Audi sharpens its priorities and advances its measures
Audi’s deliveries, revenue, and operating profit declined in the first three quarters. Its financial performance, particularly in the third quarter, shows Audi must further intensify its measures and set clear priorities. To this end, the company is reducing costs and complexity, increasing the efficiency of its structures, and making targeted investments in new products and future technologies such as software, artificial intelligence, and driver assistance systems.
Business performance was particularly weighed down by the market slump in China — above all for vehicles with combustion engines — by intensifying competition, and by the growing export pressure from Chinese manufacturers on the European market. The dynamic ramp-up of electric mobility in Europe further increased competitive and transformation pressure. In addition, ongoing uncertainty stemming from the situation in the Middle East, the resulting rise in energy costs, and US tariffs have further weighed on performance. The ongoing transition of entry-level models — from the Audi A1 and Q2 to the fully electric Audi A2 e-tron — also had a negative impact.
Audi aligns new models with its core markets
Progress is evident, among other things, in the rejuvenation of the model portfolio and in product development. Audi is specifically taking customer preferences in its core regions into account. The Audi Q7 and Q9, which are particularly relevant to the US market, strengthen the brand’s position in the United States. With the planned local production in the US, Audi aims to sustainably strengthen its business in one of its most important markets and lay the foundation for profitable growth.
In Europe, the Audi Q7 has already launched successfully, and the Audi Q9 follows in early November. The A2 e-tron, presented in September — the brand’s first fully electric compact model — reaches dealerships in December. The Audi A2 e-tron took 21 months less to develop than comparable predecessor models and is produced in Ingolstadt.
In addition, Audi is further strengthening its position in the performance segment: the new Audi RS 5, the brand’s first RS plug-in hybrid, accompanies its Formula 1 commitment as a sporty road model. Demand is high: the production planned for 2026 is already sold out, and in Europe nearly twice as many orders have been received as expected. The Audi RS 5 is produced in Neckarsulm.
Strengthening the future viability of German sites
With the agreement for the future concluded in March 2025, Audi has set important measures in motion to strengthen the future viability of the company and its German sites. Building on this, further measures are to be developed to sustainably secure competitiveness and employment. The necessary steps are to be worked out in dialogue with the Group Works Council.
