Volkswagen 's top executives on Tuesday said the vast automotive empire suffered a 44% reduction in net profits in 2025 , with gains after tax dropping to €6.9 billion (roughly $8 billion) from 12.4 billion in 2024. That's the company's worst annual overall performance since 2016, at the height of the financial fallout from the so-called " Dieselgate " scandal.  "2025 was punctuated by geopolitical tensions, tariffs and highly intense competition," Chief Financial Officer Arno Antlitz said in