Porsche Strategy "Sportwagenschmiede '35": Around 9,000 Jobs Cut, Location Security Until 2035

On October 7, 2026, Porsche CEO Michael Leiters presented the "Sportwagenschmiede '35" strategy at the Weissach development center. At its core is a future package agreed upon with the works council: approximately 9,000 positions are to be eliminated through socially responsible measures, with the workforce in direct and indirect areas set to decrease by 25 percent in the medium term (strategic target: 30 percent), management positions by 40 percent, and manufacturing personnel costs by up to 30 percent. Leiters stated: "Right now, it's primarily about reducing costs and making the company financially more resilient."

Financially, Porsche aims to lower its break-even point to fewer than 200,000 vehicles sold per year, achieve an operating return on sales of 10 to 15 percent in the medium term (15 percent in the long term), and generate group revenues of 41 to 45 billion euros. The model lineup will be streamlined by around 20 percent in terms of variants, with volume per variant set to increase by approximately 30 percent, and the number of sales regions will be reduced from five to four. The battery subsidiary Cellforce Group, Porsche eBike Performance, and Cetitec are to be wound down; the sale of consulting subsidiary MHP has been signed, and Porsche Engineering and Porsche Digital will be merged into "Porsche Technologies." On the product side, the fully electric 718 Boxster and Cayman are planned with their first full production year in 2028, along with a new B-SUV from 2028 featuring combustion engine and Plug-in-Hybrid drivetrains alongside the electric Macan; a D-SUV positioned above the Cayenne is under consideration.

For the German locations, the package represents a deep cut — and at the same time a commitment: back in July, the executive board and general works council had already extended the location security agreement by five years to 2035 and agreed on cumulative investments of 2.1 billion euros in Zuffenhausen and Weissach; the two-door sports cars are set to continue rolling off the production line at the home plant in Zuffenhausen for the long term, while development of all model lines remains consolidated in Weissach. CFO Jochen Breckner ruled out relocating production to the USA when presenting the nine-month figures on 27 October — the unit volumes were too low for that. After nine months of 2026, Porsche reported an operating result of 1.74 billion euros with 178,532 vehicles delivered, 16 percent fewer than in the prior year.