At a Glance

  • Audi AG Chief Financial Officer Jürgen Rittersberger said the German car brand needs to work with its parent company, Volkswagen Group, to advance what the company calls a "restructuring" amid declining sales.
  • Although the brand's efforts to enforce "strict cost discipline" yielded positive results in the first half of the year, Rittersberger noted in a statement accompanying Audi's first-half 2026 financial results (released Monday) that these measures are "not sufficient" to counter the headwinds facing the company and the industry as a whole.
  • "The challenging geopolitical and economic situation is putting greater pressure on the entire automotive industry, including Audi," Rittersberger said. "To remain competitive on the global stage, we must work together with the Volkswagen Group to realign our business model and implement large-scale structural improvements."

In-Depth Analysis

Audi is a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen Group. According to its website, Audi is one of four car brands that make up the German automaker's "Progressive Brand Group," which also includes Bentley, Lamborghini, and Ducati. As consumer spending habits and macroeconomic factors such as tariffs continue to impact sales, Audi is one of many companies navigating severe headwinds in the automotive industry.

Rittersberger's call for Volkswagen Group to support Audi in realigning its business model comes just days after the group reported lackluster first-half 2026 results last Friday. According to its financial report, Volkswagen Group's operating profit fell 11.6% year-over-year in the first half to approximately $6.7 billion (€5.9 billion), while vehicle sales declined 8.4% year-over-year to 4 million units.

Audi's global deliveries also fell 7% year-over-year in the first half of 2026, to 727,000 vehicles. According to its financial report, the company primarily attributes this decline to "ongoing competitive challenges" in the Chinese market and the impact of U.S. tariffs. Facing economic pressures, Audi also revised its full-year guidance, now expecting revenue between €58 billion and €63 billion, compared with a previous range of €63 billion to €68 billion.

Both Rittersberger and Audi CEO Gernot Döllner pointed to Audi's ongoing efforts to improve the company's performance. Döllner said the brand has "demonstrated its willingness to change," including making "painful decisions" such as closing its plant in Brussels.

"Through greater efficiency, clear priorities, and a sharp focus on strategic goals, we are making Audi more competitive," Rittersberger said.

According to the company's website, Rittersberger has been a member of Audi's Board of Management since April 2021, responsible for finance, legal, and IT affairs. According to his LinkedIn profile, before his current role at Audi, he served as Secretary General and Senior Vice President of Group Strategy at Volkswagen Group for two years and spent eight years as Vice President of Corporate Development at Porsche.