According to German media, Audi is on its way with a hefty savings plan that means saying goodbye to 15 percent of all the brand's employees.
Audi plans to lay off 15 percent of its employees as part of a savings plan. This follows similar initiatives at Volkswagen.
According to German media, Audi is now also embarking on a diet on the cost side. In addition to rounds of layoffs, entire factory closures are on the way.
Instead of focusing on the production lines, Audi will primarily lay off employees in "indirect" positions, such as in the development department.
This could mean that up to 4,500 employees lose their jobs. Audi has confirmed that the brand is in dialogue with employee representatives. But management or spokespeople have not confirmed the exact number of layoffs.
That's what Manager Magazin writes.
READ ALSO: Is it illegal to share pictures of license plates in Denmark?
The decision to lay off employees in Germany comes after a period of uncertainty for the remaining 3,000 employees in Brussels, Belgium.
Here, Audi will close the factory that produces the less popular Q8 e-tron on 28 February 2025. The factory in Belgium will thus become the first facility that the Volkswagen Group closes in Europe. This has never happened before in the group's 87-year history.
Audi has reportedly negotiated a takeover of the factory with 26 potential investors. But none of them have been able to present a proposal that Audi can live with. A single car brand has directly rejected the idea of a takeover. Read more about it here.
Audi's sales figures for the third quarter show a 21 percent drop in deliveries in the US alone. Almost all models saw a drop, with the exception of the e-tron GT and Q3. Overall, the brand's profits fell by 92 percent over the same period.
At Volkswagen, too, employees are fighting to keep their jobs. Management has proposed a 10 percent pay cut and that bonuses in connection with anniversaries be removed. This must be done in order to save the economy, which the finance director believes the group has two – perhaps three years – to turn around.
Read more exciting news from and about the world of cars right here!
