VW deal proposed to pay owners of cheating diesels

DETROIT — Volkswagen, the U.S. government and private lawyers have reached a deal for the automaker to spend just over $1 billion to compensate owners of about 600,000 diesel-powered cars that cheat on emissions tests, including buyback offers to some owners, according to a person briefed on the matter. The “deal in principle” includes a maximum amount of spending, but the final details, like how much each owner would get, are still being worked out, according to the person, who asked not to be identified because the deal hasn’t been made public. Some owners would get a choice of having VW repair their cars or buy them back, but that would vary by model year and engine type, the person said. The deal does not yet include plans on how to repair the cars, which can spew our harmful nitrogen oxide at 40 times the allowable limit, the person said.