Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn (Picture: THOMAS KIENZLE/AFP/Getty Images)

Volkswagen chief executive Martin Winterkorn has resigned over the diesel emissions scandal.

The German car-maker has admitted that 11 million vehicles worldwide might have been fitted with software to trick emissions testers into believing their vehicles met environmental standards.

Mr Winterkorn announced he was stepping down but was not aware of ‘any wrongdoing on my part’.

He issued a statement which read: ‘I am shocked by the events of the past few days. Above all, I am stunned that misconduct on such a scale was possible in the Volkswagen Group.


‘As CEO I accept responsibility for the irregularities that have been found in diesel engines and have therefore requested the supervisory board to agree on terminating my function as CEO of the Volkswagen Group.

‘I am doing this in the interests of the company even though I am not aware of any wrongdoing on my part.’