LONDON, June 11 (Reuters) - Some of the world's biggest

carmakers are facing 1.5 million lawsuits in Britain for

allegedly cheating emissions tests that could cost them at least

6 billion pounds ($7.6 billion), claimants' lawyers told

London's High Court on Tuesday.

The claims, brought by owners of diesel vehicles, highlight

the ongoing fallout for automakers from a scandal that erupted

in 2015 when Volkswagen admitted to using "defeat devices" to

change diesel vehicles' emissions levels during testing.

Manufacturers including Mercedes-Benz and Ford

are also alleged to have misled customers about certain

vehicles' compliance with nitrogen oxide emissions standards -

which the companies deny.

A spokesperson for Mercedes-Benz - which faces around

300,000 claims - said in a statement: "We continue to believe

that the claims against Mercedes-Benz are without merit and will

vigorously defend ourselves against them or any group action

with the necessary legal means."

A Ford spokesperson said: "We see no merit in these claims

and are robustly defending against them. Our vehicles and

engines meet all applicable emissions requirements."

Volkswagen's "dieselgate" scandal has cost the

carmaker more than 32 billion euros ($34 billion) in vehicle

refits, fines and legal costs.

The German group agreed to pay 193 million pounds in 2022 to

settle claims from around 91,000 British drivers without any

admission of liability.

Lawyers representing a coalition of claimants said at a

preliminary hearing that there were around 1.5 million claimants

suing 13 different vehicle manufacturing groups.

Benjamin Williams, one of the claimants' lawyers, said in

court documents that the value of individual claims had not yet

been determined.

But he said that "even if the claims were valued

conservatively" at 4,000 pounds each, it would make the total

value of all of the lawsuits "at least" 6 billion pounds.

The legal costs of the litigation will also be huge, with

the claimants' lawyers estimating they will need to spend nearly

400 million pounds up to a potential third trial in 2026, with

the carmakers' figure being 321 million pounds.