---
title: "Dieselgate: Redecorating in Wolfsburg"
description: "Execs get shuffled in the wake of mega-scandal."
date: "2015-09-28"
modified: "2015-09-28"
authors:
  - name: "The Drive Staff"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/the-drive-staff"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/article/329/dieselgate-redecorating-in-wolfsburg"
categories:
  - "News"
---

# Dieselgate: Redecorating in Wolfsburg

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/archive-images/gettyimages-490003558-hero.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com\</em\>*

**Redecorating**

Matthias Müller (pictured), the newly appointed CEO of Volkswagen Group, intends to reshuffle the boardroom as part of a broader strategy of streamlining decision-making at the German conglomerate. Bloomberg [reports](<https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-27/vw-s-new-ceo-said-to-have-pushed-strategy-shift-to-foster-change>) that Müller, in collaboration with his predecessor Dr. Martin Winterkorn—who resigned on Sept. 25—had conceived of the plan before #dieselgate broadsided the company.

**Porsche’s New Guy**

Bloomberg is also [reporting](<https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-26/volkswagen-unit-porsche-said-to-name-oliver-blume-as-new-chief>) that Müller’s successor at Porsche Cars is likely to be Oliver Blume, a Volkswagen Group veteran who most recently oversaw Porsche’s introduction of the Macan baby ute and 918 Spyder hyper hybrid. Blume previously [oversaw development](<https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/company/porsche-member-of-the-executive-board-production-logistics-dr-oliver-blume-contract-extension-11038.html>) of the Audi A3, and helped new VW Group production facilities come online in Germany as well as Spain.

***Schaden-fraud-e?***

Winterkorn, meanwhile, is the [target of an investigation](<https://www.wsj.com/articles/german-prosecutors-open-investigation-into-former-volkswagen-ceo-martin-winterkorn-1443439708>) opened on Sept. 28 in Lower Saxony, Germany, to determine whether the former CEO and other executives may have committed fraud in connection to the diesel-emissions scandal. Other criminal inquiries may follow in other countries, analysts suggest.

**Billions and Billions and Billions**

The worst case scenario for Volkswagen can be financially quantified. VW stands to incur $50 billion in fines and lawsuits, according to Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, director of the [Center for Automotive Research](<https://www.uni-due.de/car/>) at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany. Dieselgate contagion is likely to reach other parts of VW’s non-diesel product lineup as well—which is to say, buyers will shun even gasoline-powered VWs—putting additional strain on the company.

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