There is a particular kind of optimism that only exists in German boardrooms. The kind that allows you to plan the launch of a massive, gas-guzzling flagship SUV in a country that is currently threatening to tax your imports into oblivion. Audi is currently walking this very tightrope. As the four-ringed brand prepares to unleash its flagship Q9 onto American soil this summer, CFO Juergen Rittersberger is sounding the alarm. If Donald Trump follows through on his threat of a 25% import tariff, the impact on Audi won’t just be “significant”.
Trump’s rationale is as subtle as a sledgehammer. The EU supposedly failed to live up to last year’s trade deal, so now every German luxury car arriving at a US port might come with a massive “freedom tax” attached.
For Audi, this is particularly awkward. While rivals like BMW and Mercedes spent years building sprawling production hubs in the American South, Audi has remained the quintessential European tourist. Without a single factory on US soil, the brand relies entirely on imports from Mexico and Europe to feed the American appetite for luxury.
The Q9 is currently born in Bratislava, Slovakia. Under the proposed 25% tariff, this premium SUV might arrive in showrooms with a price tag so inflated it would make a Silicon Valley venture capitalist blush. Rittersberger admitted that without political support competing in the States is becoming a mission impossible.
Currently, the Volkswagen Group is already bleeding about 4 billion euros annually thanks to the existing 15% duty. Adding another 10% is an invitation to a corporate funeral.
Despite the looming clouds, Audi is stubbornly sticking to its 2026 profit forecasts, which conveniently ignore any potential tariff hikes. It’s a bold strategy, considering the brand is already slashing 7,500 jobs through 2029 to keep the lights on amidst brutal Chinese competition and rising costs.
In the end, Audi’s American dream is starting to look like a very expensive cautionary tale about what happens when you ignore the geopolitically obvious. In the era of “America First,” “Made in Bratislava” is a very expensive label to wear.
