Opel has strongly denied a German media report that suggested it has understated CO2 emissions on a diesel variant of its Zafira model range by 15%.
Opel said in a statement that it “strongly and vigorously rebuts the claims put forward by TV magazine Monitor and the non-governmental organisation Deutsche Umwelthilfe”. The claim, it said, that the CO2 emissions of the Opel Zafira 1.6 CDTI are apparently 15% higher than the official data is false. “The CO2 values published by Opel are correct,” Opel said.
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German broadcaster ARD’s Monitor documentary said on Thursday fuel consumption and CO2 emissions from Opel’s Zafira 1.6 CDTi had been found to exceed the carmaker’s certified data by 15% on average.
The report also said that three tests of the Zafira conducted by Opel itself in October had shown the discrepancies, Monitor said. It also said its own tests of a 1.6-litre diesel-powered Zafira conducted at an emissions laboratory in Switzerland had found the model’s CO2 emissions exceeded Opel’s official data by about 20%.
Opel pointed out that the CO2 and consumption measurements are “clearly defined by the law”. The CO2 values are determined in the presence of an independent verification service and certified by the regulatory authorities, it said.
Opel also suggested that the journalist concerned got the story wrong. “We made it clear to the journalist on numerous occasions, both verbally and in writing, that his conclusions are not permissible and scientifically untenable,” Opel said. “In our opinion, this kind of coverage is neither objective nor thorough and is only intended to disorient the consumers and damage Opel’s reputation. The TV magazine Monitor has thus apparently allowed itself to be used by the Deutsche Umwelthilfe whose accusations have already been proved false and deceptive on numerous occasions.”
