NISSAN has denied flouting emission rules on cars made at its North-East factory.

The company has been accused by the South Korean government of manipulating tests on its Qashqai model.

However, Nissan, which employs 6,800 workers at its sprawling Sunderland plant, has strongly denounced the allegations, saying tests prove it hasn’t acted illegally.

Reports coming out of the Asian country say officials believe Nissan bypassed pollution tests by fitting diesel engines with devices to cheat regulations.

It has also been claimed ministers plan to fine Nissan £195,000, file a criminal complaint against the car maker’s local head of operations and recall 800 vehicles sold in the country.

The Qashqai is Nissan’s best-selling model and the most successful in the history of the Japanese firm’s Sunderland factory, with more than two million examples made in the region.

Its North-East plant produces about 1,200 Qashqais every day, with the majority exported around the world, and the company is now making £22m modifications to its Wearside base to manufacture greater numbers of the marque.

According to South Korean claims, the firm fitted Qashqais with devices that switch on full pollution control when they recognise a car’s exhaust system is being tested.

They added the apparatus then turns off the controls when a vehicle reverts back to normal driving conditions.

However, a spokesman said the allegations were not true, adding it will work with the Korean government to prove it hasn’t broken any laws.

He said: “Nissan does not manipulate data related to vehicles; the Qashqai has been correctly approved under Korean regulations.

“Nissan has not and does not employ illegal defeat or cheat devices in any of the cars we make.

“Furthermore, following stringent testing and using similar standards to the Korean tests, European Union authorities have concluded Nissan vehicles they tested used no illegal defeat device.

“Although the conclusions reached by the Korean authorities are inconsistent with those of other regulators, we will carefully assess and consider appropriate next steps.

“Nissan is committed to upholding the law and meeting or exceeding regulations in every market where we operate.

“We are continuing to work with the Korean authorities.”

The claims come after Volkswagen previously admitted cheating US emissions tests and Mitsubishi conceded it has falsified data.

Earlier this month, The Northern Echo exclusively revealed Nissan’s Sunderland factory will stop making the Note hatchback as it bids to meet Qashqai demand.

Bosses say the Note will no longer be sold in Europe, revealing they expect a new Micra model, to be produced in France, will cover the Note’s marketplace absence.

Advanced Qashqai models, which will be fitted with an auto-pilot system, are due to roll out of Sunderland before the end of the year, with the factory also responsible for the next generation Juke hatchback, the all-electric Leaf and the luxury Q30, which carries the Infiniti brand.

A sister Infiniti, the QX30, will also be manufactured on Wearside as the company seeks to increase its presence in the premium car sector.