VOLKSWAGEN

Volkswagen and its key shareholder, the state of Lower Saxony, have confronted Porsche with an ultimatum to accept a tie-up of the two carmakers under VW's tutelage or else face more severe financial turmoil, Web site Spiegel online reported.

Cash-rich German carmaker Volkswagen AG and its ailing majority owner Porsche SE must decide soon whether to integrate or not, VW's home state of Lower Saxony said on Monday.

Volkswagen said it had not presented Porsche with an ultimatum to accept its layout for a merger of the two carmakers, denying a media report and accusations from Porsche.

Porsche accused Volkswagen and its key shareholder Lower Saxony of extortion following a magazine report that VW and the regional state had demanded Porsche accept a tie-up of the two carmakers with VW in charge.

Possible plans by Volkswagen to cooperate with Suzuki Motor raised an enthusiastic response among investors on Friday, but traders said the main focus at VW remained firmly on Qatar.

Volkswagen is examining a cooperation with Japan's Suzuki Motor the area of ultra small cars, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday, confirming a report in manager magazin.

Porsche is free to submit a fresh application for state aid, a German economy ministry official said on Thursday, while Porsche said it was already working with state bank KfW to shape a new bid.

The Qatar Investment Authority could acquire more shares in ailing German sports car maker Porsche SE than previously thought, German magazine Focus said.

Germany's Volkswagen will have a positive result in the second quarter and would consider giving sports car maker Porsche a loan if asked, VW's chief financial officer Hans Dieter Poetsch said on Saturday.

German car maker Daimler is in advanced talks to buy a stake in sports car maker Porsche SE, German magazine manager magazin reported on Friday on its website, citing financial sources.

Qatar expects to reveal the outcome of talks on buying a stake in ailing German sportscar maker Porsche SE in two to three weeks, the country's prime minister said, according to media reports.

Ferdinand Piech, a co-owner of Porsche , is resisting a quick decision to let the Gulf state of Qatar take a minority stake in the German automotive group, the Financial Times Deutschland reported.

A rejuvenated model range led by its new Golf VI hatchback helped Volkswagen outperform its competitors in May and grab more share of the world's car market, Europe's largest automaker said on Friday. Led by massive gains in Germany and China -- its two biggest markets -- group vehicle sales rose over last year's comparable month for the first time in 2009, gaining 1.5 percent t...

Porsche SE is in exclusive talks to sell a stake to the Gulf state of Qatar, in a deal that could cut the German automotive holding's debt and strengthen its position for a merger with Volkswagen.

Qatar is still considering taking a stake in debt-laden Porsche , or other German auto companies, after the carmaker scaled down a bid for Volkswagen , the prime minister said on Saturday.

Qatar is still studying taking a stake in debt-laden German sports carmaker Porsche , or other German auto companies, after Porsche scaled down a bid for Volkswagen , the prime minister said on Saturday.

Volkswagen AG signed a memorandum of understanding last week with the Chinese firm BYD to consider options for partnership in the area of hybrids and electric vehicles powered by lithium batteries.

Porsche confirmed on Monday it got a 700 million euro ($980 million) loan from its Volkswagen unit but insisted it could cope with its debt woes.

Porsche denied on Thursday that it had filed an application for aid that a government source had said had been rejected.

The families who control Porsche are open to the idea of selling a stake to an outside investor, the company said Wednesday.

Porsche declined to comment on Tuesday on rumors that the carmaker could receive a 3-4 billion euro ($4.09-5.45 billion) investment from an unnamed Kuwaiti investor.