German auto giant Volkswagen said on Monday it would halt production at six plants for several days as a legal dispute with two key suppliers deepened.

Around 27,700 workers at factories in Emden, Zwickau, Kassel, Salzgitter, Brunswick, and the firm's home base of Wolfsburg would see their work hours slashed by the end of August, the group said in a statement.

VW said it would resume talks with the suppliers of gearbox parts and seat covers on Monday, in a bid to restore deliveries and allow production to restart after weeks of legal wrangling.