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BMW announced on Tuesday evening that it expects at best a black zero before taxes in the central car segment for the current year, but that could also turn red. According to the article, things haven't gone really well so far.
2026 will be a year to forget, really - at least for BMW and the new CEO Milan Nedeljković. It's one thing that things haven't gone really well so far. But it is now also clear that financially things are not getting better, but are getting worse: for the current year, the group is now expecting, at best, a black zero in the central car segment before taxes - but it could also turn red. BMW announced this on Tuesday evening.

BMW is lowering its profit forecast for 2026 again: The EBIT margin in the automotive segment should now be between minus 0.5 and plus 0.5 percent, after previously one to three percent. The reason is expanded portfolio and structural measures as well as accelerated management restructuring. The group had already issued a profit warning in June.

BMW is correcting its forecast for 2026 again and only expects an EBIT margin of minus 0.5 to 0.5 percent in the car segment. The reason is depreciation on older vehicle generations and the restructuring program. The free cash flow forecast of at least 2.5 billion euros remains unchanged.

Schaeffler is closing several locations and cutting thousands of jobs. According to expert Stefan Bratzel, German automotive suppliers are losing tens of thousands of jobs in total, and around 25,000 more jobs could be lost among direct suppliers alone by 2028. The bottom could be reached in 2028, after which employment could rise again.

The MDax group Schaeffler is closing four German locations and cutting 3,460 jobs, including 2,660 in Germany. The reason is the European automobile crisis, falling sales and increasing competitive pressure from Chinese car manufacturers.

At the end of the year, the fuel discount will expire in Germany and the greenhouse gas reduction rate will increase. Gas station operators fear price increases of up to 40 cents per liter and criticize planned fuel price caps as a populist aberration.

German carmakers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, VW, Audi and Porsche are increasing their focus on the US market to offset falling profits in China. High margins from combustion engines and SUVs as well as protection from Chinese competition through tariffs are driving expansion, despite high risks from US debt and political uncertainties.