July 12, 2026, 10:55 AM ETOliver Blume, CEO Volkswagen Group speaks during the Volkswagen Group Media Night event ahead of the Auto China 2026 show to be held in Beijing, Tuesday, April 21, 2026.AP Photo/Ng Han GuanVolkswagen’s CEO indicated in comments published Sunday that he’s trying to avoid closing plants as he seeks to turn around the automaker’s performance.
The Wolfsburg, Germany-based company faces pressure to cut costs at home and increasingly intense competition in the lucrative Chinese market, in particular.
Last week, Volkswagen said its “fundamental realignment” over the past three years had reached its next phase, announcing plans to streamline the model lineup by up to half.
It didn’t provide specifics, and questions remain over how else it will cut costs. There has been renewed speculation about the future of several plants in Germany.
“There are more intelligent solutions than closing plants,” CEO Oliver Blume told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper.
