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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Continental completed its acquisition of Siemens VDO Automotive AG on December 3, 2007, after the responsible antitrust authorities approved the transaction without conditions. Continental had announced the deal on July 25, 2007.
What Continental acquired—and when
Continental announced on July 25, 2007, that it would acquire the automotive products business concentrated in Siemens VDO Automotive AG from Siemens AG. The agreement covered 100% of Siemens VDO Automotive AG’s shares and its subsidiaries. Continental recorded completion on December 3, 2007, following unconditional antitrust approval.
Continental’s July 25, 2007 announcement anticipated closing toward the end of that year’s fourth quarter. Its 2007 annual report, published in 2008, records the completion date and approval.
Why published figures for the deal differ
The figures in Continental’s announcement and annual report describe different transaction bases; they are not three competing estimates of one identical amount.
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| Figure | What it represents | Source and basis |
|---|---|---|
| €11.4 billion | Announced transaction price, including approximately €1 billion in future tax benefits | Continental’s July 25, 2007 announcement |
| €11.3 billion | Purchase price including transaction costs | Continental’s 2007 annual report, published in 2008 |
| €12.3 billion | Total payment, including Siemens VDO’s €1.0 billion accumulated financing requirement through completion | Continental’s 2007 annual report, published in 2008; it allocates €6.9 billion to shares and €5.4 billion to receivables |
Continental’s 2007 announcement also described the combined businesses using 2006 figures: around €25 billion in annual sales and nearly 140,000 employees. These are historical combined-company figures, not current totals. The same announcement forecast at least €170 million in annual net synergies from 2010; that forecast alone does not establish whether the savings were achieved.
Continental’s stated strategic rationale
Continental presented the acquisition as a step toward becoming an integrated automotive systems provider. Its 2007 annual report emphasized combining capabilities in safety, environmental technologies and vehicle information, including driver assistance, sensors, telematics and vehicle interfaces. This was Continental’s stated rationale, not independent evidence that the integration delivered its intended results.
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Continental’s announcement set a target of completing integration by the end of 2009. The company’s corporate history lists the acquisition among its 2007 milestones and says it strengthened Continental’s position in Europe, North America and Asia. Neither the stated integration timetable nor the history entry independently verifies the synergy forecast.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What happened to the VDO name
The 2007 acquisition and the later VDO brand change are separate events. In a November 3, 2020 release, Continental said VDO would become Continental for passenger-car spare parts and service equipment. It said VDO would remain the brand for tachographs, fleet-management systems, data-based services and related workshop business. Continental also said the passenger-car aftermarket name change would not alter the products.
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- Continental Accessory Drive Kits include the belt plus automatic tensioner and idler pulley where applicable
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- Includes basic components to change your drive belt economically
- Installation instructions included
- Continental Import Automotive Accessory Drive Belt Kit
That release described the transition as: “The products will not change as a result of the brand name change: ‘Original stays original.’” The statement concerned the 2020 passenger-car aftermarket rebrand, not the reason for the 2007 acquisition.
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