Porcshe to Acquire 20% VAG stock

“In a move billed as a defensive maneuver on the part of the Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer, Porsche AG announced that it plans to acquire roughly 20-percent of Volkswagen AG. The purchase is intended to protect the manufacturer of brands including Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT, Skoda, Lamborghini, Bentley and Bugatti from a potential hostile takeover, given the company’s shared chassis and technology projects like the SUV platform Porsche’s Cayenne shares with the Volkswagen Touareg and Audi Q7 as well as the company’s new hybrid technology shown in concept form at the Frankfurt IAA two weeks ago.” (vwvortex)

Whoa. But hey wait a minute… Porsche and VW/Audi have always been in bed together anyway. Or should I say the Porsche family and the Piech family. They're all the same. If they'd start sleeping with the Quandt family they would gain BMW too. What is it about Volkswaggen… man I cant explain it.

My impression is that this is a good move by Porsche. Volkswagen is publicly traded and by acquiring 20% of VAG stock they secure a vote on the VAG board as a major stockholder. This should help to prevent assholes like Kirk Kerkorian from acquiring a solid share as was speculated (who single handedly distroyed Chrysler by doing the same thing). VW isn't selling it specifically to Porsche because it's not VW's to sell. Porsche will acquire it from shareholders.

As far as anyone can tell right now, it seems the companies will be basically independent. It's feasible Porsche might have more sway with the VW board being a major shareholder, but it certainly wouldn't have any controlling interest (only 20%) and VW would have no interest in Porsche, so none the other way either. About the only thing we're likely to see of this deal as it is now is perhaps increased partnership between the two manufacturers on development of future projects.

Can you say new 914?