London – September 18, 2026 -- Volkswagen has retained the No. 1 spot on the 2026 Fortune 500 Europe list with $363 billion in revenue, up 3%, widening its lead over Shell after the energy giant's revenue fell 5% to rank second.

UK overtakes Germany in company count for the first time

Britain now hosts 76 of the ranked firms, edging past Germany's 73 and France's 66, marking the first shift in national dominance since the list launched four years ago.

Berlin – September 15, 2026 -- The Alternative for Germany (AfD) channels growing economic discontent among workers into a political program that leaves corporate profits and wealth accumulation untouched, according to a commentary published by nd.DerTag.

Osnabrück – September 08, 2026 -- Volkswagen's cost-cutting program will not be enough to pull the automaker out of its crisis, according to Stefan Bratzel, director of the Center of Automotive Management (CAM) in Bergisch Gladbach. "Savings alone will not save Volkswagen," Bratzel told the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung (NOZ).

Frankfurt – September 07, 2026 -- BYD has climbed to fifth place among the most attractive electric vehicle brands for German consumers actively planning a purchase within the next three years, up from 11th place in the general population, according to a new BearingPoint study.

Beijing – September 03, 2026 -- China's auto market posted more than 100 all-new models in the first half of 2026, with gasoline-powered vehicles accounting for less than 20 percent of new launches, as new-energy vehicles (NEVs) cemented their dominance over combustion engines.