However, the 2008 global financial crisis derailed Porsche's plans. The company had taken on massive debt to fund its takeover bid just as credit markets froze.
Today, the relationship remains a "messy affair": Volkswagen owns the Porsche car brand, but the Porsche family's holding company (Porsche SE) still holds the majority of voting rights in Volkswagen. Porsche: The Hedge Fund that Also Made Cars - Priceonomics
When Porsche finally revealed its massive position in October 2008, it triggered the biggest short squeeze in history.
: With Porsche owning 74% and the German government holding 20%, only about 6% of shares were actually available to buy.
The goal was simple but audacious: for the small sports car maker to buy its massive supplier , Volkswagen. The Short Squeeze of the Century
: Volkswagen’s stock price rocketed from 200 euros to over 1,000 euros in just two days.
In the early 2000s, the automotive world witnessed a saga that sounded more like a high-stakes financial thriller than a business expansion. It began with Porsche, then a small but incredibly profitable sports car manufacturer, setting its sights on the giant Volkswagen Group . The David vs. Goliath Strategy