In the early 1990s, BMW attempted a bold takeover of Volkswagen (VW), a much larger automaker with a broad brand portfolio, including Audi and Porsche. BMW aimed to expand its market reach but overleveraged its bid, leading to financial strain and failure. In a twist, VW absorbed BMW, highlighting the risks of ambitious acquisitions without sufficient financial strength or strategic planning.
What are your thoughts on cases like this? Do you think smaller companies should attempt such bold moves, or is the risk too great? Have you seen other examples where smaller firms successfully or unsuccessfully took over larger ones?