My question is this:
Why would a multi-national manufacturer of automobiles take such an enormous risk? Could it be that the regulations are so unrealistic and onerous that they would take such a gamble knowing that if they got caught all hell would rain down on them. To satisfy the requirements you have to strangle a motor. I would buy one of these cars as is no doubt.
Had one-a beetle. The best car I ever had. 54 MPG on the highway and about 40 in town. And it would go 120 MPH.
It died at 340 thousand miles after my wife busted the oil pan on it and ran it dry on oil.
Thing is - every other US market auto maker with a diesel engine met those requirements and made an engine that would (and in most cases did) sell. VW decided that they were big enough that they didn’t have to comply, they didn’t want to spend any money, and they just went ahead and lied.
Every other maker, including smaller and much less well funded ones, complied. VW didn’t. In fact, Mercedes and VW were in a development agreement to make compliant engine tech - VW pulled out and Merc brought the tech to market instead.