"If Only Everything in Life Was as (Un)reliable as a Volkswagen": A CDA of the Online Popularisation of the Diesel-gate Notices of Violation

In 2015 Volkswagen (VW) was notified for infringing the Clean Air Act by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after manipulating emission tests of some diesel engines. Under these circumstances, the study compares how the notifications and following investigations, updates and measures were communicated online by EPA and VW. In doing so, a CDA framework is taken to the sections of EPA website and VW Group corporate site which convey information about the case. Considering that the popularisation of the legal case appears to serve different functions and to be influenced by contrasting interests, this study focuses on the rhetorical strategies adopted by Volkswagen and EPA to address the legal issue and to state their own professional identity. The study reveals that the violation of the law is clearly stated and recounted in the EPA notices and efficiently popularised online, while VW communications show a lack of managerial coherence, an exploitation of scapegoating and excuse strategies along with a promotional purpose.