Sign language

BBC One

BBC One Yorkshire

Money Programme

Documentaries

Factual: Money

News

The latest stories from the world of business and work

BBC Two England

England

BBC Two Northern Ireland (Analogue)

BBC Two Northern Ireland

BBC Two Scotland

BBC Two Wales (Analogue)

Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

BBC Two Wales

BBC One London

London

BBC One Cambridgeshire

BBC One Channel Islands

BBC One Yorks & Lincs

The BBC East region started on 1st May 1959 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One East.

BBC One East

BBC One region covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

BBC One East Midlands

The BBC North East & Cumbria region started in 1959 (tbc) as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One North East & Cumbria.

BBC One North East & Cumbria

BBC One North West

BBC Northern Ireland region started on 19th April 1955 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One Northern Ireland.

BBC One Northern Ireland

BBC One Oxfordshire

BBC One Scotland

Scotland

The BBC South region started on 5th January 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South.

BBC One South

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region that included London and part of the South region. Separated from BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One South East

The BBC South West region started on 20th April 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South West.

BBC One South West

BBC One Wales

Wales

The BBC West region started on 1st September 1957 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One West.

BBC One West

BBC One West Midlands

Max Flint

Money Programme: Fast Bucks: How Porsche Made Billions

22/01/2009

Fast Bucks: How Porsche Made Billions

BBC Two - Money Programme, Fast Bucks: How Porsche Made Billions

Max Flint travels to Germany to investigate an amazing story of the economic downturn.

The Money Programme's Max Flint travels to Germany to investigate allegations that luxury sports car manufacturer Porsche was behind an audacious takeover bid for rival Volkswagen.

Over two astonishing days in October 2008 one of the most amazing stories of the downturn emerged. Porsche, the luxury sports car manufacturer, was revealed as the force behind an audacious takeover bid for Volkswagen. 

The price of Volkswagen shares rocketed fivefold, and it briefly became the most valuable company on the planet. And hedge funds that had been betting on VW shares falling in the downturn found themselves staring at losses that ran into billions of pounds.

Now the German authorities are investigating. It has been alleged that the much smaller German car maker Porsche manipulated the market, made a fortune and ended up potentially taking over its rival. 

Porsche insists it has done nothing wrong. But for years it has quietly stalked its larger rival, buying up VW shares in a creeping takeover and making vast profits in dealings on those shares. It has been highly effective, last year it made four times as much money from share trading than from making its iconic sports cars. 

The Money Programme's Max Flint travels to Germany to investigate how Porsche became so expert in playing the market and how it could end up with the biggest prize of all: control of its rival.

Part of the City Season.

BBC Two

Knowledge, drama, comedy and the arts for a broad adult audience.

BBC Two is a lively channel of depth and substance, carrying a range of knowledge-building programming complemented by great drama, comedy and arts.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Money Programme

Fast Bucks: How Porsche Made Billions

Contributors

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC One Yorkshire

About BBC One