alot of their current profits are due to some very smart hedging they did on the euro/dollar. that's over now, and given how many cars they sell in the US, I have heard rumors they may build a plant here to make the SUV.
Porsche' 20% along with the 18% owned by the state of Lower Saxony, makes Volkswagen bulletproof to takover under current German law. But the law itself is archaic and not likely to survive much longer. To me this is a win win investment. When Germany finally rids herself state and union influences of such investor unfriendly laws, Volkswagen will be recognized as a tremendously undervalued company. In the meantime Porsche has taken VW off the market, protecting her vital interests there. Porsche doesn't have 4 Billion in the petty cash drawer because they don't know how to handle money.