TLDR: IAA Munich 2025 witnessed unprecedented public conflicts: VW’s CEO told Bavaria’s Premier to stop talking about saving combustion engines on stage. Mercedes’ design chief called Audi’s interior “from 1995” and BMW’s screens “distracting.” BYD publicly corrected Stellantis’ CEO’s false sales claims with actual data. And VW admitted their entire ID. naming strategy failed after five years. The German auto industry just revealed what its executives really think of each other.
The script for German auto shows is older than the Autobahn: politicians make grand statements, executives nod politely, everyone unveils something with mood lighting, and rivalries stay behind closed doors. IAA Munich 2025 torched that script and danced on its ashes.
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