Volkswagen: The Porsche and Piëch Families Demand an Electric Shock!
- Published on 10/08/2026 11:37
In light of the deteriorating profitability of Volkswagen, the powerful Porsche and Piëch families are calling for an acceleration of the restructuring of the German giant.
Can a giant become too big for its own good? At Volkswagen, the question is no longer entirely theoretical. The German group is going through a sufficiently concerning period for its powerful family shareholders to step into the spotlight.
According to Reuters, the Porsche and Piëch families, who control Porsche SE, the main shareholder of Volkswagen, are now demanding swift decisions to restore the manufacturer’s competitiveness. This is a significant intervention as a much deeper restructuring of the German giant is currently being debated.
The figures help to understand this nervousness. In the first half of 2026, the Volkswagen group generated 158.1 billion euros in revenue, nearly stable, but its operating profit fell by 11.6% to 5.9 billion euros. The operating margin has dropped to just 3.8%.
Volkswagen is primarily suffering in China
The problem is deeper than a poor semester. Reuters highlights that profits earned by Volkswagen in China have fallen by more than 80% in ten years, while the group’s margins have more than halved between 2021 and 2025. Faced with BYD and the new Chinese manufacturers, the former market leader now has to chase its competitors.
Even the Volkswagen brand remains fragile: its operating profit fell to 995 million euros in the first half, with only a 2.4% margin, primarily due to restructuring costs and the halt of production of the ID.4 in the U.S.
Behind the figures, a considerable industrial and social battle is brewing. Capacity reductions, simplification of the range, and new job cuts are on the table, facing strong union opposition. Reuters even mentions scenarios involving up to four closures of German factories.
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Volkswagen is not at risk of disappearing tomorrow. However, the manufacturer that symbolized German industrial strength must now achieve something much more difficult: to become competitive again without dismantling what has made it strong.
This page is translated from the original post "Volkswagen : les familles Porsche et Piëch réclament un électrochoc !" in French.
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