MUNICH, Germany: Profits for German carmaker, Audi, rose by 10 per cent in 2025, in what marked a surprise improvement as fellow German brands struggled heavily last year, according to full-year results released on Tuesday, reported German Press Agency (dpa).
Profit after tax increased to €4.6 billion (USD5.29 billion) from the €4.18 billion (USD4.79 billion) seen in 2024, Audi said in a statement.
However, besides a strong fourth quarter, the improvement was largely due to a compensation payment made by parent company, Volkswagen, of hundreds of millions of euros, according to Chief Financial Officer, Jürgen Rittersberger.
The Audi Group’s 2025 financial result came in at €2.2 billion (USD2.5 billion), while operating profits dropped by some 14 per cent to €3.3 billion (USD3.78 billion).
“We ended a challenging year with robust finances. The key now is to seize all operational and financial opportunities to make Audi more efficient, competitive and profitable,” Rittersberger was quoted as saying.
New US tariffs weighed on the result, costing Audi €1.2 billion (USD1.4 billion) last year. Another €0.4 billion (USD0.46 billion) was spent each on measures related to CO2 compliance and job cuts announced a year ago.
Like most German carmarkers, Audi, which also includes the Ducati, Bentley and Lamborghini brands, has also struggled with fierce competition from China, with Rittersberger highlighting a price war in the electric vehicle and hybrid segment.
The results mean Audi is closing in on its domestic rivals again, after BMW saw a slight drop in profits to €7.5 billion (USD8.6 billion) last year, while Mercedes’ earnings plummeted to €5.3 billion (USD6.1 billion). – BERNAMA-dpa
