Berlin - Audi's long-serving technical chief Ulrich Hackenberg has stepped down in the wake of the emissions-rigging scandal that has engulfed the carmaker's parent company Volkswagen.
Hackenberg, 65, was a major player in the VW Group for 30 years and father of the flexible MQB modular construction platform used by Audi, Volkswagen and Bentley. He was also a close ally of former VW Group chief Martin Winterkorn, who has resigned over the scandal.
Hackenberg was one of several top figures suspended after the emissions scandal broke. Volkswagen said it had parted company with Hackenberg by “mutual agreement.”
Former Audi engine head Stefan Knirsch takes over as engineering chief at a time when Audi boss Rupert Stadler is under pressure to steer the brand out of the negative headlines.
Audi initially denied any emissions cheating, but later had to backtrack and admit that the VW-derived 3-litre V6 diesel engine fitted to the Audi A6, Audi A7, A8 and Q5 models was also involved.
Knirsch worked for Audi and later Porsche from 1990 to 2010 before he left the car sector for several years and returned to Audi as propulsion chief in 2013.
DPA