Your diesel car was cheated. Now we know it started even earlier than regulators admitted.

Internal emails just surfaced in a London courtroom — and they suggest the diesel emissions cartel began three years before Europe's official ruling. That matters for your compensation claim.

• The new evidence: Emails from 2006 show BMW, Volkswagen, and DaimlerChrysler coordinating how to limit emissions technology — and explicitly agreeing not to tell regulators the real reason why. The EU's official cartel start date is 2009.

• Why the gap matters: The start date determined the fine. A shorter cartel = a smaller penalty. If the cartel ran from 2006, the companies may have been significantly under-fined — and the harm to vehicle owners runs deeper than ruled.

• Where it stands now: The emails have emerged as evidence in a High Court case representing 1.6 million diesel car owners. South Korea's competition regulator has already ruled the cartel started in 2006.

• Your position: If you owned a diesel vehicle from VW, BMW, or Mercedes-Benz between 2006 and 2014, your claim window may be wider than you think.

Hat tip to Türkiye Today for breaking this story.

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