{
  "id": 10952860,
  "title": "Autos: Neue Modellpalette und China-Fokus: So stellt Milan Nedeljkovic BMW für die Zukunft auf",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/autos-neue-modellpalette-und-china-fokus-so-stellt-milan-nedeljkovic",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-30T13:29:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/industrie/bmw-so-stellt-milan-nedeljkovic-den-konzern-fuer-die-zukunft-auf/100256441.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "BMW's Chief Executive Milan Nedeljkovic faced an uphill battle shortly after being appointed as the group boss, just a month ago. The car manufacturer from Munich had to revise its forecast in mid-June, and now Nedeljkovic has presented his strategy to steer BMW out of the crisis. \"Above all, what challenges us is profitability,\" Nedeljkovic told journalists on Wednesday. The group boss aims to overhaul the processes at BMW, adjust the model range, and regain control over the crisis region of China. He remains committed to his premium image: a smaller model is being removed from the lineup, and larger body styles are being pursued in other countries. Nedeljkovic also adheres to the self-imposed goal of an EBIT margin in the automobile segment of eight to ten percent. However, with the current challenging situation of the group and the entire automotive industry, they are still given some time in Munich. At their capital market day, Nedeljkovic and his CFO Walter Mertl announced three interim targets: by 2028, BMW aims for an EBIT margin corridor of three to five percent in the automobile segment, which is little for a premium manufacturer, but highlights the pressure Nedeljkovic is under. The cash flow of the car maker is also expected to be at least five billion euros by 2028. This amount is crucial for investors, analysts, and BMW's owner families Klatten and Quandt, as the dividend is paid out of the cash flow. By the beginning of the next decade, Nedeljkovic wants to achieve his target margin of eight to ten percent, and the cash flow is expected to be over seven billion euros. Currently, BMW is far from its own ambitions. The group estimates a profit margin in the current year between one and three percent - for the cash flow, the Munich company aims for two and a half billion euros. \"To reposition ourselves under more stringent conditions, we have defined measures and will implement them with high dynamism,\" said Nedeljkovic. The CEO also wants to align his product strategy even more closely with local markets. This follows a trend in the industry, as customer preferences have changed significantly in recent years. The industry is focusing on the \"Local for Local\" concept, meaning each of BMW's cars should be a world model. \"We give up that every one of our cars is a world model,\" said Nedeljkovic. To combat the crisis, China is expected to function differently by 2030: more than 95 percent of all vehicles sold in China will be produced there as well. \"In China, we go completely out of the UKL segment, the compact and small models,\" said Nedeljkovic on Wednesday. The shift will be due to the new generation of the \"New Class\" of vehicles. However, Nedeljkovic remains cautious about growth in China. \"In Europe and the USA, we see some potential. For the Chinese market, I would be reluctant to make a forecast,\" he said. Money can still be made there, the auto manager assured. Additionally, BMW plans to shift the development and procurement for these models massively to China. The company is currently building up development capacities in the People's Republic of China, and components for the future models are to be purchased there preferentially. This move aims to press down costs of the models in the market, compete with competitors on price, and at the same time achieve higher margins. A capital market day attendee mentioned that the Chinese market is still in consolidation and investing in its growth would be risky. At the same time, China could also become an important export hub. In line with its strategy, the group is considering exporting the models produced there to Southeast Asian markets. Countries like Indonesia or Thailand offer significant growth potential. However, German car manufacturers have so far only benefited marginally from the boom of alternative markets, as reported in an exclusive analysis by Handelsblatt. Additionally, BMW plans to streamline its management and organizational structure, with the reduction of 8,000 positions worldwide by the end of the next year, saving one billion euros annually. By mid-next year, one in five areas within the group will be eliminated - along with their respective department heads. \"Disappointment\" or \"healing process?\" The BMW CEO announced the measures at his private residence in Schwärzenbach am Tegernsee. Like any BMW event, the capital market day was held off the public eye. Analysts and investors were the only attendees.",
  "summary": "Am Kapitalmarkttag stellt der BMW-Chef die neue Strategie vor. Besonders im Fokus steht die Krisenregion China. Eine Fahrzeugklasse wird der Dax-Konzern dort künftig nicht mehr anbieten.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}