Germany’s dealership landscape was shaken again when Berlin‑based Autohaus Gotthard König — a major Renault and multi‑brand dealer group — entered a complex rescue and sale process that leaves roughly 1,200 employees, some 80–82 sites and thousands of customers in uncertainty. For buyers, manufacturers and logistics partners in Germany and Austria the case underlines how dealer insolvencies ripple through supply, deliveries and dealer aftersales networks.
Insolvency facts and scale
The group filed for insolvency at the Charlottenburg court on 26 August 2026; the preliminary administrator is Berlin lawyer Rainer Eckert. At the time of the filing the group reported liabilities in excess of €212 million, and the business operates about 80–82 locations with roughly 1,200 employees. These numbers and the filing date have been reported by Handelsblatt and WELT.
Sale process, bidders and customer risk
Three bidders have been publicly linked to the rescue: AVAG Holding (Augsburg), the Dutch Van Mossel Automotive Group and the internally connected König Mobility Group. Offers were handled in a compressed timetable in October and an early‑November decision window was reported; no binding buyer had signed at the time of the latest reporting. The bidding announcements and timetable are documented in industry reporting.
Meanwhile thousands of customers face risk: several outlets report that between about 3,000 and 4,000 buyers have fully or partially paid for vehicles that may not be deliverable until banks and manufacturers release financed vehicle documents. The administrator has been negotiating with Stellantis and Renault over release arrangements; those talks determine whether paid cars can be handed over to customers or will remain trapped in the insolvency estate.
