Volkswagen India on Tuesday announced that the company will recall around 323,700 cars in the country in the wake of an emissions cheating scandal.

Volkswagen has been engulfed in scandal since September, when it admitted more than 11 million vehicles worldwide equipped with smaller 2.0-liter diesel engines had "defeat" software designed to cheat on emissions tests.

"Volkswagen Group India announces a voluntary recall for updating all cars with EA 189 engines in the Indian market," a statement released by the company said.

"Approximately 323,700 cars of Volkswagen, SKODA and Audi in India are equipped with EA 189 diesel engines," it said, adding that the company would update the software of the recalled cars.

The company said that it had presented its "observations, findings and outlines of possible solutions" on the diesel engines to the Automative Research Association of India (ARAI).

It added that the company will initiate a recall plan after approval from the authorities.

"The existing installed software does not affect the handling, technical safety or roadworthiness of the cars," the statement added.

The world's number-two automaker faces regulatory and criminal investigations in several countries, including Germany and the United States, and potentially billions of dollars in fines.

The so-called "defeat devices" turn on emissions controls when the vehicle is undergoing a government emissions test, then turns them off under normal operations, allowing illegal amounts of nitrogen oxide to spew into the air.

"(The company) will not deviate from its future planned investments, product plans and launches," the statement added.

Volkswagen India has two factories in western state of Maharashtra, with a manufacturing capacity of more than 200,000 cars annually.

Volkswagen's US sales plunge 25% in November
Chicago (AFP) Dec 1, 2015 - Volkswagen's US sales plunged 25 percent in November after it suspended sales of diesel vehicles in the wake of an emissions cheating scandal, the embattled German automaker said Tuesday.

VW froze sales of diesel car models in the United States on November 4 after new accusations on the use of software that cheats on emissions tests.

The suspension affects about 20 percent of its typical sales but appears to have also impacted non-diesel models.

Total sales fell by nearly 8,000 vehicles from a year ago to 23,882 units in November.

The automaker sold 5,462 TDI diesel vehicles in November 2014, a spokeswoman told AFP.

"Volkswagen was lucky to hold its own in the months immediately following the revelation of the emissions problems, but its luck on sales ran out in November," said Michelle Krebs, senior analyst for Autotrader.

"Volkswagen will take a long time to dig out from under this, but the very first step needs to be a clear and comprehensive plan for fixing it, and that does not appear to be forthcoming soon."

VW's US sales for the year-to-date were down four percent at 318,484.

Volkswagen has been engulfed in scandal since September, when it admitted more than 11 million vehicles worldwide equipped with smaller 2.0-liter diesel engines had "defeat" software designed to cheat on emissions tests.

US officials say similar software is on the company's larger 3.0 liter diesel engines, used in Volkswagens, Audis and Porsche SUVs.

The world's number-two automaker faces regulatory and criminal investigations in several countries, including Germany and the United States, and potentially billions of dollars in fines.

"Volkswagen is working tirelessly on an approved remedy for the affected TDI vehicles," Mark McNabb, chief operating officer, Volkswagen of America, said in a statement.

"During this time we would like to thank our dealers and customers for their continued patience and loyalty."

The so-called "defeat devices" turn on emissions controls when the vehicle is undergoing a government emissions test, then turns them off under normal operations, allowing illegal amounts of nitrogen oxide to spew into the air.

The scandal has widened, with the German automaker subsequently revealing that it had understated carbon dioxide emissions, including those for gasoline engines, for up to 800,000 vehicles.