Dive Brief:
- Audi AG CFO Jürgen Rittersberger called for collaboration between the German auto brand and its parent company Volkswagen Group as the company looks to undertake a “restructuring” amid slumping sales.
- While the auto brand’s efforts to introduce “strict cost discipline” have yielded positive results for the first half of the year, such measures are “not enough” to circumvent the headwinds facing the automaker and broader industry, Rittersberger said in a statement included in Audi’s financial results for the first half of 2026, released Monday.
- “Challenging geopolitical and economic conditions are putting the entire automotive industry, including Audi, under increased pressure to act,” Rittersberger said. “To remain competitive on the global stage, we must work together with the Volkswagen Group to realign our business model and implement large-scale structural improvements.”
Dive Insight:
A wholly-owned subsidiary of Volkswagen Group, Audi is one of four car brands which make up the German automaker’s “Progressive Brand Group,” which also includes Bentley, Lamborghini and Ducati, according to its website. The car company is one of several navigating challenging headwinds in the automotive industry as consumer spending habits and other macroeconomic factors, such as tariffs, continue to impact sales.
Rittersberger’s call for VW Group’s support in realigning Audi’s business model comes just a few days after Volkswagen reported lukewarm results for the first half of 2026 on Friday, with operating profit declining by 11.6% year-over-year to approximately $6.7 billion USD (5.9 billion euros), according to its earnings release. Vehicle sales, meanwhile, dropped by 8.4% YoY to 4 million, the automaker said.
Audi’s global vehicle deliveries also slumped 7% YoY to 727,000 during H1 of 2026, a decline the company primarily attributed to both “ongoing competitive challenges” in China and the impact of tariffs in the U.S., according to its earnings report. In the face of economic pressures, Audi also revised its guidance for the full-year, now anticipating revenues between €58 billion to €63 billion — compared to the €63 billion and €68 billion detailed in previous guidance.
Both Rittersberger and Audi CEO Gernot Döllner pointed to Audi’s continued efforts to improve the company’s results. The brand has already “demonstrated its willingness to change,” Döllner said, including by making “painful decisions” such as closing its plant in Brussels.
“With greater efficiency, clear priorities, and a sharp focus on our strategic goals, we are making Audi more competitive,” Rittersberger said.
Rittersberger has been a member of Audi’s board of management since April 2021, responsible for overseeing finance, legal affairs and IT, according to a company webpage. Prior to his current role at Audi, he served two years as general secretary and SVP of group strategy for VW, as well as an eight-year tenure as VP of corporate development for Porsche, according to his LinkedIn profile.
