Day Two of the AUTOHAUS Summer Academy 2025: Key Factors for Thriving in the GW Business Industry - Continuation
AUTOHAUS Summer Academy 2025: Insights from the Automotive Industry
The AUTOHAUS Summer Academy 2025, held from September 3 to 5, 2025, was a gathering of top representatives from the automotive industry and trade. Hosted by Imelda Labbe, Jürgen Stackmann, and AUTOHAUS Editor-in-Chief Ralph Meunzel, the event was supported by several prominent companies, including Auto Pflege Partner, autosecure, bezahl.de, Dataforce, Faaren, Meneks, Porsche Consulting, Allianz, Seat/Cupra Deutschland, Erkner Gruppe, D'Ieteren Group (Belgium), Moeller Group (Norway), Volkswagen Deutschland, Skoda Auto Deutschland, AVAG Holding, Toyota & Lexus Deutschland, Renault Deutschland, Century Autogroep, and representatives from Volkswagen Deutschland.
The main focus of the first day was on electrification and the BEV market, with Škoda, a brand that has heavily invested in this area, taking centre stage. The CUPRA brand, a sub-brand of Škoda, was also discussed extensively. The CUPRA brand was founded in 2018 with three main pillars: "Electrifying Performance", "Stimulating Design", and "Challenger Spirit". The main reasons for purchasing a CUPRA are design and performance, and the brand's customer group is on average 12 years younger than other brands, with a 30 percent female share. The CUPRA brand utilizes the existing SEAT dealer network.
The design language of Škoda vehicles has been adapted and changed in recent years to appeal to a broader target group. The Erkner Group, another prominent participant, has significantly reduced the number of stand days with targeted measures resulting from these pillars. The Erkner Group aims to expand financial services, transform service customers into vehicle buyers and vice versa, introduce a service level, control salespeople, and build an external used car brand. If a decline in performance is detected, special used car coaches are available to help improve the used car business at the individual locations in AVAG.
The second day of the AUTOHAUS SommerAkademie 2025 was dedicated to the used car business. Companies present included Allianz, Seat/Cupra Deutschland, Erkner Gruppe, D'Ieteren Group (Belgium), Moeller Group (Norway), Volkswagen Deutschland, Skoda Auto Deutschland, AVAG Holding, Toyota & Lexus Deutschland, Renault Deutschland, Century Autogroep, Dataforce, and Volkswagen Deutschland representatives. Belinda Erkner, CEO of the Erkner Group, presented the used car strategy of her company, which focuses on strategic residual value commissioning, active purchasing, and customer focus. AVAG also focuses on selling used cars within a small radius around the individual locations to record a successful service business.
A well-thought-out residual value management is another key factor in Škoda's good performance. Jürgen Keller, Board of Operations at AVAG Holding SE, discussed the used car business of a large trading group with 200 locations, where the used car business plays a significant role and the ratio between new and used car business is approximately 1:1. A panel discussion took place at the end of the two congress days, discussing the future of the used car business with Jan-Hendrik Hulsmann, Belinda Erkner, Jürgen Keller, and Jürgen Stackmann.
The event continued on September 5, with Jan-Hendrik Hulsmann, CEO and spokesperson of Škoda Auto Germany, outlining the success story of Škoda in Germany, focusing on the years after 2022. Alexander Buk, CEO of SEAT / CUPRA Germany, presented the development of the CUPRA brand. The CUPRA brand deliberately takes a provocative approach to differentiate itself from established vehicle brands.
Approximately 145 participants were present at the AUTOHAUS Summer Academy 2025. The event concluded with a chance to meet again at the AUTOHAUS Summer Academy 2026 from September 2 to 4, 2026, at the Dorint Hotel Frankfurt / Oberursel.
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