Automotive-Today.ro

Continental started 2026 with a good first quarter. The Tires and ContiTech group sectors both increased their adjusted EBIT margins compared with the same quarter of last year, despite burdens from tariffs and exchange-rate effects. Adjusted free cash flow was also up year-on-year. By contrast, the economic environment and weak global markets hampered sales growth.

For 2026, Continental still expects consolidated sales of around €17.3 billion to €18.9 billion and an adjusted EBIT margin of around 11.0 to 12.5 percent.

“We had a good operational start to the year, increasing our profitability in both Tires and ContiTech compared with the same quarter of last year. This gives us momentum. At the same time, geopoliticaldevelopments are creating greater uncertainty for consumers and for the economy as a whole. This is why we are continuing to work hard on increasing our competitiveness,” said Continental CEO Christian Kötz.

https://www.automotive-today.ro/index.php/2026/05/06/continental-increases-profitability-in-tires-and-contitech-in-q1/

Schaeffler AG published its results for the first quarter of 2026 today. Revenue for the first three months of the year was 5.76 billion euros, decreasing by 2.7 percent (prior year: 5.9 billion euros.

At group level, the Europe (0.4 percent) and Asia/Pacific (8.0 percent) regions reported constant-currency revenue growth, while revenue declined at constant currency in the Americas (-1.0 percent) and Greater China (-0.5 percent) regions compared to the prior year quarter.

The Schaeffler Group generated 285 million euros in EBIT before special items in the first three months (prior year: 276 million euros). This represents an EBIT margin before special items of 5.0 percent (prior year: 4.7 percent).

https://www.automotive-today.ro/index.php/2026/05/05/schaeffler-reports-revenues-of-5-7-billion-euros-down-2-7-percent-in-q1/

BMW i Ventures launched its third fund, putting 300 million USD behind a clear premise: that AI will fundamentally reshape how the automotive industry operates and creates value across its entire ecosystem.

Fully backed by the BMW Group, Fund III will focus on physical AI, agentic AI, industrial software, manufacturing technologies, supply chain technologies and advanced materials. The fund will invest across North America and Europe, from Seed through Series B. The launch brings BMW i Ventures’ total capital under management to $1.1 billion.

“With BMW i Ventures, we are investing in technologies that will shape the future of our industry. Our corporate venture capital activities play a key role in our innovation strategy, complementing our internal R&D and building strategic partnerships across the entire automotive value chain”, said Oliver Zipse, CEO of BMW Group. “BMW i Ventures is launching the third fund at the perfect time: AI has shown its tremendous potential to transform products, operations, and entire value chains. Through BMW i Ventures and Fund III, we are best prepared to leverage these opportunities: We can anticipate shifts early, act quickly and efficiently on innovations, and remain at the forefront of our industry.”

https://www.automotive-today.ro/index.php/2026/04/30/bmw-i-ventures-announces-300-million-usd-fund-to-finance-ai-startups-reshaping-the-automotive-ecosystem/

Mușat & Asociații provided legal advice to FORVIA, an international automotive group specializing in the production of automotive components and technologies, with an annual revenue of over 26 billion euros, regarding the legal aspects related to the implementation in Romania of the sale of its Interiors Business Group to the investment fund Apollo Global Management Inc.

The transaction, coordinated internationally by the law firm Baker McKenzie, is subject to the notification of or the consultation with employee representative bodies and to obtaining approvals from regulatory authorities. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

https://www.automotive-today.ro/index.php/2026/04/29/musat-asociatii-advised-forvia-on-the-sale-of-its-interiors-business-group-valued-at-1-82-billion-euros/

Bosch is investing around 200 million euros in its subsidiary Bosch Business Innovations over the next five years. As a corporate venture builder, the unit develops new business ideas beyond Bosch’s current core business and builds startups from the early stages onward. The aim is to systematically bring these to market maturity and to develop new leading business models for Bosch.

https://www.automotive-today.ro/index.php/2026/04/29/bosch-to-invest-200-million-euros-in-the-development-of-new-business-ideas-in-startups/