“We will make the Volkswagen Group more resilient, more efficient and more competitive.”

Less complexity, sharper focus: How Volkswagen Group is future-proofing its products, technologies and organizational structures.

Geopolitical crises, trade barriers, demanding regulatory requirements, unpredictable markets, intensifying competition: The world has changed dramatically over the past twelve months. Few sectors bear the weight of these shifts more heavily than the automotive industry. Manufacturers and suppliers face the same fundamental challenges.

To remain sustainably competitive in this environment, the Volkswagen Group is now entering the next phase of its transformation. “The years ahead will be decisive. For this reason, we are responding with resolve. Not through another project with a defined start and end, but through an enduring transformation process. With one goal: to make our Group more robust, more successful and more future-proof,” said Oliver Blume, CEO of Volkswagen Group, at the half-year results presentation in late July 2026.

Oliver Blume in a blue suit at a light desk; blurred cameras in the foreground at the virtual VW Annual General Meeting. — Oliver Blume, CEO of Volkswagen Group

Rising geopolitical tensions are pushing up the cost of raw materials and goods. US tariffs alone burden the Group with approximately five billion euros per year, through direct costs and lost sales volumes. Meanwhile, the Chinese market shrank by around 20 percent in the first half of the year, despite more than 500 new models being launched in the same period – the vast majority from Chinese manufacturers. Those same manufacturers are now moving aggressively into Europe, gaining ground fast.

Over the past three years, the Volkswagen Group has already undergone a fundamental realignment and is now tackling these challenges from a position of strength. “For this reason, the Group’s Board of Management has developed a future plan, drawing on our progress to date, our current positioning and the risks we expect to face. Rooted in the spirit of a continuous transformation of our company, the plan has a clear focus: Strong products, convincing technologies and a relentless drive to stay competitive,” said CEO Oliver Blume at the Annual General Meeting in June 2026.

This includes adjusting the Volkswagen Group’s global production network to the changed market environment. In line with current demand, the Group is aligning to an annual volume of approximately nine million vehicles. At the same time, administrative, planning and development functions are becoming more efficient. Leaner management structures simplify and accelerate decision-making.

“My motivation is to lead Volkswagen into a successful future, strategically, technologically and with a solid cost base. That is what we are fighting for,” Arno Antlitz, CFO and COO of Volkswagen Group, told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in April 2026. “And I believe we will succeed. Across the organization, there is a shared sense of what is at stake: The next few months will define Volkswagen’s future.” For Arno Antlitz, one principle is central – as he wrote on LinkedIn: “Less complexity is key.”

A man with glasses and a receding hairline speaks on stage. He wears a dark suit with a white shirt and a clip-on microphone. His hands are raised in a gesturing manner. The background is bright and modern in design. — Arno Antlitz, CFO and COO of Volkswagen Group

The future plan will also focus on further uniting and building on the strengths of the Volkswagen Group’s brands and subsidiaries. “Audi is a central pillar of the Group and part of the solution. Our shared goal is a long-term, viable roadmap for the future. Audi has already shown the courage to reinvent itself, through difficult decisions such as closing the Brussels plant,” said Gernot Döllner, CEO of Audi AG, at the quarterly results presentation in June 2026. “Customers buy an Audi, a Volkswagen, a CUPRA or a Lamborghini. Distinct brands are a strength, not a weakness. That said, we continue to look for synergies – above all on the technology side: Joint platform development and shared work on software and electrical/electronic architectures,” said Jürgen Rittersberger, Audi AG Board Member for Finance, IT and Legal Affairs, in Die Welt in April 2026.

Collaboration across the Group matters just as much to Porsche. “Porsche cannot go it alone – not in today’s environment. When it comes to topics such as autonomous driving or shared platforms, we gain from joint investment and the Group’s economies of scale. And we have solid ground rules for how we work together,” said Michael Leiters, CEO of Porsche AG, to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in June 2026.

All these transformation efforts have one thing in common: They have to deliver real value to customers around the world. The model lineup will gradually be streamlined by up to 50 percent, with significantly less complexity in the offering – and without any disadvantage to customers. Every investment, every development resource is directed at the products and technologies that deliver the most meaningful impact for customers and the strongest financial contribution for the Group. “Less complexity. Focused products. Fewer variants. Higher volumes per model. And an even stronger focus on what our customers in each region expect,” said CEO Oliver Blume at the Annual General Meeting in June 2026.

The transformation also extends to the Group’s key technology fields. Platforms, electronic architectures and software landscapes will each be harmonized and tailored to the requirements of the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. The goal: Capture Group-wide synergies more effectively, eliminate parallel structures and sharpen the Volkswagen Group’s technological edge.

“Volkswagen has already changed substantially. Across e-mobility’s core technologies, we are well on track,” said Thomas Schmall, Chief Technology Officer of Volkswagen Group, to Deutsche Presse Agentur (dpa) in April 2026. The efficiency programs launched in recent years have made the Group “more resilient, more agile and better positioned today.” “Volkswagen stands for value creation in Germany. But to do that, we now have to create the conditions to make it economically viable,” Schmall added.

“At the same time, two distinct technology spheres are taking shape, one for the Western Hemisphere and one for the Eastern Hemisphere – each with different regulatory requirements and technological standards. We have positioned the Group accordingly, with independent solutions and dedicated partners for each region,” said Ralf Brandstätter, Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Group responsible for China, to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in April 2026

Overall, the Volkswagen Group’s transformation remains firmly focused on the automotive core business. The direction is set: Greater focus, lower complexity and additional financial flexibility. At the same time, the Group is pursuing new growth fields built on its technologies, capabilities and customer relationships.

Oliver Blume summed it up at the half-year results presentation: “It is up to us. With our strong brands and products, our clear strategy, and a team that can deliver. Around 660,000 employees worldwide, developing, producing, selling – and shaping progress every day.”

Future Plan: Volkswagen Group is Entering the Next Phase of Transformation

On this page, you can find the latest information on the future plan of the Volkswagen Group. The page will be updated as needed.