In its zeal to fine VW, the government could set off a financial carmageddon, wiping out a major car company and destroying a major asset of VW owners. This could have financial ripples which cascade out of control.
I'm suspicious of the timing. Was this done now to deflect attention from the EPA poisoning a river with heavy metals?
GM made more than 10x VW in political donations, and got rewarded for it while VW is facing evisceration.
Looks more like political “total war”: pay up or die.
Might be interesting to monitor political donations from other car companies. I expect they’ll take a sudden interest and get out some very large checkbooks. In the meantime, I suspect an interesting prioritization of payments from VW right before bankruptcy is declared, selectively routing much of the big pile pile of fine-and-debt-destined cash prior to oddly not having any left.