Audi is working at full speed to find a technical solution that will allow to replace the diesel engines in 2.1 million of its cars, including best-sellers such as the A4 sedan and Q5 sport utility vehicle. This is needed in order to diminish the negative market effect of the emissions scandal that has engulfed parent company Volkswagen Group.
Once they find that solution, they will write to customers and will upgrade the cars so that they are within emissions regulations. About 1.42 million Audi vehicles with Euro 5 diesel engines are affected in Western Europe, with 577,000 in Germany and almost 13,000 in the U.S.
The Audi models that need to be upgraded include the A1, A3, A4, A5, A6 sedans, the TT roadster and the Q3 and Q5 SUVs with 1.6-liter and 2-liter diesel engines.
With many car components including engines shared across brands that include Seat, Skoda, Porsche and Audi, Volkswagen said a total of 11 million vehicles -- more than the company sells in a year -- are affected globally.