Volkswagen French unit reported inaccurate delivery details for years

Volkswagen‘s French division reported incorrect delivery numbers to German head office for years to make its performance apparently better, Der Spiegel noted, pointing out a report by the automaker’s internal auditors.

The auditors discovered a number of cars were registered by their owners “a number of months and even years” after the deliveries were recorded by the French company – a procedure that normally takes weeks – which some of the vehicles classified as delivered didn’t even have purchase contracts, the magazine noted.

It said incorrect data was provided on nearly 800,000 vehicles overall.

A spokesman at Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg-based head office refused to talk about the post, saying the company “does not discuss internal files.”

The French division’s actions began in 2010 and affected vehicles from VW’s namesake brand, luxury division Audi, Czech unit Skoda and the Spanish Seat brand, Der Spiegel stated.

Volkswagen group chief executive Matthias Mueller was provided the auditors’ report on April 24 and as a result, the head of VW’s French operations, Jacques Rivoal, gave up, the magazine noted.

Rivoal couldn’t be reached for remark by Reuters.

When Rivoal’s departure was revealed in May, VW stated “strategic” distinctions with management had resulted in the French manager’s exit.