https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/07/10/volkswagen-halves-model-range/
Volkswagen (VW), not long ago the word's biggest automobile maker, but now second to Toyota, in danger of being overhauled by Hyundai and with the spectre of China's Geeley and BYD looming ever larger in the rear view mirror, having failed to agree with unions a plan to cut 100,000 jobs, are now looking for ways to axe half of its two model range as part of a cost-cutting drive.
The German car giant, which has been battling a downturn in sales performance exacerbated by high energy and labour costs, supply line problems and punitive taxes imposed by the German government and the EU,, announced the measure after the board's last ditch effort failed to agree on job cuts of up to 100,000 roles in a crunch meeting with union representatives.
VW said that halving the number of models it sold would allow it to focus on its best-selling and most profitable vehicles.
It did not say which brands would be affected or when the changes would be made, but the move raises the prospect of dozens of popular models being scrapped.
Volkswagen and other EU car manufacturers are being hammered by competition from China where there are no net zero obstacles and exports are heavily subsidised. The EU's protectionist policy is supposed to cushion intra-EU car manufacture from this only it can't due to the risks of a trade war. So what is the point of the EU?
Some may claim this Volkswagen crisis is capitalism in action, and while that may be true to some extent in Germany, we must always be aware that the western European nations (and a lesser extent in the USA,) due to state and EU interventions and policies like the enforced switch to EVs, net zero and high taxation to support extravagant welfare systems, market forces are distorted. The price of new cars have become prohibitively expensive mainly due to (in the UK anyway) the anti car Government piling more and more taxes on top plus the ludicrously expensive road fund tax (which doesn't go on roads) on new cars.I think it is only buyers of Company cars and the outrageous disability car purchase scam who can afford to buy a new car.
I can afford to buy a new car, but why would I when it loses 30% of its value once I take delivery? I’d rather pay 30% less. Most people don’t buy cars anyway, they pay a monthly fee to use them, like mobile phones, music, Sky, Netflix and the like
Short of new sactions across the board on Chinese cars, VW are going to have to eliminate most of their 'cheaper' cars, and hope that the expensive ones maintain some market share. I guess this is essentially what this new plan is.
Thank you Net Zero. The European car industry is finished, In 5 years time the Chinese will own VW, Stellantis, BMW, Renault and ... I can't think of any other European owned company except Mercedes but they will survive by retreating to the luxury market.
FROM THE ARCHIVE:
Has Putin Has Pushed Europe Into Economic Depression, Hyperrinflation and Currency Collapse?
Though it was entirely predictable and indeed had been expected for some time, the news over the weekend that the Nord Stream 1 pipeline which feeds gas from Russia to northern Europe via The Baltic route had been shut down completely by The Kremlin in retaliation for the continued financial and military support given by NATO and EU member states to Ukraine in the conflict with Russia. The European Commission, governing body of the EU, immediately put the community on something close to a war footing, ...
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Debunked: The Great Renewable Green Delusion
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Putin, Macron To Hold Urgent Talks To Halt Military Escalation In Ukraine
Even though the leaders of Ukraine itself are talking down the threat of war with Russia over the breakaway region of Donbas, America and Britain are still beating the war drums and demonising Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Russia insists they have no plans to invade Ukraine and one western leader at least, France's Emmanuel Macron, seems to be listening to messages coming out of the East European trouble spot...
British Government Laundered Fake U.S. 'Intelligence' On Ukraine
The British government on Saturday accused Russia of organizing a plot to install a pro-Moscow government in Ukraine, as the Kremlin masses troops near the Ukrainian border. The U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office gave relatively little information about the intelligence unveiled Saturday other than to say that the Russian government was considering trying to make a Russia-leaning former member of Ukraine’s parliament, Yevhen Murayev, the country’s new leader. Continue reading >>>
Do We Have A Winter Of Civil Disobedience Ahead?
As many people in Britain slap on the apres sun gloop in the wake of what passes for a heatwave in these cool cloudy climes, our inept politicians caught with their pants down by unusual weather as usual have heard that that winter is coming and are making plans for a coldwave.
We are in the grip of an energy crisis at the height of summer. Last week, it was reported that the UK government is laying down plans for a “reasonable worst-case scenario” including blackouts for industry and even households. And this is as energy prices spiral out of control to new records every day.
The UK government is putting plans together for days of organised blackouts this winter, in what they call a "reasonable worst-case scenario" for energy shortages, according to reports in manstream media. Naturally they are blaming this on the embargo on importing gas from Russia but in reality Britain has never imported any more than a small amout of its gas from Russia. The real reason politicians and energy company CEOs are panicking is entirely due to their obession with obtaining all our energy from intermittent sources like wind and sunshine ...
Is Russia Selling Its Oil To The World Through An Obscure Egyptian Port?
As this blog predicted when NATO and EU member states shot themselves in the foot by reacting to Russia's invasion of Ukraine with sanctions that prevented Russia from selling oil, gas and vital raw materials to the countries that needed them most, the NATO and EU member states, the Russians have had no problems finding alternative customers for their gas and oil and no problem getting oil into the world's commodity markets through the back door.
"Our Country Is Facing The Biggest Crisis The Crisis We Ever Had": German Employers' Association Warns Over Russian Gas Cut
With the Nord Stream 1 pipeline closed for maintenance, with the possibility that President Putin will not allow it to reopen at the end of the scheduled 10 days downtime in retaliation for the EU's continued support or Ukraine in their conflict with Russia, Germany is facing an unprecedented crisis that could erase the prosperity Germans have grown accustomed to, warned Rainer Dulger, head of the Confederation of German Employers’ Associations.
Europe's biggest economy would suffer a 6.5pc contraction if Russian energy is suspended, experts warn
Even though the sanctions already imposed on Russia in respondse to the invasion of Ukraine are hitting the nations that imposed then harder that their intended target, the EU is preparing to committ economic suicide in an orgy of virtue signalling ...
We The Good Guys Versus They The Bad Guys Reporting Does Not Make Sense For The Ukraine Crisis
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Boris and Biden Can't Blame Ukraine War For Energy Crisis
With typical arrogance and condescension towards the people who elected them Boris Johnson, Joe Biden and their respectiive presstitutes are trying to spin the energy crisis Europe and North America are currently facing as somehow being linked to the conflict in Ukraine and therfore blame is being attactched to Russia and Vladimir Putin. Do they really think we are stupid enough to believe such unmitigated bollocks? ...
Even If The War In Ukraine Ends, Sanctions Will Stay - So How Bad Will The Food Crisis Get?
Western leaders, desperate to show their own countries they were taking a firm stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, were quick to impose economic sanctions ... so quick in fact that they acted before they had though things through. While freezing Russia out of the global finance system they have exacerbated the wests energy crisis, while Russia's retaliatory ban on raw materials (fertiliser) exports will create extra problems on top of those we already had ...
Europe's Depleted Gas Storage Might Not Get Refilled Ahead Of Next Winter
While mainstream news reporting of the conflict in Ukraine continues to pump out a torrent of anti - Russia, pro - war propaganda the catastropic effects of this war that could so easily have been avoided are not mentioned. Well why would warmongering governments admit they have inflicted an energy crisis, food shortages and soaring living costs on their people for no good reason ...
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