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More VW cheatware 'found'

US watchdogs have found three pieces of so-called emissions cheatware in Volkswagen's three-liter diesel engines, according to German Sunday tabloid Bild am Sonntag.

The dodgy code, we're told, lifts limits on engine output after 22 minutes of operation – that's rather convenient because air pollution tests by regulators last just 20 minutes.

It's alleged this means the turbocharged direct injection engines in Audi's Q7, Porsche's Cayenne and VW's Touareg models deliberately and temporarily lower their performance so they can pass America's strict eco-friendly tests in labs – and then pump out chemicals to their mechanical hearts' content in the real world. There are about 85,000 cars on US streets with 3.0-liter VW engines in them.

In July, VW promised to cough up nearly $15bn to buy back vehicles after it admitted it used US emissions test cheatware in its 2.0 liter diesel engines. Now it's under fire for its 3.0 liter engines.

Audi execs are due to see US environmental officials on Tuesday, and we're told it will be a meeting without coffee: financial penalties are expected. ®

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