswagen diesel engines won’t affect Russia — head of VW Group Rus

According to head of Volkswagen Group Rus Marcus Osegowitsch, the Russian market of diesel engines is very small

SOCHI, October 2. /TASS/. The scandal with the violation of environmental standards by Volkswagen diesel engines won’t affect Russia, head of Volkswagen Group Rus Marcus Osegowitsch told reporters on the sidelines of the International Investment Forum Sochi-2015 on Friday.

According to him, the Russian market of diesel engines is very small. He added that Euro-4 environmental standard is still applicable in Russia while Euro-5 is being discussed.

In late September, Russian Minister of Industry Denis Manturov said that the Federal Agency on Technical Regulation (Rosstandart) had not found problems with emission standards’ violations by Volkswagen cars.

German automobile producer Volkswagen turned to be at the center of a scandal related to emission test cheating software found in its vehicles. The automaker said as many as 11 million cars are affected.

Volkswagen ranks second in terms of car sales in Russia.

In 2014, the group’s sales decreased by 12.8% to 260,775 cars. In Russia, Volkswagen Groups sells cars under such brands as Volkswagen, Audi, Seat and Skoda.

Volkswagen assembles cars in Russia at its plant in Kaluga and at the facilities of Russian carmaker GAZ in Nizhniy Novgorod.

In Kaluga VW assembles Skoda Fabia and Volkswagen Tiguan, Polo sedan, Skoda Rapid, Volkswagen Touareg, Volkswagen Multivan and Audi cars.

In summer 2011, Volkswagen signed an 8-year agreement with Russia’s GAZ Group for the assembly of Volkswagen and Skoda models at the GAZ production site.