VW ordered to buy back diesel cars it sold equipped with emission evasion software based on their current value

• Some 60,000 claims have been made by affected VW car owners in Germany
• Customers will be forced to accept repayments for the current value of their car
• This will take into account depreciation rather than the full purchase price

Volkswagen must buy back the diesel cars it sold equipped with software to evade emissions testing from their owners, a German court ruled yesterday.

However, customers will be forced to accept the current value of their car, based on how many miles they have travelled since buying it, not the purchase price.

The decision comes after motorist Herbert Gilbert took the company to court over a Volkswagen Sharan he bought in 2014, which was equipped with the software that turned off emissions controls during testing.

The court ordered the manufacturer to pay out €28,257.74 (£25,325) to Mr Gilbert. 

This figures comprises a reimbursement of what he had originally paid for the car, minus a deduction for the usage he has had from it. 

It paves the way for some 60,000 similar claims brought by car owners in Germany. The company has already settled a separate £740million class action suit involving 262,000 others.

Volkswagen said it will 'approach the plaintiffs with the adequate settlement proposals'.

Volkswagen was caught cheating by US authorities in September 2015 and has paid more than £29.5billion in fines and settlements worldwide. 

The case in Germany will interest around 90,000 drivers in England and Wales who have taken action against VW, as well as Audi, Seat and Skoda, which are also owned by VW Group.

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