A man has ploughed his car into a crowd of people in western Germany, injuring at least four, in what authorities say was an intentional attack on foreigners.

Key points: Police said those hit included Syrian and Afghan citizens

Police said those hit included Syrian and Afghan citizens The driver, whose name was not released, made anti-foreigner comments during his arrest

The driver, whose name was not released, made anti-foreigner comments during his arrest There are indications he suffers from mental illness, police said

The 50-year-old driver of a silver Mercedes first attempted to hit a group of people in the city of Bottrop shortly after midnight, but the pedestrians were able to jump out of the way, Muenster police said.

The suspect, a German man, then drove into the centre of Bottrop where he slammed his car into a crowd.

Police said those hit included Syrian and Afghan citizens, and some were seriously injured.

The driver then sped off toward the nearby city of Essen, where he tried and failed to hit people waiting at a bus stop before being arrested by police on suspicion of attempted homicide.

The driver, whose name was not released, made anti-foreigner comments during his arrest and there were indications he suffered from mental illness, police said.

"The man had the clear intention to kill foreigners," Herbert Reul, the top security official in North Rhine-Westphalia state, was quoted as saying by the German news agency dpa.

The driver made anti-foreigner comments during his arrest, police said. ( AP: Marcel Kusch/dpa )

It is not the first time a vehicle has been used as an apparent weapon in Germany.

In April, a German man drove a van into a crowd in Muenster, killing four people and injuring dozens.

The driver, who had sought psychological help in the weeks preceding the attack, then killed himself.

On December 19, 2016, a Tunisian man drove a truck into a busy Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.

The driver, who fled the scene, was later killed in a shootout with police in Italy.

Sorry, this video has expired Police have descended on the area where a man rammed a car into a crowd of people

AP