New head of Quality Assurance at Volkswagen Passenger Cars

Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, says: “Christiane Engel has laid crucial foundations in the Quality Assurance of Volkswagen Passenger Cars for turning Volkswagen into a real ‘Love Brand’ that’s 100 percent focused on customers: She has contributed significantly to us once again achieving top quality in our products’ materials, processing, software and digital services. I would like to thank her for her work and her engagement, and at the same time wish Elvira Tölkes a warm welcome to the team as the new head of Quality Assurance. In her we have found an experienced expert with a proven track record. Her task will be to continue what Christiane Engel started and take the quality of our vehicles to the next level. Top quality in materials, processing, software and digital services plays a decisive role in our customers once again seeing us as a love brand. I wish Elvira Tölkes every success in this task.”

Elvira Tölkes has held various management positions in the Volkswagen Group since 2018. Most recently, she was responsible for a strategic digital transformation project in the field of software update management and cyber security at Audi in 2020. Prior to that, she was responsible for the development of the exterior, interior, vehicle security and thermal management of the new AUDI models as Vice President Body Engineering.

She started her career in the automotive industry at Opel in 1992 after graduating in mechanical engineering from the Technical University of Kaiserslautern. From 1998 she assumed various high-responsibility management positions, including director of homologation, program management, overall vehicle validation and interior development, and vehicle security. Elvira Tölkes assumed responsibility for the engine and component plant in Kaiserslautern in 2011, and became head of the Eisenach plant in 2014. Before joining the Volkswagen Group, she was Vice President of Quality at Opel. She assumes the position of head of Quality Assurance at Volkswagen Passenger Cars on May 1, 2023.

With over 1,200 employees, Volkswagen Passenger Cars’ Quality Assurance department oversees a total of 28 production sites across all Volkswagen vehicle classes. The goal of Quality Assurance is to provide an excellent level of customer satisfaction and ensure this in the long term. To do so, the Quality Assurance team sets customer-relevant quality requirements along the entire customer journey in vehicle projects. Quality assurance also checks all vehicle functions and services, issues final approval for use in the market, and thus ensures Volkswagen’s characteristically high quality in all its products and services. Via a global network, the independent business unit is also responsible for continuously improving product quality using efficient troubleshooting processes, and for defining and monitoring factory processes and standards in all Volkswagen Passenger Cars plants.