All affected cars will be fixed by the end of 2016, he told German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Only a few employees have been involved in the scandal, he added in the interview.

Europe's biggest carmaker has said emissions test-cheating software is present in 11 million diesel vehicles. The firm said it would also look into its various brands and models, singling out Bugatti, its supercar marque. Earlier, Mr Mueller told employees at VW's Wolfsburg home plant in Germany the firm is facing changes that "will not be painless." The emissions scandal engulfed the German car giant after it admitted cheating emissions tests in the US. In the UK, 1.2 million vehicles could be affected. Elsewhere in Europe, France and Italy have opened investigations into the rigging of the tests. The company is suspending the sale of 4,000 vehicles in the UK, saying the vehicles may be equipped with the device that cheated emissions tests in the US. The move will involve vehicles across the VW group including the VW, Audi, Skoda and Seat brands. VW said it was a temporary measure and that it intended to return the vehicles for sale once a fix is identified for the cars. Despite the scandal that began almost two weeks ago, VW customers could still buy vehicles that had the rogue software. The cars taken off the market represent 3% of VW's stock in the UK.(FA)