Goals and Strategies

Our Strategy 2018 focuses on positioning the Volkswagen Group as a global economic and environmental leader among automobile manufacturers. We have defined four goals that are intended to make Volkswagen the most successful, fascinating and sustainable automaker in the world by 2018:

• Volkswagen intends to deploy intelligent innovations and technologies to become a world leader in customer satisfaction and quality. We see high customer satisfaction as one of the key requirements for the Company’s long-term success.
• The goal is to generate unit sales of more than 10 million vehicles a year; in particular, Volkswagen intends to capture an above-average share of growth in the major growth markets.
• Volkswagen’s aim is a long-term return on sales before tax of at least 8% so as to ensure that the Group’s solid financial position and ability to act are guaranteed even in difficult market periods.
• Volkswagen aims to be the most attractive employer in the automotive industry by 2018. To build the best vehicles, we need the best team in the sector; highly qualified, fit and, above all, motivated.

STRATEGY 2018

We are focusing in particular on the environmentally friendly orientation and profitability of our vehicle projects so that the Volkswagen Group has the right products for success even in more challenging economic conditions. At the same time, this will mean that capital expenditure remains at manageable levels. Our attractive and environmentally friendly range of vehicles, which we are selectively expanding, and the strong position enjoyed by our individual brands in the markets worldwide, are key factors allowing us to leverage the Group’s strengths and to systematically increase our competitive advantages.

Our activities are primarily oriented on setting new ecological standards in the areas of vehicles, drivetrains and lightweight construction. Our modular toolkit system, which we are enhancing on an ongoing basis, allows us to constantly improve production efficiency and flexibility, thus increasing the Group’s profitability.

In addition, we want to continually expand the Volkswagen Group’s customer base by further increasing satisfaction among our existing customers and acquiring new, satisfied customers around the world, particularly in the growth markets. In order to ensure this, we are increasingly adapting our products to meet local requirements and focusing on the specific features of individual markets. We shall continue the measures we are currently taking to improve our productivity and quality regardless of the economic situation and without any time limit. These include our regional development teams and our cooperation with local suppliers, among other things. Other key elements include standardizing processes in both the direct and indirect areas of the Group and reducing production throughput times. Together with disciplined cost and investment management, these measures play a major role in ensuring that we reach our long-term profitability targets and safeguard solid long-term liquidity.

We will only successfully meet the challenges of today and tomorrow if all employees – from vocational trainees through to senior executives – consistently deliver excellence so as to ensure the quality of the Volkswagen Group’s innovations and products for the long term and at the highest level. Outstanding performance, the success that comes from it and participation in its rewards are at the heart of our human resources strategy.