Its MAN diesel engines. These are the huge diesel engines that power ships today – and once upon a time powered German U Boats prowling the Atlantic.

But diesels are almost as politically incorrect as giving the stiff-armed salute from the tribune at the crumbling ruins at the Zeppelin field in Nuremburg – even though they haven't committed any war crimes.

They are, however, not electric.

And VW is desperately trying to divest itself of anything that isn't  – in order to get back in the good graces of the government it "cheated" by not exactly complying with its emissions testing rigmarole.