Kirk Kerkorian’s Tracinda group owns more shares of Ford than the billionaire investor originally planned, at 6.5 percent versus 5.5 percent. Kerkorian went on the record to say he is willing to help the struggling automaker with its turnaround plans with more investments.

Tracinda spent more than $1 billion on Ford shares, since it started bidding on the automaker back at the end of April. More money invested would help Ford’s U.S. operations stop the financial bleeding, as it were, and perhaps allow Kerkorian to be heard with restructuring ideas. Kerkorian, 91, held an activist investor role at both General Motors and Chrysler in the past, and any more money he invests in the ailing automaker could see him return to the role with Ford, according to an Automotive News report.

The Ford family owns only 3 percent of the company’s common stock, though it left provisions in place that would see members have 40 percent of the voting power thanks to a separate type of shares. Ford CEO Alan Mulally, Executive Chairman Bill Ford and Kerkorian met on Tuesday regarding Ford’s turnaround plans.

Kerkorian’s influence could see the automaker sell its Volvo brand and kill off the Mercury nameplate sooner, some analysts suggest.

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