The global automotive industry structure is undergoing in-depth adjustments. Multinational automakers collectively faced pressure in their Q3 2025 financial reports, and the traditional model of “trading scale for profits” has failed. A dual transformation involving personnel reshuffles and strategic restructuring is unfolding. Major brands such as BMW, Volkswagen, and Toyota have recently intensively adjusted their core management teams in China: Toyota appointed its first Chinese general manager, and Beijing Hyundai adopted a “China-China” management team, breaking the tradition of foreign dominance. The adjustment direction directly targets new energy transformation and localized operations.

Behind the transformation, the changes in China’s market—where the market share of domestic brands has exceeded 60% and the penetration rate of new energy vehicles is approaching 80%—are forcing industry innovation. Multinational automakers are accelerating localized R&D: Volkswagen completed its first overseas full-process R&D and testing center in China, and Toyota established a “China Chief Engineer System,” shortening the R&D cycle by 30%. BMW and Toyota have achieved contrarian profitability through the parallel development of multiple power paths and product structure optimization, providing a sample for the industry to break the impasse. Industry insiders point out that this transformation marks multinational automakers’ complete departure from the one-way dominance model of global headquarters, and the survival logic of “taking China as the core” is taking shape.