German industry criticizes VW

The president of the association of German industries, BDI, on Wednesday became the first industry head to break the silence on VW.

"We strongly criticize any form of manipulation," BDI chief Ulrich Grillo said in a statement.

Grillo welcomed Volkswagen's decision to have independent experts conduct the company's investigation into the emissions allegations. He added that "any misconduct must be cleared up completely," and stressed the need for "transparency, openness and speed" in getting to the bottom of the scandal.

But the BDI boss was quick to deflect any criticism that the carmaker's dirty tricks were in any way a reflection of German practices.

"'Made in Germany' stand for excellent products," he said, adding that German engineering and craftsmanship were "rightly respected worldwide."

Not a reflection of the industry

Grillo's statement reflects deeper concerns here in Germany that Volkswagen's breach of industry ethics could do lasting damage to the country's reputation as a producer of top-notch goods.

Echoing such worries, the machine builders' association, VDMA, was quick to chime in. Less than an hour after Grillo's press release appeared in journalists' inboxes, VDMA chief Thilo Brodtmann issued a statement saying, "every day, thousands of businesses, big and small, prove that they can satisfy customers' as well as regulators' complex demands to a T."

The VDMA expressed "concerns" that VW's "misconduct" would reflect poorly on the rest of the industry. "In Germany, there's around a million machine builders alone, who give their all, day in and day out, to defend the good name of the industry. There's no reason to put them under suspicion," Bordtmann added.

'Absolutely not acceptable'

Also on Wednesday, the president of the German Association of the Automotive Industry, VDA, commented on the world's largest carmaker, while visiting the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt. "Misuse of a special engine software is absolutely not acceptable," Matthias Wissmann said, refering to the so-called "defeat device" VW had secretely installed in its diesel cars to thwart US pollution tests.

Wissmand, who represents more than 600 companies producing anything from busses to car horns, said the VDA took the scandal "very seriously." But he, too, stressed that this was not symptomatic of the German auto industry at large.

He also noted that the incident was not a reflection of deeper issues with diesel cars per se, but rather an issue of "the illegal use of a special software to put a gloss on tests." Diesel, he said, will continue to play a big role in reducing greenhouse gases.

"That's why diesel is indespensable for the German and the international auto industry."

According to the VDA, every other newly registered car in western Europe is a diesel. And at a 53-percent market share, it's German brands, like VW, that are leading that race.

pad/hg (dpa, Reuters)