Two from EuroNews. First up, the headliner, March 10:
Volkswagen Group profits slumped by almost half in 2025. Trade conflicts, difficulties in China and the change in strategy at Porsche are putting Europe's largest car manufacturer under pressure.
The Volkswagen group had a bruising year in profits and plans to cut 50,000 jobs in Germany by 2030 — a dramatic escalation of its cost-cutting programme after net profit slumped 44% to €6.9bn in 2025, the carmaker's worst result since the diesel emissions scandal nearly a decade ago.The announcement, made by chief executive Oliver Blume in Wolfsburg on Tuesday, goes well beyond the 35,000 job reduction the group had already agreed with trade unions at the end of 2024.
Revenue stagnated at around €322bn, while operating profit almost halved to around €8.9bn, according to Europe's largest carmaker.
Chief financial officer Arno Antlitz cited a "challenging environment" of geopolitical tensions, new trade barriers and intensifying competition, particularly from China.
Volkswagen shares rose nearly 3.7% in Frankfurt on Tuesday morning, lifted by the broader market rally that followed Donald Trump's comments on Iran sanctions and a potential end to the conflict.
In 2015, Volkswagen was found to have installed software in millions of diesel vehicles designed to cheat emissions tests, making cars appear far cleaner than they were during testing — a scandal that wiped billions from the company's market value, triggered criminal prosecutions and cost the group upwards of €30bn in fines, settlements and recalls worldwide.
The current predicament is considered to be more damaging than the 2015 scandal.
Problems in China and the US
Although Volkswagen grew in Europe, this was not enough to compensate for declines in China and North America. The Group delivered around 8.98 million vehicles worldwide in 2025 — a decrease of 0.5%....
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And on one of the Doktor's namesakes (the other, the Ferdinand, was a tank-destroyer, not nearly as well-engineered), March 10/11:
Porsche's €3.9bn writedown cuts automotive profit by 98% in EV retreat
