Automaker in new test cheat charge

US regulators claim six-cylinder Audi, Porsche, and VW cars could also trick pollutants checks

The Volkswagen emissions scandal widened on Monday when the US government accused the German automaker of cheating for a second time. Although VW denied the charge, it faced the prospect of steeper fines and lost sales, as well as more intense scrutiny from disbelieving US lawmakers.

The US Environmental Protection Agency, along with the California Air Resources Board, said Volkswagen installed software on thousands of Audi, Porsche and VW cars with six-cylinder diesel engines that allowed them to emit fewer pollutants during tests than in real-world driving. The previous revelations of cheating involved four-cylinder diesels in smaller cars.