Wackenhut

What Wackenhut does

Wackenhut GmbH & Co. KG is a family-owned, limited partnership (KG) automotive retail and mobility services group headquartered in Nagold, Germany, founded in 1948 and operating a multi-brand premium dealership network across Baden-Württemberg. The company's core offering spans new and used vehicle sales across Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, Aston Martin, Lucid, smart, ŠKODA, and BYD, complemented by commercial vehicle sales (Mercedes-Benz trucks, FUSO, Terberg) and a dedicated Wackenhut Classic service for vintage vehicles. Distribution is through owned physical locations—principally a flagship retail showroom in Baden-Baden with dedicated Aston Martin and Lucid brand showrooms, a secondary site in Ulm, the new Ötigheim mobility center, and service/support sites in Calw, Herrenberg, Rastatt, and Laichingen.

Wackenhut monetizes through a diversified revenue stack: one-time vehicle sales (new and used, passenger and commercial), recurring workshop and maintenance services using original parts, subscription and rental income via Mercedes-Benz Rent (passenger, camper, van) and CharterWay (trucks), original parts and accessories sales, extended warranty packages, and a Design Factory service for vehicle wrapping and advertising graphics. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; transactions are handled through direct dealership contact and downloadable warranty PDFs. The customer base is segmented horizontally across private vehicle buyers, premium/luxury buyers, commercial fleet/logistics operators, and recurring maintenance customers, served through digital channels (website, WhatsApp Business, social platforms across Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube) anchored by the proprietary Perfect Drive magazine and Heavy Truck Newspaper.

Strategically the company is in an active offensive phase, anchored by its selection as Lucid Group's first European retail partner (sales beginning March 30, 2026 in Baden-Baden with Stuttgart expansion that summer), a recently opened Ötigheim mobility/innovation center, and leadership in commercial EV deployment including delivery of Germany's first eActros 300 semi-tractor via its E-Consulting division. Governance is family-run (KG structure with Ernst-Jürgen Wackenhut GmbH as the personally liable partner), with no external investors, parent company, or public listing disclosed.

Name

Wackenhut

Legal name

Wackenhut GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://wackenhut.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Wackenhut is a family-owned German multi-brand premium automotive dealership group, founded in 1948, retailing Mercedes-Benz, AMG, Aston Martin, Lucid, smart, ŠKODA, and BYD vehicles across Baden-Württemberg. It also offers workshop service, parts, rental, warranty packages, 24h breakdown assistance, and commercial truck sales across southern Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Nagold

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. New vehicle sales (multi-brand dealership): Sale of new passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles across multiple premium and mainstream brands including Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, Aston Martin, Lucid, smart, ŠKODA, and BYD. Revenue from both retail and commercial/fleet customers.
2. Workshop and maintenance services: Maintenance and repair services for passenger vehicles, transporters, and trucks. 24-hour breakdown and accident recovery assistance. Service offered for all represented brands plus FUSO, Terberg, and Volkswagen.
3. Parts and accessories: Sale of original parts and accessories for all supported vehicle brands.
4. Design Factory (vehicle customization and graphics): Complete design and graphics services including vehicle wrapping and advertising technology solutions.
5. Vehicle rental (Mercedes-Benz Rent and CharterWay): Short- and medium-term vehicle rentals for private and commercial customers through Mercedes-Benz Rent (cars, campers, vans) and CharterWay (trucks and commercial vehicles).
6. Used vehicle sales: Purchase and resale of pre-owned vehicles with quality inspection and certification.
7. Extended warranty packages: Guarantee/warranty extension packages offered for Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles and transporters, Škoda, smart, and VW.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Wackenhut is a family-owned German multi-brand automotive dealership group that sells new and used passenger cars, transporters, and heavy trucks across Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, Aston Martin, Lucid, smart, ŠKODA, and BYD, and provides workshop service, original parts, 24-hour breakdown and accident assistance, vehicle wrapping (Design Factory), rentals, warranty packages, and trade-in services from multiple locations in southern Germany.

Product overview

Wackenhut is a family-owned German premium car dealership group founded in 1948, operating as a multi-brand automotive retailer and mobility service provider. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio combining vehicle sales (PKW, Transporters, Heavy Trucks) with extensive services (24h breakdown assistance, workshop, parts, trade-ins, tires, design/wrapping) and rental/subscription options. The core product lines include passenger vehicles from Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, Aston Martin, Lucid, smart, ŠKODA, and BYD brands, complemented by commercial vehicle offerings from FUSO and Terberg. Services are delivered through the Design Factory (custom wrapping/graphics), warranty packages, and Mercedes-Benz Rent/CharterWay rental programs, with dedicated classic car services for vintage vehicle enthusiasts. The company maintains multiple locations across Germany with a focus on the Baden-Baden headquarters area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Perfect Drive: Main brand tagline and customer magazine featuring automotive lifestyle content
• Design Factory
• British Luxury
• Heavy Trucks
• Classic
• Mercedes-Benz Lounge

Products and services

• PKW (Passenger Cars) Sales

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Lucid GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 16 March 2026Wackenhut has been selected by Lucid Group as its first retail partner in Europe. The German premium dealer group will begin selling and servicing Lucid's full vehicle portfolio in Baden-Baden from March 30, 2026, expanding to Stuttgart in summer 2026. The partnership introduces a hybrid retail model combining Lucid's direct-to-consumer approach with independent retail operations. Wackenhut manages regional sales and service while Lucid retains control of brand positioning and pricing. Lucid describes this as a cost-efficient approach to European expansion and revenue diversification, marking a significant milestone in its global development strategy.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Beresa GmbH: Mid-sized German multi-brand automotive dealer group with Mercedes-Benz franchise locations, including commercial vehicle service. Comparable to Wackenhut in scale, brand mix and regional premium dealership model.
• Senger Gruppe: German family-owned multi-brand automotive dealer group operating Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and other premium franchises across multiple sites in western/central Germany. Directly comparable to Wackenhut as a similarly sized, multi-location premium retailer combining passenger and commercial vehicle sales, service, and rental programs.
• AVAG Holding SE: Large German automotive retail holding with a broad portfolio of brand partners across multiple locations in southern Germany and Austria. Comparable to Wackenhut in geographic focus on southern Germany and breadth of premium/mainstream brand representation.
• Hahn Gruppe: One of Germany's largest privately held automotive dealership groups, representing Mercedes-Benz, Smart, Porsche, Ferrari and other premium brands. Comparable to Wackenhut as a multi-brand premium retailer with integrated sales, service, and parts operations across southern/central Germany.
• Glinicke Gruppe: Family-run German automotive dealer group with Mercedes-Benz and other premium/mainstream franchise locations, including commercial vehicle operations. Comparable to Wackenhut as a multi-brand, family-governed dealer with combined passenger and commercial vehicle focus.
• Emil Frey Gruppe: Swiss-founded, German-market present automotive dealer group with wide brand portfolio including Mercedes-Benz, premium, and commercial vehicles across multiple European countries. Comparable to Wackenhut as a multi-brand group with premium/EV product mix and integrated mobility services.
• Dürkop GmbH: Family-run German automotive dealer group representing multiple brands including Mercedes-Benz, with passenger and commercial vehicle operations. Comparable to Wackenhut in family-owned governance, multi-brand premium positioning, and integrated service offering.
• Jacoby Gruppe: Privately held German automotive dealer group representing Mercedes-Benz and other premium brands, with passenger car and commercial vehicle services. Comparable to Wackenhut in business model, brand mix, and southern-German footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/WACKENHUT
• Facebookfacebook.com/FirmaWACKENHUT
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/firmawackenhut/?originalSubdomain=de
• Instagraminstagram.com/__wackenhut__
• TikToktiktok.com/@wackenhut_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wackenhut