German prosecutors said Thursday that they had not launched a formal inquiry against Martin Winterkorn, the former chief executive of auto giant Volkswagen, contrary to what they originally stated this week.

An official press statement released on Monday by public prosecutors in Brunswick was "formulated incorrectly," a spokesman told AFP.

No specific individuals are targeted so far in the prosecutors' investigation into the massive pollution-cheating scandal. Complaints had been filed by private individuals against Winterkorn, but only initial suspicions were being probed and there was no formal inquiry as yet, the spokesman explained.