Stellantis vs Volkswagen

Stellantis selects Amperity for customer data platform

Amperity, a customer data platform (CDP), announced that automaker Stellantis has selected it to support its customer data transformation and deliver personalized experiences across its brands and touchpoints. Amperity will enable Stellantis to recognize customers across brands, households, and vehicles, building a foundation for cross-brand engagement, after-sales, loyalty, and personalized messaging. In a proof of concept, Amperity ingested millions of records in minutes and created a unified Customer 360 for complex automotive data in less than three days, demonstrating real-time support for consumer journey use cases. The open, composable architecture allows integration with Stellantis's existing data ecosystem, reducing silos and maximizing investments.

• Stellantis selected Amperity as its customer data platform.
• Amperity will enable customer recognition across brands, households, and vehicles.
• Proof of concept: Amperity ingested millions of records in minutes and built a Customer 360 in under three days.

Stellantis to Unveil New Mobility Vision with Nine Concept Cars, October 12-18 at Paris Motor Show

Stellantis announces it will unveil a new mobility vision with nine concept cars at the Paris Motor Show from October 12-18, 2026.

Stellantis Appoints Stephanie Hartgrove Chief Communications Officer; Names Clara Ingen-Housz to Lead Public Policy & Regulatory Strategy, International Trade

Stellantis announced two senior leadership appointments on August 31, 2026: Stephanie Hartgrove as Chief Communications Officer and Clara Ingen-Housz to lead Public Policy & Regulatory Strategy and International Trade. A separate announcement names Arnaud Belloni CEO of FIAT, Abarth and Lancia and Chief Marketing Officer for Europe, with Olivier François becoming Company Strategic Advisor.

Volkswagen posts 5.8 billion euro loss in third quarter

Volkswagen is heading towards its first annual net loss since the diesel scandal, driven by a €5.8 billion net loss in Q3 2026. Key factors include a €6.4 billion goodwill impairment on Porsche, a €1 billion write-down on Chinese subsidiaries, restructuring costs, and margin pressure from the shift to electric vehicles. Revenue fell 6.3% to €75.3 billion, and deliveries dropped 14.3% overall, with a sharp 38.5% decline in China. Sales in China fell over 30% to 1.38 million vehicles in the first nine months. The company lowered its full-year operating margin forecast to at most 1%, down from 4.0-5.5%, and expects special costs of around €10 billion. Excluding special effects, operating profit would have been €8.8 billion, with net cash flow more than doubling to €4.4 billion. A €31 billion cost-cutting program is planned, but restructuring strategy remains disputed.

• Volkswagen reported a net loss of €5.8 billion in Q3 2026.
• The loss includes a €6.4 billion impairment on Porsche and a €1 billion write-down on Chinese assets.
• Third-quarter revenue fell 6.3% to €75.3 billion, and deliveries dropped 14.3% overall, with a 38.5% decline in China.

German Companies Cut Thousands of Management Jobs

German corporations are eliminating thousands of management positions, particularly in the middle management layer between C-suite and operational business. Volkswagen plans to cut about 5,000 of its 21,500 management roles worldwide, BMW is reducing leadership levels, and BASF has already shed 11% of its managers in the past two years. In 2025, a record 49,000 executives were unemployed. Bayer CEO Bill Anderson is spearheading a radical restructuring, aiming to eliminate up to 12,000 of roughly 17,000 leadership positions by flattening the corporate hierarchy from twelve levels. This trend is driven by weak economic conditions, high transformation costs, and a desire for leaner, faster organizations. Affected managers face not only financial uncertainty but also loss of status and identity, and re-entering the job market is challenging as companies now prioritize operational experience, technology skills, and change management capability.

• Volkswagen plans to cut approximately 5,000 of its 21,500 management positions worldwide.
• BASF has reduced its leadership workforce by 11% over the past two years.
• A record 49,000 executives were registered as unemployed in Germany in 2025.

Audi Restructures China Leadership with New Dual Board

Audi is replacing its China leadership amid declining sales in the region. Jeff Zhang will become President of Audi China from November 1, succeeding Johannes Roscheck, who is returning to Ingolstadt. Additionally, Rolf Michl, currently CEO of Audi Sport GmbH, will move to China as Chief Operating Officer, creating a dual leadership structure for the China board. Audi's struggles in China are deepening, with projected sales of under 420,000 vehicles in 2026, about 30% lower than 2025, marking the weakest performance since 2012. Imports of models like the A8 and RS models from Germany have nearly halted. Audi's operating profit is also expected to miss targets, with the Brand Group Progressive posting only €1.1 billion in the first half. These moves are part of broader restructuring efforts, including partnerships with Huawei, XPeng, and Saic, to revitalize operations in China.

• Jeff Zhang becomes President of Audi China from November 1, replacing Johannes Roscheck.
• Rolf Michl, CEO of Audi Sport GmbH, moves to China as COO, creating a dual leadership structure.
• Audi China sales projected below 420,000 vehicles in 2026, down 30% from 2025, the weakest since 2012.