>>> The company wins at the World Travel Awards, the Oscars of the tourism industry, the award for Europe’s Best Independent Car Rental Company
Bucharest, 18th Decembrie 2025 – RBJ – Klass Wagen closes 2025 with a solid performance, confirmed by achieving its projected turnover of €70 million, strengthening its international locations, and winning the World Travel Awards in the category Europe’s Leading Independent Car Rental Company, a direct validation of its expansion strategy. Building on these results, the company enters 2026 with a strategic agenda focused on expanding into various European markets, accelerating the development of its operations in Madeira, and scaling complementary business lines, supported by major investments in digitalization, AI-driven automation, and optimization of the Premium segment.
Klass Wagen opens its second location in Madeira. The Portuguese island stood out in 2025 as one of the company’s strongest-performing markets, driven by steady demand from European tourists and local customers. Investments dedicated to the expansion included the integration of Klass Wagen’s operational technologies, site development, fleet expansion, and the establishment of a local team of 10 employees, supported by outsourcing partnerships during peak periods. Projections for 2026 indicate a 25-30% increase in rental volumes on the island.
”The new Funchal office has been designed as an urban location, focused on customers who require fast and flexible mobility during their stay in Madeira. It perfectly complements the airport-area location, which primarily serves the high volume of arriving passengers. Together, the two locations enable us to fully cover the mobility needs of both tourists and local customers, offering a high level of flexibility and accessibility”, says Norbert Sabou, CEO Klass Wagen.
The consumer profile in Madeira is dominated by European tourists who prioritize flexible mobility, fleet quality, and fast pick-up and drop-off processes. Adapting to seasonality, by combining an internal team with local outsourcing partnerships, remains essential for operational efficiency. Moreover, Madeira is becoming a strategic benchmark for future expansion into other tourist destinations, supported by stable and predictable demand.
”Madeira is one of the markets that most quickly confirmed its strategic potential for us. The results achieved here validate the market’s potential and justify continued investments in infrastructure, fleet, and technology, while the adaptability of the operational model gives us confidence in our plans to expand into other European tourist destinations”, adds Norbert Sabou.
Strategy for 2026 – European expansion, turnover of 80 mil. €
For 2026, priorities include launching operations in Austria, scaling the business lines introduced in 2025, such as car subscription services and replacement services, expanding the Premium segment, developing B2C vehicle sales through branch networks, and accelerating digital projects through the integration of new AI-driven automations.
”Our expansion strategy is a balanced one: we aim both to enter new markets and to consolidate those opened recently. For 2026, a key objective is entry into the Austrian market, a step that has been in preparation for some time and one that will further strengthen our European presence. In parallel, we will continue to assess markets in order to identify the next strategic destination for expansion”, explains Norbert Sabău, CEO Klass Wagen.
With an agile operating model focused on quality, flexibility, and digitalization, the company is strengthening its position as a relevant European player in an industry undergoing rapid transformation.
Klass Wagen – Europe’s Leading Independent Car Rental Company
The Romanian company has received the World Travel Awards in the category Europe’s Leading Independent Car Rental Company, one of the most prestigious distinctions in the tourism industry, widely regarded as the equivalent of the Oscars in this field.
”This award represents an international validation of the Klass Wagen operational model, distinguished by a modern fleet renewed annually, a strong customer-centric approach, and a highly competitive quality-to-price ratio. At the same time, it reflects the work of a dedicated team committed to continuously improving the mobility experience. The fact that we were voted for by such a large number of customers directly confirms the quality of our services”, says Norbert Sabou.
Klass Wagen sees current trends in the European car rental industry as a confirmation of its chosen strategic direction: accelerated digitalization, alignment with continuously evolving consumer preferences, the integration of AI-driven automation solutions, and the strengthening of the Premium segment. These pillars enable Klass Wagen to respond directly to the demands of the European market and to the preferences of customers seeking fast, efficient, and high-quality mobility experiences.
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Klass Wagen is a Romanian-owned group active in the automotive mobility sector since 2009. With operations in Romania, Hungary, Portugal, and, most recently, Germany, the group specializes in car rental and vehicle sales. Its portfolio includes 18 brands and 48 models, with an average vehicle age of between one and two years. Starting in 2025, the group launched the Klass Wagen Autozentrum network, dedicated to selling used vehicles directly to end consumers across European markets.
