In many ways, 2024 will go down in history as a difficult year for the auto industry. If you look ahead, it is already clear: 2025 will not be any easier. Especially not for the sales departments of car manufacturers: On the one hand, they have to ensure that significantly more electric cars come onto the roads if the manufacturers want to avoid CO₂ penalties from the EU. And on the other hand, they should produce better results quickly in order to increase returns in times of crisis. How is that supposed to work?
One person who has seen everything in car sales is Jürgen Stackmann (63). Starting out in sales at Ford, he had a remarkable career in the Volkswagen Group in the 10s: Škoda sales director, VW marketing director, Seat CEO and finally sales director at VW Passenger Cars.
Today, Jürgen Stackmann remains close to the action as supervisory board and director of the Future Mobility Lab Mobility at the University of St. Gallen. On December 3rd at 6 p.m. he will be a guest in the “manage:mobility live” panel and discuss the following topic with manager magazine editor Christoph Seyerlein: “E-cars, agencies and fear of China – the billion-dollar questions in car sales.”
During Stackmann’s time in Wolfsburg, the market launch of the electric hopeful VW ID.3 took place – and with it the start of agency sales to end customers for the brand. Direct sales to end customers are intended to help VW, like some other brands, reduce sales costs and get closer to Tesla as a model in the digital age. However, the interim results are mixed,
whether at Volkswagen or at other manufacturers such as Stellantis, Mercedes or BMW. “It’s rumbling, fermenting, bubbling and shaking in all places and in all brands,” wrote Stackmann himself in a column.
Manager magazin subscribers can take part exclusively in the discussion with Jürgen Stackmann and submit their questions in advance.
What you can take away from the expert discussion:
What possibilities there are for car manufacturers to sell more electric cars in 2025
Whether manufacturers’ direct sales dreams are more of a risk than an opportunity worth billions
How Europe’s automobile manufacturers should deal with the rapidly increasing competition from China