China, tariffs and rising costs are forcing a rethink for BMW and other automakers. BMW has spent billions preparing its in-demand Neue Klasse cars, but now it’s putting its workforce through a major overhaul too. The automaker is looking to shed around 8,000 jobs globally, with most of those departures expected to come from Germany as it tries to cut costs and restore profitability. Unlike some restructuring programs, BMW isn’t currently reaching for the axe on its production lines. That German workforce had already shrunk by 2.3 percent compared with the previous year.