NEW YORK: The Volkswagen AG scandal over diesel emission tests is headed for Hollywood.
US movie studio Paramount Picture and actor Leonardo DiCaprio's production company have acquired movie rights to a book proposal by New York Times journalist Jack Ewing about the clean diesel scandal, the biggest crisis in Volkswagen's 78-year history, Paramount and New York literary agency Marly Rusoff and Associates said on Monday.
Publishing rights for the as-yet-untitled book sold earlier this month for six figures to the Norton publishing house, Marly Rusoff said. The book is expected to investigate how a "more, better, faster" ethos fuelled one of the greatest frauds in corporate history.
Europe's largest automaker has admitted rigging diesel emissions tests in the United States, and Germany's transport minister says it also manipulated them in Europe.
The scandal has wiped more than a third off the German company's share price, forced out its long-time CEO and prompted investigations around the world.
DiCaprio, producer and star of The Wolf of Wall Street through his Appian Way production company, is also one of Hollywood's leading environmental campaigners.
No stars or directors are attached to the movie at this stage.
Meanwhile, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) has warned that a rushed and overly tough change to European emissions tests in the wake of the Volkswagen scandal could make diesel vehicles so expensive that manufacturers have to stop selling them.
"The automobile industry agrees with the need for emissions to more closely reflect real-world conditions, and has been calling for proposals for years," it said in a statement.
"However, it is important to proceed in a way which allows manufacturers to plan and implement the necessary changes, without jeopardising the role of diesel as one of the key pillars for fulfilling future CO2 targets."
Diesel vehicles have been encouraged in some European markets because they can produce less carbon dioxide - a major greenhouse gas - than gasoline vehicles. However, they can also produce higher levels of nitrous oxides (NOx), which are harmful to human health.
The European Commission has been ratcheting up pressure on carmakers to agree to faster, deeper diesel emissions cuts, counting on public anger after Volkswagen admitted cheating in U.S. emissions tests.
European government officials met in Brussels last week in an attempt to unlock a stalemate over plans to introduce real-world measurements of NOx emissions rather than rely on easily manipulated lab tests.
Real-world NOx testing is due to begin early next year, with its results coming into play in late 2017.
