Volkswagen’s chief executive Martin Winterkorn said on Wednesday he was resigning in the wake of a spiralling scandal over pollution test cheating. “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,” Winterkorn said in a statement. “Volkswagen needs a fresh start – also in terms of personnel. I am clearing the way for this fresh start.”