Dear reader,
Research by my colleague Michael Freitag unleashed waves at the beginning of the week that should not only have been felt on the Mittelland Canal in Wolfsburg. VW is the epicenter of the Volkswagen Group. But the core brand, an industrial icon of the German economy, is facing severe cuts. Chronically low in margins, it has recently been unable to keep up with new (Tesla, BYD) and old (Stellantis, Toyota) competitors.
The models aren’t convincing, many plants are barely working at full capacity, and the entire apparatus is bloated. Brand boss Thomas Schäfer (53) faces a huge mountain of problems. The situation is precarious, even the automaker’s sanctuaries, its own factories, sometimes no longer seem untouchable.
Many of you have probably already read the story. She is hereby recommended to everyone else.
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