1) Porsche's investment did not impact the larger financial markets in any way. Porsche's investment impacted VW stock and nothing else (I believe Porsche was 100% privately owned at that time)
2) Porsche's actions were like a hedge fund because they designed a financial situation where they couldn't lose (up until the financial collapse cut off their liquidity). Had the markets not collapsed and Porsche had been able to borrow like it could in 2007 they would've owned VW, the issue is that the markets collapsed and massive lending restrictions were imposed requiring Porsche to payback loans instead of roll them over. In the end they turned to VW to pay back the loan. Had that external event not impacted the lending environment Porsche would've acquired VW and subsidized their cost through financial participants shorting VW stock.
2) Porsche's actions were like a hedge fund because they designed a financial situation where they couldn't lose (up until the financial collapse cut off their liquidity). Had the markets not collapsed and Porsche had been able to borrow like it could in 2007 they would've owned VW, the issue is that the markets collapsed and massive lending restrictions were imposed requiring Porsche to payback loans instead of roll them over. In the end they turned to VW to pay back the loan. Had that external event not impacted the lending environment Porsche would've acquired VW and subsidized their cost through financial participants shorting VW stock.