A decade after Volkswagen sent shockwaves through the automobile industry by admitting it had cheated on emissions tests, 13 of the world’s biggest carmakers are gearing up to defend a multibillion pound lawsuit over whether they all deceived regulators about harmful gases produced by diesel vehicles.

Hundreds of thousands of motorists in the UK are suing manufacturers including Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Peugeot/Citro?n, Renault and Nissan over claims they installed “defeat devices” to manipulate tests for nitrogen oxide emissions. The claimants are hoping for thousands of pounds each in compensation.

The lawsuit, which barring a last-minute settlement will go to trial next week at the High Court in London, is among the most aggressive attempts in the world to widen liability for “dieselgate” beyond Volkswagen. It will be one of the largest collective actions in English legal history.