A top Audi executive reportedly is losing his job as investigations continue into the Volkswagen group emissions scandal.
German newspaper Bild am Sonntag, citing sources, reported development chief Stefan Knirsch would be suspended this week, according to Reuters.
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Investigations by Jones Day have shown that Knirsch, also an Audi board member, knew about the use of cheat software in three-litre diesel engines and gave a false promise under oath, the paper said. ?Knirsch had already been asked to clear his desk, it added.
Audi has admitted that its three-litre V6 diesel engine was fitted with emissions-control software, deemed as illegal in the United States where the scandal has engulfed VW.
Spokesmen for Volkswagen, Audi and Audi’s works council declined to comment to Reuters.
Reuters noted Knirsch, Audi’s former head of engine development, replaced Ulrich Hackenberg, the top engineer at Audi and the VW group, last year. Hackenberg quit after being suspended together with two other executives closely associated with the development of the VW engine at the centre of the scandal, codenamed EA 189.
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By GlobalDataKnirsh was named a member of the Audi management board with responsibility for technical development last 1 January. He started his career in engine design with Audi in Neckarsulm in 1990 and joined Porsche in 1996 as project manager for engine development and started working as project manager for engine and customer development in 1997. In 2001 he was appointed head of basic engine development at Porsche.
In 2006, he assumed the position of head of aftersales in the sales division of Porsche in 2007. In 2010 he became head of company quality. Knirsch then joined Rheinmetall Group as CEO of Pierburg. In May 2013 he returned to Audi and took over as head of powertrain development.
