Porsche has just increased its stake in Volkswagen up to 27.4% from the previous 21.2% investment bought last year. Porsche’s profits are up due to an increase in sales but also because of the return from its initial investment in VW, with profit a staggering $2.7 billion for the sports car maker. There’s likely to be more to come, with news that VW’s Supervisory Board has allowed Porsche a maximum stake of 29.9% and that its CEO Dr. Wendelin Wiedeking has had his contract extended with another 5-year term.

Porsche's influence, however, will still be limited by a rule that prevents anyone other than Lower Saxony's regional government holding 20% of VW's voting rights. But even this is being challenged by the European Commission, which says the measure is anti-competitive, a stance which Porsche has backed.

It’s been previously reported that Porsche may even have been involved in former VW CEO Bernd Pischetsrieder's forced resignation and that VW Chairman Ferdinand Piech (grandson of Ferdinand Porsche) and Wiedeking may be plotting to swap Porsche's stake in Volkswagen for control of Audi.