EU antitrust regulators raided German car manufacturers on Monday, days after they made a similar swoop on the offices of BMW in a fresh blow to the country's beleaguered auto industry.

"The inspections are related to Commission concerns that several German car manufacturers may have violated EU antitrust rules that prohibit cartels and restrictive business practices," the commission, the bloc's executive arm, said in a statement. It did not say which car companies were targeted.