VW test scandal spreads to Europe

Volkswagen rigged emission tests on 2.8m diesel vehicles in Germany, the country’s transport minister, Alexander Dobrindt, said yesterday, six times as many as it has admitted to falsifying in the US.

His comments, pointing to cheating on a bigger scale than previously thought, deepened the crisis at the world’s largest automaker, as its supervisory board held a crucial meeting.

The board is expected to name Matthias Mueller, the head of its Porsche sports-car division, as chief executive to replace Martin Winterkorn, who quit on Wednesday. At least four senior executives are expected to be purged.