Faster, Higher, Farther
- 448 pages
- 16 hours of reading
A shocking expose of Volkswagen's fraud by a New York Times reporter, updated with a new afterword. When news of Volkswagen's clean diesel fraud broke in September 2015, it transformed the company from a symbol of quality and trust into one of greed and deception. Consumers were outraged, investors panicked, and the company faced bankruptcy. By August 2016, VW had settled with American regulators and car owners for $15 billion, with more legal challenges ahead. Jack Ewing uncovers the scandal, tracing VW's evolution from "the people's car" during the Nazi era to a prestigious global brand known for its green initiatives. He offers insights into the ambitious leadership of chairman Ferdinand Piech and CEO Martin Winterkorn, whose relentless pursuit of sales targets pushed employees toward illegal practices. With access to key figures and firsthand accounts of the legal proceedings, Ewing illustrates how a succeed-at-all-costs mentality in modern corporate culture led to one of the most significant fraud cases in history, with potentially dire consequences. As Volkswagen's future remains uncertain, this narrative captures the extraordinary downfall of an automotive giant.
