The Volkswagen Group is facing serious financial problems, but the CEO still denies that Lamborghini is for sale.
The Volkswagen Group is facing major decisions, especially financially. There is now strong speculation about the sale of one or more car brands.
Audi, Lamborghini and Porsche are mentioned as possible sales targets for the car giant. The group's CEO, Oliver Blume, confirms that the future ownership structure is being considered.
This comes at a time of great economic pressure. American trade tariffs are putting pressure on Volkswagen. At the same time, the group is experiencing declining sales figures in the important Chinese market.
Paradoxically, Volkswagen has doubled sales of electric cars in Europe. But that success is not enough to offset the other challenges.
Therefore, the management is now looking at how to free up more money. A sale of some brands could make the group more manageable.
"We are examining what we want to own in the future and whether anything needs to be sold." However, he emphasizes that no decisions have been made yet, Blume tells Manager Magazine.
However, Blume has one very clear position regarding Lamborghini specifically. The Italian brand is definitely not for sale. At least not as it currently stands.
– We also do not plan to sell shares in Lamborghini. We are not on the way to selling.
However, he adds an important detail.
– But we are examining what the future should look like and whether something should be sold or whether we should just own shares. If better owners emerge, we must consider it.
Which VW brands can be sold?
Porsche's IT consultancy MHP is also mentioned as a possible sale target. However, Oliver Blume will not comment on specific companies in the group. He refuses to be specific at all.
Blume indicates that a sale could be considered if the situation is right for Volkswagen. He himself is in a special position. He is the CEO of both the Volkswagen Group and Porsche.
However, the role as Porsche boss is officially only temporary. It could possibly expire at the end of the year. This gives him a dual perspective on the situation.
At the same time as considering asset sales, Volkswagen is facing huge job cuts. The group plans to cut up to 35,000 jobs in Germany alone.
This is a historic move for the German automotive industry. The industry has been an economic lifeline for Germany since World War II. The news of the many layoffs is therefore causing great concern in the country.
The future of the VW Group and job cuts
Oliver Blume tries to calm the situation. He says: "I want Volkswagen and the other brands in the group to remain highly technologically competitive in the future." The goal is to ensure the long-term survival of the group.
He emphasizes that the layoffs must be as gentle as possible. Volkswagen has promised employees, unions and politicians to demonstrate the greatest possible "social responsibility".
But Blume makes no secret of the fact that the cuts are necessary. He points out that it is a problem that should have been addressed long ago. VW bosses have been warning for decades about too many employees.
Already 30 years ago, Ferdinand Piëch, the group's former boss, pointed out that Volkswagen had 30,000 redundant employees.
Blume's predecessor, Herbert Diess, also mentioned the problem.
– We also realized the necessity and have now taken concrete measures, explains Oliver Blume.
The future of the Volkswagen Group is uncertain. The considerations of selling major brands such as Audi and Porsche and the massive job cuts show the seriousness. The coming months will show which path the German car giant chooses.
At Boosted.dk you can read much more about both Volkswagen and the brands that are now in play. We have previously written about Porsche's gigantic misstep on electric cars. Something that now hurts so much that the management is spitting money into combustion engines. Read more about it here.
