VW is putting a stop on production of the diesel-powered Passat at its Chattanooga plant. The action comes after the Environmental Protection Agency put a red flag on the four-cylinder 2.0-liter TDI engine on October 7, due to its illegal software that started “Dieselgate”, which eventually became a global, and very costly, issue for the German group.
The announcement was made by Scott Wilson, the company’s spokesman for the Chattanooga facility, in an e-mail sent to AutoNews: “As we are in the middle of the ramp up of the production volume, it is no problem to adjust the mix to accommodate this change.”
At this point, it remains unknown when a diesel engine will be available for the Passat once again. Keep in mind that this is a different car than the one available in Europe.
The 2016 Volkswagen Passat received a facelift in September. It features some cosmetic changes such as a slightly updated front fascia, with slimmer headlights, a new hood, bumper, fenders and grille. At the rear, the bumper was also updated and the lights now feature LED tech.
From January through October, 2015, VW Passat sales in the US were down by 12 percent compared to last year. However, last month’s registrations increased by 25 percent, to 8,116 cars, in comparison with October 2014.
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