Auto Wichert
Auto Wichert GmbH was a Hamburg-based multi-brand Volkswagen Group dealership group operating Audi, VW, VW Nutzfahrzeuge, ŠKODA, and SEAT across 23 locations serving individual consumers and corporate fleet customers; the company filed for self-administered insolvency in February 2020.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersHamburg, Germany
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Auto Wichert does
Auto Wichert GmbH was a multi-brand automotive dealership group headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, founded on December 6, 1986, by Bernd Glathe and Bernd Kußmaul. Prior to its February 2020 insolvency filing, the company operated 23 physical locations in the Hamburg metropolitan area and Norderstedt, representing five Volkswagen Group brands: Audi, Volkswagen, VW Nutzfahrzeuge (commercial vehicles), ŠKODA, and SEAT. By 2019 the group employed 1,300-1,350 staff and ran Norddeutschlands largest VW Nutzfahrzeuge Center, with additional Audi terminals at Langenhorner Chaussee and Ausschläger Weg.
The company's revenue model combined transactional new and used vehicle sales, recurring service and parts revenue, and corporate fleet management. Service operations extended beyond standard workshop repairs to include a 24-hour emergency and roadside assistance line, a body/glass/paint and accident-specialist function (coordinating insurance claims), genuine OEM and Volkswagen Classic Parts supply (the only Classic Parts provider in Hamburg), and the Fairpreis Inspektion fixed-price maintenance package offering up to 35% savings on vehicles older than five years. A dedicated Großkunden / Fuhrparkmanagement unit served corporate fleet customers with procurement, consulting, and process facilitation. Distribution was exclusively through the owned dealership network, while marketing relied on local radio, Facebook/Instagram/YouTube, sports sponsorships (Hamburger SV/Weg, FC Eintracht Norderstedt 03, HTHC, UHC), and events including the Classic Car Rallye and Bulli & Meer expo. Pricing was largely quote-based, with the Fairpreis Inspektion as the only publicly disclosed fixed-price tier.
An in-house Ausbildungszentrum at Wendenstraße 150-160 trained 300+ apprentices annually across commercial and technical disciplines and served as both a workforce pipeline and a marketing channel via career fairs and GirlsDay participation. On January 24, 2019, the company executed a major expansion by acquiring four insolvent Willy Tiedtke Autohausgruppe locations. The expansion phase ended abruptly: on February 18, 2020, citing short-term unforeseeable events, the Geschäftsführung filed for self-administered insolvency proceedings (Insolvenzverfahren in Eigenverwaltung) at Amtsgericht Hamburg, and the company website now operates as a non-commercial Erinnerungsseite memorializing the 33-year history of Auto Wichert.
Auto Wichert firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Auto Wichert
- Legal name
- Auto Wichert GmbH
- Website
- https://auto-wichert.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Auto Wichert GmbH was a Hamburg-based multi-brand Volkswagen Group dealership group operating Audi, VW, VW Nutzfahrzeuge, ŠKODA, and SEAT across 23 locations serving individual consumers and corporate fleet customers; the company filed for self-administered insolvency in February 2020.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Auto Wichert is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hamburg
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices20 records
Markets served
Auto Wichert business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- New Vehicle Sales: Sale of new Audi, VW, VW Nutzfahrzeuge, ŠKODA, and SEAT vehicles through authorized dealership network
- Used Vehicle Sales: Sale of pre-owned vehicles including certified used cars through dedicated used car facilities
- Vehicle Service and Maintenance: Workshop services including inspections, repairs, maintenance, express service, and 24/7 emergency services
- Fleet Management Services: Corporate fleet management and consulting for business customers
- Parts and Accessories: Sale of genuine OEM parts including NORA parts service and Volkswagen Classic Parts
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Fairprice Inspection Package - Fixed Price Maintenance |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Auto Wichert product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Auto Wichert GmbH is a multi-brand automobile dealership group operating as an authorized dealer for five Volkswagen Group brands — Audi, Volkswagen, VW Nutzfahrzeuge (commercial vehicles), ŠKODA, and SEAT — across 23 physical locations in the Hamburg metropolitan area. The company sold new and certified used vehicles (WeltAuto), and provided a comprehensive service ecosystem including scheduled maintenance, body and paint repairs, accident management, original parts supply, 24-hour emergency assistance, and corporate fleet management (Großkunden/Fuhrparkmanagement).
Product overview
Auto Wichert GmbH was a multi-brand automobile dealership operating as a unified dealership group (not a software platform) with a portfolio of five new vehicle brands — Audi, Volkswagen, VW Nutzfahrzeuge, ŠKODA, and SEAT — sold across 23 locations in and around Hamburg. The offering comprised new vehicle sales, certified used vehicle sales under the WeltAuto sub-brand, and a broad workshop service ecosystem that included 24-hour emergency assistance, a Fairpreis fixed-price inspection program (offering up to 35% savings on vehicles over 5 years), body and paint services, a parts department (including the NORA parts program and Volkswagen Classic Parts), and fleet/corporate customer management. The group also operated a training center (Schulungszentrum) at its Wendenstraße headquarters and hosted community events including an annual Classic Car Rallye.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Audi New Vehicle Sales
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 35% savings on maintenance for vehicles over 5 years old through Fairpreis Inspektion
Companies that use Auto Wichert
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Auto Wichert technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Auto Wichert partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Hamburger Weg / Hamburger SVcoreSince 2008, partnership with Hamburger Weg project and Audi. Expanded in 2016 to include social projects. Included annual Weihnachtsbaum (Christmas tree) charity with HSV Christmas balls and wish trees for children.
- FC Eintracht Norderstedt 03minorFootball club sponsorship. Auto Wichert supported the youth teams of FC Eintracht Norderstedt and kept them mobile. The club plays in Regionalliga Nord (fourth highest German league) at Edmund-Plambeck-Stadion.
- HTHC Harvestehuder Tennis- und Hockey-Club e.V.minorSports club partnership providing support for tennis, hockey, lacrosse, and fitness programs.
- UHC Uhlenhorster Hockeyclub e.V.minorPartnership with Germany's oldest hockey club (approx. 2000 members) offering hockey, tennis, and fitness.
- Volkswagen AGcoreAuthorized dealer for Volkswagen, VW Nutzfahrzeuge, Audi, ŠKODA, and SEAT brands. Exclusive distribution rights for new vehicles and access to genuine parts, training, and manufacturer support.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Auto Wichert competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Senger Group: Large German multi-brand automotive dealer group with VW Group brand representation across numerous locations. Closely comparable in scale, authorized VW Group portfolio, and multi-location retail-service structure to Auto Wichert.
- Autohaus Weeber: Audi and VW dealer group in the Stuttgart region with multiple brand locations. Comparable authorized VW Group dealer with similar multi-brand service and sales focus.
- Mulfinger Gruppe: Audi and VW authorized dealer group operating multiple locations in Baden-Württemberg. Comparable multi-brand VW Group authorized dealer with similar sales/service mix.
- Aschoff Gruppe: German automotive dealer group operating multiple authorized dealerships including VW Group brands. Comparable structure as a multi-location dealer group.
- Gottfried Schultz Gruppe: One of Germany's largest VW/Audi dealer groups with multiple locations in North Rhine-Westphalia. Directly comparable as a multi-brand VW Group authorized dealer of similar scale and integrated service model.
- Jacob Fleischhauer GmbH: Large German automotive dealer group with multiple VW Group brand dealerships in the Cologne/Rhineland region. Comparable multi-location, multi-brand VW Group authorized dealer.
- AVP Autohandel: Multi-brand German dealer group with VW Group brand representation across Bavaria. Comparable in scale, multi-brand portfolio, and authorized VW Group dealer business model.
Broad incumbents
- Volkswagen AG: Manufacturer of all five brands Auto Wichert retailed (Audi, VW, VW Nutzfahrzeuge, ŠKODA, SEAT). Not a retail competitor, but the upstream OEM whose franchise economics, allocation, and EV/agency-model strategy directly determine Auto Wichert's economics.
Regional players
- Rosier Group: Multi-brand German dealer group with Mercedes-Benz and other brand representation in a separate geography. Comparable as a regional multi-brand authorized dealer though not directly competing with Auto Wichert in Hamburg.
Others
- Willy Tiedtke Autohausgruppe: Insolvent Hamburg-region multi-brand dealer group whose four locations were acquired by Auto Wichert in January 2019. Adjacent comparable as a defunct regional competitor that exited via insolvency.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Auto Wichert social profiles
Digital presenceAuto Wichert financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Auto Wichert leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Auto Wichert funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Auto Wichert M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Auto Wichert
What does Auto Wichert do?
Auto Wichert GmbH is a multi-brand automobile dealership group operating as an authorized dealer for five Volkswagen Group brands — Audi, Volkswagen, VW Nutzfahrzeuge (commercial vehicles), ŠKODA, and SEAT — across 23 physical locations in the Hamburg metropolitan area. The company sold new and certified used vehicles (WeltAuto), and provided a comprehensive service ecosystem including scheduled maintenance, body and paint repairs, accident management, original parts supply, 24-hour emergency assistance, and corporate fleet management (Großkunden/Fuhrparkmanagement).
Is Auto Wichert a public or private company?
Auto Wichert is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently closed.
When was Auto Wichert founded?
Auto Wichert was founded in 1986. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Auto Wichert based?
Auto Wichert is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Auto Wichert make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. New Vehicle Sales are the primary driver. The others are used Vehicle Sales, vehicle Service and Maintenance, fleet Management Services and parts and Accessories.
Who are Auto Wichert's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Senger Group, Autohaus Weeber, Mulfinger Gruppe, Aschoff Gruppe, Gottfried Schultz Gruppe, Jacob Fleischhauer GmbH and AVP Autohandel. Volkswagen AG is listed as a broad incumbent. Rosier Group is listed as a regional player. Willy Tiedtke Autohausgruppe is listed as an others.
Does Auto Wichert have an API?
No public API is recorded for Auto Wichert.