Iconic auto giant may turn to its biggest rival for help
Key takeaways
- Iconic auto giant may turn to its biggest rival for help Tobi Opeyemi Amure Mon, May 4, 2026 at 12:33 AM GMT+7 6 min read VOW.DE Big companies rarely admit they need a rival.
- For most of the past 30 years, the German auto industry was the math.
- I have been tracking the European auto sector for years, and the pattern is the same in every legacy market that gets disrupted.
Iconic auto giant may turn to its biggest rival for help Tobi Opeyemi Amure Mon, May 4, 2026 at 12:33 AM GMT+7 6 min read VOW.DE Big companies rarely admit they need a rival. They prefer to rebrand the problem, restructure a division, or roll out a new strategy with a vaguely inspirational name.
For most of the past 30 years, the German auto industry was the math. It built the cars, set the prices, and shipped the engines that powered Europe's biggest economy. Wolfsburg and Ingolstadt felt less like cities and more like brand headquarters.
I have been tracking the European auto sector for years, and the pattern is the same in every legacy market that gets disrupted. First, the incumbent blames the cycle. Then it blames tariffs. Then it blames the regulator. Then, only when the share price stops bouncing back, it blames its own cost base.