After several strategy changes, the Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius, possibly also development director Markus Schäfer, is now before the last trial period: Can you stabilize the crumbling sales figures and to report increasing sales figures in 2026? The circumstances are very difficult, due to hard competition in China and Trump’s erratic customs policy for the car industry. Despite the advantages of SUV production in the USA, it will be more difficult for Mercedes to sell more cheaper models produced in Mexico in the United States. And the larger limousines and sports cars have so far come from German factories – with tariffs. Nevertheless, a lot would have to go wrong if Mercedes did not feel an upswing with two brand new and attractive volume models, the mid-range CLA and the electrical output of the mid-range SUV GLC. Kallenius is still somewhat damaged because he had to do a strategic turnout three times. The turning maneuvers are now particularly clear because he used to try too often to make a virtue out of necessity and then sold the result as a brave future course. It was clear from the start that a manufacturer with an annual sales of two million cars and a wide range of products would not have a chance to set up its own platforms and factories for e-cars, similar to Volkswagen (nine million cars). Källenius started the escape and almost only wanted to build electric cars, but infrastructure and market were not that fast. Now the turning point comes to the two -lane strategy and it becomes more expensive. More on the topic of brave future strategy towards the electric car, the design of the limousines EQs and EQE should also symbolize, but so far only a few customers wanted. After a lost generation of model, there is now the turn back to the representative Mercedes grill. Finally, a few years ago, the luxury strategy was proclaimed. At that time it was the starting point that Mercedes said that they could do without an entire model family of front -driven compact cars, because the most expensive models from this model family, CLA and probably also GLA, get a new platform. Now the luxury ambitions are being grown, while quantities may still be needed. Nevertheless, if Källenius does not succeed, a successor would also have difficulty giving the name Mercede’s old shine.
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