When Gernot Döllner arrived in Ingolstadt in September last year to start his new role as CEO and chairman of Audi, he probably found quite the to-do list in a bulging in-tray. Shortly before Döllner's appointment, Volkswagen Group chair Oliver Blume described Audi as "lagging [behind] the competition". That's why the job had become vacant in the first place: former boss Markus Duesmann was sacked, reports suggest, because of numerous delays to the flagship Q6 E-tron.
But getting the Q6 E-tron project back on track was just one challenge facing Döllner. Audi was gearing up for the biggest wave of product launches in its history, while facing an increased challenge from new Chinese rivals, trying to keep pace with BMW and Mercedes-Benz, coping with a slowing market for electric vehicles and dealing with ever-changing regulations.
Whereas Duesmann had jumped across from BMW to oversee Audi in 2020, Döllner wasn't a flashy hire. The 55-year-old has been at the VW Group since 1993, with the bulk of his career spent at Porsche, where he worked with Blume. Among other roles, he was product manager for the 918 Spyder and the Panamera model series. Since 2021, he has been VW's group strategy boss a key if somewhat back-room role.
That seems to fit Döllner's style - and explains why he doesn't seem at all fazed by the challenges ahead of him at Audi. In fact, his demeanour is a great fit for the brand: it's not about being showy; it's about being efficient, considered and decisive. Since he started at Audi six months ago, Döllner and his board have spent their time laying out a new strategy for the company, which has been called the Audi Agenda. See, told you he wasn't flashy.
The agenda is intended to help tackle the key issues affecting the firm. "We're currently managing the biggest model initiative in Audi's history," he says, "while at the same time driving forward a fundamental transformation."
Denne historien er fra April 03, 2024-utgaven av Autocar UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra April 03, 2024-utgaven av Autocar UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Poster car that went from rusty to trusty
One evening, two years ago, George Pappas was being driven down his local high street by a mate and mulling over whether to replace his Mk4 Golf diesel, a recent purchase that was boring him to death, when his girlfriend, also in the car, spotted an old BMW 3 Series at the side of the road with a 'for sale' sign in the window.
THE SEVEN-SEATER THAT VOLVO DARE NOT KILL OFF
The current-gen XC90 has been on sale since 2015 for good reason
GENESIS ELECTRIFIED G80
Where the story begins, in the Hyundai premium marque’s luxury saloon
LEXUSLBX
Can you shrink premium quality to fit an SUV this small? We now know
Rolls boss ready to 'define the next chapter'
Nine months into the job, Rolls-Royce CEO and car guy Chris Brownridge tells STEVE CROPLEY what he's learned and where the firm's heading
Once more, with feeling
AC Cars' recreation of the classic MkII Cobra is at first glance a faithful facsimile of a 1960s performance benchmark. SIMON HUCKNALL drives it
MERCEDES-BENZ CLE
Does a PHEV set-up work in a coupé that exudes such old-school vibes?
ANALOGUE SUPERSPORT
Lotus Elise specialist uprates 1990s icon with an eye on track days
ALPINE A290
The hot hatch is alive and well, and living in France. On both road and track, there's much to savour`
UK HANGS ON TO OLD CARS
Average car age climbs as high prices dampen demand for new models