BMW tuner AC Schnitzer to close: EVs, red tape, US tariffs and young people blamed
Any new buyer has until the end of the year to save AC Schnitzer
After almost 40 years of capturing the imagination of BMW fans worldwide with its eye-catching bodykits and motorsport-based tuning, AC Schnitzer will close down at the end of 2026 - according to its parent company the Kohl Group.
In a statement, the Kohl Group claimed AC Schnitzer (also known as ACS) was “no longer economically viable to operate”. Explaining its decision to part ways, Rainer Vogel, Managing Director of the Kohl Group, which has been connected to AC Schnitzer since it started in 1987, said; “Steadily rising costs in the development and manufacture of parts are creating competitive disadvantages. In particular the extremely long approval process for parts in the German system has caused AC Schnitzer to fall behind its non-German competitors.”
Over the years, AC Schnitzer competed in touring car races and rallies while also becoming known for tuning kits for various BMW production cars. The firm branched out into modifying MINIs, and even supplying aftermarket parts for the latest Toyota Supra, which is closely related to the BMW Z4. AC Schnitzer’s involvement in racing under Schnitzer Motorsport ended in 2021.
Offering further explanation as to why AC Schnitzer has struggled in recent years, Vogel rather candidly said: “We - like other tuning companies - have not succeeded in inspiring young customers to enjoy sporty driving with our brand to the same extent as their fathers’ generation did.”
The Kohl Group also, in effect, blamed the rise of pure-electric models and the lack of combustion-engined cars to tune as well. “On the demand side, changing consumer behavior and the gradual phase-out of the internal combustion engine further exacerbate the situation.” Another contributing factor was “tariffs in the key U.S. market” according to the company’s statement.
Now AC Schnitzer will be offered up for sale by the Kohl Group - which says it “is in talks with parties interested in acquiring the AC Schnitzer brand”. For existing AC Schnitzer customers, warranties and after-sales support will be guaranteed beyond 2026.
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