Dieselgate is still hurting Volkswagen, and as time goes on, the symptoms are getting stranger. A random guy wearing a Volkswagen uniform got on stage during the German auto giant's Geneva Motor Show press conference Tuesday, carrying a "cheat box" prop that he placed underneath the Up! compact that was in the middle of being presented. The exchange that followed between the man and Volkswagen's passenger car chief Juergen Stackmann — who was on stage at the time — is kind of amazing:
Protester: I have this new cheat box. No one is going to find out about this one!
Stackmann: Okay, it doesn't need repair, it's a perfect car.
Protester: No no no! [Volkswagen CEO] Mr. Müller said it was okay as long as no one finds out!
Stackmann: It is okay. Thank you very much. I hope you enjoy the show. Thank you very much.
The Telegraph has identified the protester as Britain's Simon Brodkin, the same guy who threw a fistful of fake cash at Sepp Blatter during a press conference last year — so clearly, he has a penchant for interrupting cheaters on camera.
The flow of news in the massive diesel emissions scandal has slowed a bit in recent weeks, but there are still hundreds of thousands of vehicles on the road affected by it, a fact that has sullied Volkswagen's reputation and the reputation of diesel overall.
But remember: that Up! is a perfect car. Stackmann says so.
Verge Video: The Volkswagen scandal, explained
