The car manufacturer Audi bucked the trend in the industry and was able to increase its profits last year. According to its own information, the group earned 4.6 billion euros after taxes – ten percent more than in 2024. In addition to a good fourth quarter Audi the increase but above all a compensation payment from the parent company VW. The figures relate to the Audi subgroup, which, in addition to the core brand, also includes Bentley, Lamborghini and Ducati.
Overall, the financial result doubled to 2.2 billion euros. The majority of this is due to the compensation payment, which CFO Jürgen Rittersberger estimated at a high three-digit million amount. The operating result, on the other hand, fell by almost 14 percent.
“We have completed a challenging year in a financially robust manner,” said Rittersberger. Among other things, the new ones had US tariffs
It cost Audi 1.2 billion euros, which the company could not pass on through higher prices. Provisions for CO₂ and the job cuts announced a year ago cost a further 0.4 billion each.
Competitive pressure in China
Audi also suffers from strong competitive pressure in China. There is a price war in the area of electric cars and hybrids, said Rittersberger. In addition to the payment from Wolfsburg, good delivery figures at the end of the year and “high cost discipline” had a positive effect on the Audi figures.
Audi is making progress with job cuts: 65 percent of the first tranche, which is 6,000 jobs by 2027, have already been implemented or contractually agreed, said Rittersberger. That corresponds to 3,900 jobs. By 2029 there should be a total of 7,500 in the so-called future package. There will be no further job cuts, said Human Resources Director Xavier Ros Augsburger Allgemeine Zeitung.
Savings should continue in the current year. The group also expects high burdens in 2026 due to the US tariffs. It is assumed that the tariff level will be similar to that of 2025, but not just for nine, but for twelve months, i.e. with higher costs overall, said Rittersberger.
Audi is getting closer to BMW and Mercedes
With the increase in profits, Audi is once again approaching its two major competitors in domestic German competition, as BMW had to accept a slight decline in profits to 7.5 billion euros last year, and Mercedes even suffered a fall to 5.3 billion euros.
The decision about a possible work in the USA
is further delayed. Originally it should have already been hit, said CEO Döllner. The decision will be made by the VW Group board this year. Unlike its competitor BMW, Audi does not yet have its own US factory and is therefore particularly hard hit by the tariffs there.