German police carried out raids at Porsche as investigations into the “dieselgate” emissions rigging scandal widened to include senior figures at the performance car maker.
Three suspects targeted in the raids have not been named but prosecutors said that they included a Porsche board member, a senior manager and an ex-employee. German press this evening said that the car maker’s R&D chief, Michael Steiner, was the executive being investigated.
Until now, Porsche has largely managed to escape the emissions scandal as it does not make diesel engines of its own, but uses those of sister firm Audi. But Wednesday’s raids, in which 160 police officers and 30 prosecutors seized documents and other evidence from 10 properties, suggest Porsche is now clearly in the authorities’ sights.
