Yeah, it's getting even better.
> VW will need to pay the bulk of the penalty, €502 million, despite being granted a 45 percent reduction for having cooperated with the investigators.
WTF? 45% reduction for cooperation? Which cooperation? They even tried to bullshit their way out during the investigation.
> BMW is fined the remaining €373 million.
Seems ok. Or not? Didn't they mention a third company?
> Daimler got total immunity as it was the first participant in the cartel to denounce its existence.
1. Get into a illegal cartel
2. Make a lot of profit by breaking the law
3. Snitch, make your competitors pay millions and keep your illegally acquired money
It's a joke and it will not get better anytime soon. BMW, Daimler and VW have too much influence on the german politics to be penalized in a substantial way.
Too many jobs are dependent on them, not only directly in their offices, service stations and factories, but also the whole supplier market.