Volkswagen is Europe's largest car manufacturer.

Omissions

• In full-year 2025, Volkswagen and Stellantis were the two largest carmakers in Europe, so Stellantis is the closest rival for the top spot; the claim's 'largest' is nonetheless supported by sources naming Volkswagen as the leading carmaker in Europe.
• The claim is a qualitative ranking; if 'largest' is measured by revenue or employees, Volkswagen Group also ranks first among European automakers, so no alternative metric contradicts it.
• The context of the speech — Volkswagen reportedly considering cutting up to 100,000 jobs and closing four German plants — was covered by Reuters on 2026-06-26, before the session date.

Sources

• PrimaryVolkswagen Group — Official Press Release (Deliveries 2025)In 2025, the Volkswagen Group delivered 8.98 million vehicles worldwide, remaining largely stable year on year (–0.5% compared with 2024).
• PrimaryVolkswagen Newsroom — Brand deliveries 2025Volkswagen delivers 4.73 million vehicles worldwide and further consolidates its market leadership in Europe.
• SecondaryBest Selling Cars — 2025 Full Year Europe: Best-Selling Car Manufacturers and BrandsIn full-year 2025, Volkswagen and Stellantis were the largest carmakers in Europe, while VW, Toyota, and Skoda were the top-selling brands.
• SecondaryBest Selling Cars — 2025 (October) Europe: Car Sales and Market AnalysisVolkswagen remained the leading carmaker and brand in Europe.
• SecondaryReuters — VW weighs up to 100,000 job cuts, four plant closuresVolkswagen is considering shutting four German factories and ramping up job cuts to as many as 100,000.