01
Key points
- BMW expects its worldwide workforce to fall by about 8,000 employees, according to a person familiar with the plans.
- BMW and its works council agreed a voluntary redundancy scheme for administrative and development positions, excluding production jobs, a spokesperson said.
- The programme is scheduled to run from October 2026 through December 2027, with annual savings projected at about €1 billion from 2028, Handelsblatt reported.
- BMW will not impose compulsory redundancies; severance costs are expected to reach hundreds of millions of euros, depending on employee participation.
- More than half of BMW’s employees are based in Germany, where Munich, Regensburg, Dingolfing and Leipzig roles are expected to be particularly affected.
- BMW cited weaker conditions in China and accelerated industry changes when it lowered its 2026 profit forecast in June.
How the story developed
A living timeline
All times shown in UTC
Latest development
BMW management and employee representatives agreed the voluntary redundancy programme after six weeks of negotiations, and presented the plans to employees in Munich on Wednesday.
Source transparency