"After a fifth defeat device was discovered in early 2018, which (motor authority KBA) found to be illegal, there is currently an official hearing going on with the goal of imposing a mandatory recall for the models Cascada, Insignia and Zafira," the ministry said in a statement.

"The official recall of the affected roughly 100,000 vehicles will take place shortly," it added.

(Reporting by Maria Sheahan; editing by Thomas Seythal)