(FILES) German carmaker Volkswagen (VW) CEO Oliver Blume addresses an annual news conference to present the company's results at the company's headquarters in Wolfsburg, central Germany, on March 11, 2025. Volkswagen's CEO warned on August 24, 2026 the company was in a "more than critical" state ahead of meetings with the car giant's staff where he will defend the company's savings plans. In an interview posted on the company's intranet and sent to AFP, Oliver Blume said Volkswagen and the rest of Germany's car industry are facing "the biggest upheaval in their history" from global headwinds and Chinese competition. (Photo by Ronny HARTMANN / AFP via Getty Images)