The Secret Power Behind BMW and VARTA!

When it comes to premium cars like BMW or trusted battery brands like VARTA, most people rarely think about who really owns these giants. Yet, behind the scenes, one of Germany’s most powerful business dynasties pulls the strings: the Quandt family.

👤 Who Are the Quandts?

The Quandt family is a prominent German industrial dynasty with deep roots in post-war Europe’s economic revival. They are best known today as major shareholders of BMW Group, but their legacy spans decades of investment and industrial development.

🏢 Ownership in BMW

The BMW Group – which includes BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce – has two major shareholders from the Quandt family:

Stefan Quandt (son of Herbert Quandt): owns approximately 23.7%
Susanne Klatten (daughter of Herbert Quandt): owns around 19.2%

Together, they control nearly 50% of BMW, making them the decisive voices in strategic decisions without needing full ownership.

Herbert Quandt, their father, is credited with saving BMW from bankruptcy in the late 1950s by increasing his shareholding and resisting a takeover by Daimler-Benz.

🔋 Ownership in VARTA

VARTA AG, the well-known German battery manufacturer, also has historical ties to the Quandt family. While the family no longer directly controls VARTA as of the 2000s, they played a key role in its growth during the 20th century.

The company was once part of the Quandt industrial portfolio, and they helped position it as a global name in automotive and industrial batteries.

🧬 Legacy & Influence

Discretion and privacy are hallmarks of the Quandt family.
Despite being among Germany’s richest individuals, they rarely appear in the media.
They invest in various green tech, industrial innovation, and sustainability projects through their holdings.

💼 Quandt Family Companies and Investments

Aside from BMW and historical involvement in VARTA, the Quandts have invested in:

Pharmaceuticals (via Susanne Klatten’s holdings in Altana)
Green energy and battery tech
Financial services and investment funds

⚖️ A Note on Controversy

The Quandt family’s wealth also carries historical weight. Some of their industrial assets during WWII were tied to forced labor under the Nazi regime. In recent years, the family has funded independent research into their wartime history and acknowledged the past.

✅ Conclusion

The Quandt family remains one of the most influential forces in the German and global automotive industry. Their long-term vision, private approach, and control over BMW place them among the elite of European industrialists. And although they no longer control VARTA, their mark on the company—and industry as a whole—is undeniable.