Proton Holdings Bhd is setting up a special unit to fully capitalise on it’s UK subsidiary Group Lotus, part of Group Lotus’ five-year turnaround plan. The unit, to be comprised of people from both Lotus and Proton is in it’s final planning stages.
Part of Group Lotus’ plan to turn around in 5 years include producing it’s own sports cars like the Elise and Exige, producing Lotus-branded versions of third party production cars like what they did with the Lotus Carlton as well as engineering consultancy. It needs all of these revenue streams to turn around. Lotus already has engine and chassis engineering deals with 4 Chinese car markers including Nanjing Automobile Corp which owns MG Rover. Lotus also has a deal to manufacture the Tesla Roadster, an electric sports car by American company Tesla Motors.
Lotus’ deal with Nanjing will help modernise MG’s range of cars, with the first fruit of the collaboration to be a new MG TF, with a MG ZT following up later in 2008. Besides that, MG Rover’s K-series motor will be upgraded to meet the latest European Union emission standards.
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
How about their (Proton) own marque? Do they have any plans for Proton itself?
i think this is protons plans for lotus not the other way round…proton want to make lotus a profitable company by itself…without proton injecting money into it…
tesla sports car… druel
no lah..they want to sell over Lotus before they close Proton. never thrust this Proton people they only squeeze "rakyat" dry without any consideration.Sell Proton but all vendor drive big continental car..drive car that you sell or make money la…
I would like to see if lotus can make waja or gen2 tuned lotus and may call it as Lotus Waja or Lotus Gen2….
mycar_stolen,
Spelling! Didn't your English teacher told you to practice?
they are making a reasonable and modest aim to be back in the greens in 5 years time. It is crisis time for automotive industry in malaysia. So far, only Perodua can be considered "safe" ( not really a fair comparison bcoz 51% are owned by japs). The industry is sliding, yet the NAP does not seems to shed any lights to the current crisis. Lotus needs Proton, and moreover Proton needs Lotus. Give them time, but time is their enemy right now
I want to see Lotus Waja and Lotus Gen2… :d
No need for Lotus Waja and Lotus Gen2. We already have R3.
imagine lotus apx rebadge under proton , dat thing sell man !
is a beauty !
tanasi said,
August 1, 2006 @ 11:57 am
mycar_stolen,
Spelling! Didn’t your English teacher told you to practice?
err…just help me to correct it..being sarcastic is not helping at all.
#
mycar_stolen said,
August 2, 2006 @ 9:16 am
tanasi said,
August 1, 2006 @ 11:57 am
mycar_stolen,
Spelling! Didn’t your English teacher told you to practice?
err…just help me to correct it..being sarcastic is not helping at all.
agrred ler… not help.. my english also not good, we just want to express our ideas only la…
bestofamat said,
August 1, 2006 @ 2:09 pm
I want to see Lotus Waja and Lotus Gen2… :d
___________________________________________________________________________Doubt a sports car company like Lotus will put their badge on a sedan/saloon car like the old Lotus Carlton, or Lotus Cortina. ever again .
I meant UNLIKELY that Lotus will put their badge on a sedan saloon.