<p class="title">As Volkswagen faces the wrath of car owners in a mass "dieselgate" lawsuit on its home turf, here's a look at how the emissions cheating was uncovered and the fallout for the auto giant:</p>.<p class="bodytext">US researchers at the University of West Virginia discover that certain VW diesel cars emit up to 40 times the permissible levels of harmful nitrogen oxide when tested on the road.</p>.<p><em>- 2015 -</em></p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>September 18:</strong> The US Environmental Protection Agency accuses VW of duping diesel emissions tests using so-called "defeat devices".</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>September 22:</strong> Volkswagen admits installing software designed to reduce emissions during lab tests in 11 million diesel engines worldwide. VW shares plunge by 40 percent in two days.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>September 23:</strong> Chief executive US Environmental Protection Agency steps down but insists he knew nothing of the scam.</p>.<p><em>- 2016 -</em></p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>April 22:</strong> VW announces a net loss for 2015, its first in 20 years, after setting aside billions to cover the anticipated costs of the scandal.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>June 28:</strong> VW agrees to pay $14.7 billion in buybacks, compensation and penalties in a mammoth settlement with US authorities. The deal, which covers 2.0 litre diesel engines only, includes cash payouts for nearly 500,000 US drivers.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>September 21:</strong> The first VW investors file lawsuits in a German court seeking billions in damages. They accuse the automaker of failing to communicate about the crisis in a timely way.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>December 8:</strong> The European Commission launches legal action against seven EU nations including Germany for failing to crack down on emissions cheating.</p>.<p><em>- 2017 -</em></p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>January 11:</strong> VW pleads guilty to three US charges including fraud and agrees to pay $4.3 billion in civil and criminal fines.</p>.<p class="bodytext">As part of the plea deal, VW signs up to a "statement of facts" in which it admits that the cheating dates back to 2006, but it remains unclear how much the top brass knew about the scam.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>February 1:</strong> Car parts maker Bosch, which supplied elements of the software, agrees to pay nearly $330 million to US car owners and dealers but admits no wrongdoing.</p>.<p class="bodytext">VW says it will pay at least $1.2 billion to compensate some 80,000 US buyers of 3.0 litre engines as well as buying back or refitting their vehicles.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>August 25:</strong> A Michigan court sentences VW engineer James Liang to 40 months in prison and a $200,000 fine.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>December 6:</strong> VW executive Oliver Schmidt, who was arrested while on holiday in Florida, is sentenced to seven years in jail.</p>.<p><em>- 2018 -</em></p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>February 23:</strong> VW roars back to profit after record sales in 2017.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>February 27:</strong> A German court paves the way for cities to ban the oldest diesels from their roads to combat air pollution.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>April 12:</strong> VW brand chief Herbert Diess hastily replaces CEO Matthias Mueller after he too lands in prosecutors' sights.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>May 3:</strong> Winterkorn is indicted in the US, accused of trying to cover up the cheating.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>June 13:</strong> VW agrees to pay a one-billion-euro ($1.1 billion) fine in Germany, admitting its responsibility for the diesel crisis. The scandal has now cost the group over 27 billion euros.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>June 18:</strong> Rupert Stadler, CEO of VW's Audi subsidiary, is arrested in Germany, accused of fraud and trying to suppress evidence.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>September 10:</strong> Shareholders' case against VW claiming nine billion euros of damages opens in Brunswick.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>October 16:</strong> Audi agrees to pay a fine of 800 million euros.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>November 1:</strong> Consumer organisation VZBV files mass lawsuit whose hearings open Monday.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>November 16:</strong> VW launches a far-reaching electrification strategy.</p>.<p><em>- 2019 -</em></p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>January 18:</strong> Four Audi managers are charged in the United States.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>March 15:</strong> US market watchdog SEC announces legal action against VW.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>April 15:</strong> Former CEO Winterkorn and four other managers are charged with "serious fraud" as well as unfair competition and breach of trust.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>May 7:</strong> Porsche agrees to pay a fine of 535 million euros.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>July 31:</strong> Stadler and three former Audi managers are charged with fraud.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>September 24:</strong> Present VW chief Herbert Diess, supervisory board chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch and former CEO Winterkorn are charged with market manipulation. </p>
<p class="title">As Volkswagen faces the wrath of car owners in a mass "dieselgate" lawsuit on its home turf, here's a look at how the emissions cheating was uncovered and the fallout for the auto giant:</p>.<p class="bodytext">US researchers at the University of West Virginia discover that certain VW diesel cars emit up to 40 times the permissible levels of harmful nitrogen oxide when tested on the road.</p>.<p><em>- 2015 -</em></p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>September 18:</strong> The US Environmental Protection Agency accuses VW of duping diesel emissions tests using so-called "defeat devices".</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>September 22:</strong> Volkswagen admits installing software designed to reduce emissions during lab tests in 11 million diesel engines worldwide. VW shares plunge by 40 percent in two days.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>September 23:</strong> Chief executive US Environmental Protection Agency steps down but insists he knew nothing of the scam.</p>.<p><em>- 2016 -</em></p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>April 22:</strong> VW announces a net loss for 2015, its first in 20 years, after setting aside billions to cover the anticipated costs of the scandal.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>June 28:</strong> VW agrees to pay $14.7 billion in buybacks, compensation and penalties in a mammoth settlement with US authorities. The deal, which covers 2.0 litre diesel engines only, includes cash payouts for nearly 500,000 US drivers.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>September 21:</strong> The first VW investors file lawsuits in a German court seeking billions in damages. They accuse the automaker of failing to communicate about the crisis in a timely way.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>December 8:</strong> The European Commission launches legal action against seven EU nations including Germany for failing to crack down on emissions cheating.</p>.<p><em>- 2017 -</em></p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>January 11:</strong> VW pleads guilty to three US charges including fraud and agrees to pay $4.3 billion in civil and criminal fines.</p>.<p class="bodytext">As part of the plea deal, VW signs up to a "statement of facts" in which it admits that the cheating dates back to 2006, but it remains unclear how much the top brass knew about the scam.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>February 1:</strong> Car parts maker Bosch, which supplied elements of the software, agrees to pay nearly $330 million to US car owners and dealers but admits no wrongdoing.</p>.<p class="bodytext">VW says it will pay at least $1.2 billion to compensate some 80,000 US buyers of 3.0 litre engines as well as buying back or refitting their vehicles.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>August 25:</strong> A Michigan court sentences VW engineer James Liang to 40 months in prison and a $200,000 fine.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>December 6:</strong> VW executive Oliver Schmidt, who was arrested while on holiday in Florida, is sentenced to seven years in jail.</p>.<p><em>- 2018 -</em></p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>February 23:</strong> VW roars back to profit after record sales in 2017.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>February 27:</strong> A German court paves the way for cities to ban the oldest diesels from their roads to combat air pollution.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>April 12:</strong> VW brand chief Herbert Diess hastily replaces CEO Matthias Mueller after he too lands in prosecutors' sights.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>May 3:</strong> Winterkorn is indicted in the US, accused of trying to cover up the cheating.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>June 13:</strong> VW agrees to pay a one-billion-euro ($1.1 billion) fine in Germany, admitting its responsibility for the diesel crisis. The scandal has now cost the group over 27 billion euros.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>June 18:</strong> Rupert Stadler, CEO of VW's Audi subsidiary, is arrested in Germany, accused of fraud and trying to suppress evidence.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>September 10:</strong> Shareholders' case against VW claiming nine billion euros of damages opens in Brunswick.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>October 16:</strong> Audi agrees to pay a fine of 800 million euros.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>November 1:</strong> Consumer organisation VZBV files mass lawsuit whose hearings open Monday.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>November 16:</strong> VW launches a far-reaching electrification strategy.</p>.<p><em>- 2019 -</em></p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>January 18:</strong> Four Audi managers are charged in the United States.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>March 15:</strong> US market watchdog SEC announces legal action against VW.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>April 15:</strong> Former CEO Winterkorn and four other managers are charged with "serious fraud" as well as unfair competition and breach of trust.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>May 7:</strong> Porsche agrees to pay a fine of 535 million euros.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>July 31:</strong> Stadler and three former Audi managers are charged with fraud.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>September 24:</strong> Present VW chief Herbert Diess, supervisory board chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch and former CEO Winterkorn are charged with market manipulation. </p>