Dear reader, dear reader,
If the resentment rises, does customs fall? There are easier tasks than Donald Trump (78) and his zigzag course follow. Not least in the auto industry, Trump’s customs policy is the top topic. The industry has warned of the consequences of high trade barriers. Now Trump directs a bit And grants car builders a transition period and possibly credits. It is crucial for the latter how many percent vehicles in the United States are assembled.
Trump will continue to employ the car strategists well. This applies not only to the manufacturers, but also to the suppliers. Which brings us to our topics of the week:
How auto suppliers can leave the crisis behind.
Why ZF Friedrichshafen accelerates the sale.
How Audi wants to end his agency flop in the haircase process.
Topic of the week: How car suppliers can leave the crisis behind
After a long growth phase, the crumple zone at the majority supplier has been properly compressed over the past five years. Instead of getting bigger and bigger, the Continental or ZF Friedrichshafen cannot go quickly enough to reduce themselves. At the same time, Chinese suppliers in particular are growing more and more than competitors. They meet the Germans “exactly where they are hurting,” says Felix Mogge by Roland Berger: “In high technology”. My colleague Michael Freitag has with him and Christian Kames from the investment bank Lazard about yours recent study spoken. Which options remain with the established suppliers – and how hard the current customs disputes could also affect
Number of week: 41
Mercedes minus 41 percent, Volkswagen minus 41 percent; The car manufacturers’ profits were eroded in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year. Relaxation is not in sight: Mercedes is currently not a forecast for the year as a whole because of the Trump customs duties. The Swabians are not alone. Stellantis also does not dare for 2025.
Deepdrive: train, car or flight?
In spite of all calls to the culmination, anyone who is traveling between big cities in Germany often runs. According to an anonymized evaluation of O2 mobile radio data
For example, 77 percent of travelers take the train between Berlin and Munich, as well as between Berlin and Cologne. The car dominates on some medium -long path, for example between Frankfurt and Dortmund with a share of 55 percent. The biggest outlier of the statistics is the route between Hamburg and Frankfurt: more travelers (42 percent) on the plane (41 percent) for that trip boarded more travelers (42 percent).
Cars that have been older than ten years should in the future to the main inspection (HU) every two years as before every two years. The EU Commission wants it and promises more security on the streets. The TÜV association does not very surprisingly celebrate this, but from a consumer perspective you have to question the idea. According to ADAC, the number of accidents that are due to technical defects has remained almost unchanged in recent years. Even though the average age of the cars on the street has increased. The plans are “completely superfluous”. For many, new models are eliminated because of ever higher prices. Sprit and repairs also become more expensive. In the situation, drivers in the situation based on shaky arguments seems inappropriately.
Have a nice day of work and get through the week well.
Your Christoph Seyerlein
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