Volkswagen has to pay € 16.3 million in damages in Spain

The consumer group OCU reported that, a Spanish court has ordered the German car group Volkswagen (VW) to pay € 16.3 million in compensation to clients in Spain who have bought its cars with illegal software. After a five-year legal battle, a Madrid court concluded that Volkswagen had engaged in illegal practices and ordered the carmaker to pay damages of € 3,000 to each owner concerned. In 2015, Volkswagen, under pressure from the US authorities, admitted to using illegal software that allowed it to cheat on diesel engine emission tests. The so-called emissions scandal has so far cost him more than $ 30 billion (€ 24.69 billion) in vehicle modifications, fines and damages. In the US, almost all owners of the affected cars agreed to settle the dispute, which cost VW $ 25 billion in 2016. Last year, the German Supreme Civil Court ruled that Volkswagen must pay compensation to owners of vehicles with modified diesel engines in Germany as well. The decision of the Spanish court can be appealed.