Volkswagen car sales fall more than 5% in wake of emissions scandal

VW sales drop by 1.5% in Europe but rise in North America in October, a month after it admitted rigging nitrogen oxide tests

Volkswagen car sales fell worldwide last month as the German carmaker counted the cost of the emissions rigging scandal.

VW sold 490,000 cars of its namesake brand last month, 5.3% fewer than a year earlier, while its Czech brand Akoda was down 2.7% and Spanish marque Seat dropped 3.1%. Commercial vehicles registered a sharper decline of 9.8%. Audi sales held up with 2% growth, while Porsche raced ahead with an 18% increase.