12. Volkswagen’s Dieselgate
In 2015, Volkswagen was the biggest car company in the world. Unfortunately, this position was severely shaken by the EPA’s legal action and alleged violation of the Clean Air Act. Apparently, Volkswagen was cheating on emissions testing by installing special software in its diesel cars on the North American market. The software was on when they tested the cars for emissions, but it then automatically shut off for normal use.
Volkswagen marketed their diesel cars as a cleaner alternative. However, they were polluting the environment more than regular gasoline-powered cars. The scandal became infamous as “Dieselgate,” causing dealerships to put “Stop Sale” signs on all Volkswagen diesel products. There were millions of angry buyers, resulting in a severe sales drop. Currently, the whole Dieselgate situation has cost Volkswagen close to $15 billion in the U.S. market alone.
Have you ever seen or owned any of the car industry’s biggest flops, scandals and mistakes? If so, you’re not alone. In fact, millions of car owners have fallen for these cars. The good news is, the car industry has grown and learned from their errors and misjudgments.