Geely has set its sights on British sportscar maker, Lotus for its next company purchase, according to a speculative report by Road & Track. Lotus’ owner, Proton, has been searching for a foreign strategic partner as part of the company’s turnaround plan, which may involve the offloading of Lotus – which Proton has not ruled out.

Other so-far-unnnamed automotive companies are set to be purchased by Geely too, although Lotus appears to be a tantalising candidate as its engineering arm, Lotus Engineering, has carried out consulting and development work for various automakers. Geely has proven that it isn’t averse to heading in new directions, with the the debut of the Lynk & Co 01 SUV, claimed to be “the most connected car to date.”

Volvo appears to be flourishing under Geely, with the second-generation XC90 SUV well-received by customers globally and with a raft of models built upon the new Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform still to arrive, such as the upcoming XC40 SUV and S40 compact sedan.

As for parent company Proton, five potential parties have been shortlisted to buy a stake in the national carmaker. DRB-Hicom CEO Datuk Seri Syed Faisal Albar revealed recently that the foreign partner must be a strategic, cooperation and cultural fit with Proton. It wouldn’t be entirely sold, however, as DRB-Hicom has maintained that it will keep “a significant stake” in Proton.

Looking to sell your car? Sell it with myTukar.