VOLKSWAGEN is in the bad books again, this time for allegedly fiddling the sales books and exaggerating its vehicle sales numbers on 800,000 vehicles over a number of years.

Its French arm has been accused of reporting inaccurate delivery figures – where a vehicle is supplied to a dealer and not necessarily the time when it is purchased – by German magazine Der Spiegel.

The magazine said a report by Volkswagen’s own internal auditors found some cars were registered by their owners “several months or even years” after the deliveries were recorded by Volkswagen’s French division.

This process usually takes weeks. Auditors also said that some vehicles classed as delivered did not have purchase contracts.

In its article, Der Spiegel said the inaccurate information affected about 800,000 vehicles.

The magazine said it contacted Volkswagen but it declined to discuss the article, saying the company “doesn’t comment on internal documents”.

The French division’s actions are alleged to have started in 2010 and includes Volkswagen Group vehicles badged Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and Seat.

Volkswagen Group chief executive Matthias Mueller was given the auditors’ report on April 24. Soon after, the head of Volkswagen’s French operations, Jacques Rivoal, quit, the magazine said.

Volkswagen said at the time that Rivoal left because of “strategic differences” with management.

By  Neil Dowling