) ...But if they say it is that it must be serious ...
German auto industry shaken by new scandal
The European Commission is examining a suspected cartel between Daimler, BMW, Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche.
The German government, already very embarrassed by the diesel scandal, is on alert.
It is potentially the biggest economic scandal in post-war Germany. According to Friday's magazine "Der Spiegel", German car manufacturers have maintained "since the 1990s" a cartel aimed at agreeing on a whole series of equipment, starting with the diesel engines already hit by the Volkswagen scandal. "This is not the work of a few rare criminal managers of the Volkswagen group, but the result of secret agreements of the entire German automotive industry," writes the magazine, which refers to "more than 1.000 secret meetings" between executives from Volkswagen, Daimler, BMW, Audi and Porsche over the past five years only. After the first leaks, Friday afternoon, Volkswagen fell 4,2% on the stock market, BMW 3,4% and Daimler 2,1%. BMW denied all of these accusations on Sunday.
Credibility
The government of Angela Merkel, for whom the automobile industry, the spearhead of made in Germany, is a reason of state, is on alert. "The credibility and the confidence of the entire German automotive industry are nothing less and no less," said Economy Minister Brigitte Zypries on Saturday. "Cartel agreements would be an added burden for the problems we already have with the auto industry," added Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt. The government invited industry on August 2 to a summit aimed at solving the scandal of engine manipulation and avoiding a ban on diesel in German cities.
The overwhelming revelations of the "Spiegel", which is based on a Volkswagen self-disclosure document to the European Commission and the German Cartel Office, should complicate matters. The 60 working groups - "GT combustion engines", "GT diesel engines", "GT seats" ... - which met secretly between Stuttgart, Munich or Wolfsburg have obviously left nothing to chance.
For example, when the development directors of the five German brands decided in April 2006 to agree on AdBlue tanks, this liquid which makes it possible to clean up diesel, with a "target size of 17 to 23 liters". Companies could thus save “up to 80 euros per vehicle”, according to a presentation quoted by “Der Spiegel”. If possible, these tanks should be produced by only two equipment manufacturers ... The magazine evokes other agreements on subjects as precise as the maximum speed of the convertibles for the opening of the soft top.
Nothing prevents manufacturers from speaking to each other, in particular to agree on a position on new standards. Or to make acquisitions authorized by the authorities. As in 2015, when the German manufacturers bought the navigation software publisher Here. This time, the stakes are quite different: the flagships of German industry have apparently agreed to put their competition on the back burner behind the backs of customers and authorities. In addition, the "circle of 5", as he called himself, would have refused access to his club very closed to foreigners including Renault or Fiat ...
Volkswagen, which self-reported on July 4, 2016 to the European and German authorities, recognizes itself that a "suspicion" exists of "illegal behavior in cartel matters". The European Commission said on Saturday that it is examining the information it has received.
Self-denunciations
By selling the wick, Volkswagen (with its subsidiaries Porsche and Audi) hopes to escape a new fine after those of more than 20 billion euros bailed out with the "dieselgate" in the United States. It is also the case of Daimler who would have also denounced himself. The Stuttgart group has some expertise. Last summer, he was one of the heavy goods vehicle manufacturers, along with Volvo Renault, Iveco and DAF, having received a record fine of 2,9 billion euros. The German MAN, who had denounced himself, had been spared.
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