Niels Wichmann has been appointed as the new Head of Volkswagen Passenger Cars Brand effective 1 August 2023.
Wichmann replaces Steffen Knapp who has been appointed as the brand head of Volkswagen Taiwan.
Wichmann, 51, joins Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) from Volkswagen’s headquarters in Wolfsburg where he was head of Product Marketing for small/compact cars such as Polo.
He has been working for Volkswagen since 2000. During this time, Wichmann has held various management positions in sales within the Volkswagen Brand, including a global assignment in Brazil.
“Niels brings with him a wealth of experience in sales and product marketing, which will help us to move the brand to the next level, especially at this time when it is faced with tough competition in the local market.
“He will also play an important role in our growth strategy in sub-Saharan Africa,” said Thomas Milz, VWSA Sales and Marketing Director.
Volkswagen is abandoning its separate electric vehicle naming convention, opting instead to align its battery-electric models with established combustion engine nameplates. The German automaker announced that the strategy shift would begin with the ID Polo, set to debut in 2026.
Europe's automotive industry has issued a unified call for the European Union (EU) to recalibrate its green transition strategy, with leading manufacturers and suppliers expressing growing concerns about the feasibility of current electrification timelines and regulatory frameworks.
South African business sentiment deteriorated further in the third quarter of 2025, falling one point to reach 39, well below the long-term benchmark of 42 points, as punitive US tariffs took their toll on exporters, Reuters reported on Wednesday
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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
George Carlin
Europe's automotive industry has issued a unified call for the European Union (EU) to recalibrate its green transition strategy, with leading manufacturers and suppliers expressing growing concerns about the feasibility of current electrification timelines and regulatory frameworks.
South African business sentiment deteriorated further in the third quarter of 2025, falling one point to reach 39, well below the long-term benchmark of 42 points, as punitive US tariffs took their toll on exporters, Reuters reported on Wednesday
Article written in conjunction with Keyloop.
