The Brand Group Core (BGC), the organizational entity combining the volume brands of the Volkswagen Group, closed the first quarter of 2026 with an operating result of 1.54 billion euros. Sales ran at 34.9 billion euros, and the operating margin was 4.4%. Compared with the prior-year period, unit sales rose moderately to 1.23 million vehicles. The development of results across all the brands of the Brand Group Core was buoyed by optimized product costs and consistent cost management. The negative impact of lower volumes in China and the USA was compensated for – bearing witness to sustained progress with efficiency measures.