Volkswagen GA Chief Executive Michael Horn Issues An Apology On Alleged Emission Tests Cheating; Says The Company ‘Totally Screwed Up’

The US government orders Volkswagen to recall over 400,000 diesel cars on Friday following the allegations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that the company has allegedly installed a software on its cars to cheat the emission tests.

"Using a defeat device in cars to evade clean air standards is illegal and a threat to public health," says EPA assistant administrator Cynthia Giles, as noted by Business Insider on September 18.

On Sunday, Volkswagen Group of America CEO Martin Winterkorn released a statement through the company's official website.

"The Board of Management at Volkswagen AG takes these findings very seriously," he says. "I personally am deeply sorry that we have broken the trust of our customers and the public."

"We will cooperate fully with the responsible agencies, with transparency and urgency, to clearly, openly, and completely establish all of the facts of this case. Volkswagen has ordered an external investigation of this matter."

Winterkorn also issues a video apology wherein he says, "The irregularities that have been found in our Group's diesel engines go against everything Volkswagen stands for."

"At present we do not yet have all the answers to all the questions. But we are working hard to find out exactly what happened."

He adds, "Millions of people all over the world trust our brands, our cars and our technologies. I am deeply sorry that we have broken this trust. I would like to make a formal apology to our customers, to the authorities and to the general public for this misconduct."

Winterkorn says that the company "will do everything necessary to win back the trust" of its customers.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen GA chief executive Michael Horn on Monday issues an apology on the alleged emission test cheating, as reported by NBC News on Tuesday.

"Our company was dishonest, with EPA and the California Air Resources board, and with all of you and in my German words, we have totally screwed up," Horn says during a launch event in New York.

He goes on, "We have to make things right, with the government, the public, our customers, our employees and also very important, our dealers."

"Along with our German headquarters we are committed to do what must be done, and to begin to restore your trust."