VW CEO resigns after exposé, whilst company faces tsunami of lawsuits

The Volkswagen Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn has resigned following the emission cheating scandal that came to light on Friday.

Following his video apology, Winterkorn has announced his departure after claiming the firm needed a “fresh start.”

In a statement he says: “As CEO, I accept responsibility for the irregularities that have been found in diesel engines, and have therefore requested the Supervisory Board to agree on terminating my function as CEO of the Volkswagen Group. I am doing this in the interests of the company, even though I am not aware of any wrongdoing on my part.”

Claiming that Volkswagen will overcome the “grave crisis,” he explains his passion for the company: “I have always been driven by my desire to serve this company, especially our customers and employees. Volkswagen has been, is and will always be my life.”