After the talks with MG-Rover didn't work out Proton have done a deal with VW.
sg.biz.yahoo.com/041027/15/3o23w.html
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Could be rather more promising for Lotus than an MG-Rover deal, though we'll have to wait and see.
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its strange how a few folks mocked rover for teaming up with proton - yet when its VW different story.
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Did you read the article?
"analysts are sceptical"
"Statements from the two companies are markedly different"
"The benefits for Proton are less concrete. Analysts said that VW isn't likely to part with cutting-edge technology because the agreement doesn't include a shareholding in Proton, at least not initially."
"there is little evidence that VW will do much more than rent factory space to assemble cars, analysts said"
"A lack of equity is a lack of commitment," another auto analyst said. "I'm still quite negative on Proton, I don't think it has a sustainable strategy"
This is not teaming up! This is VW opening the back door to get into a far east market, and then shutting it leaving Proton outside from the sound of it.
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When Lotus was bought by Proton's parent company, it was so that Lotus could design and develop cars for Proton to build before the Malaysian market was opened up to foreign manufacturers. Proton made cars using many components from Mitsubishi and it was seen as being necessary to make their own complete cars. However Lotus have never been allowed to get on with doing the job they were really bought for, so perhaps Proton are looking to VW to supply them with parts or complete car kits to build to make up todate cars to sell.
It is difficult to see where Lotus will stand now. Proton spent a long time trying to decide what they wanted and then changing their minds. It is probably too late for them to build their own car in time. Honda I beleive are building a factory in Malaysia so competion is going to be there very soon.
Rover I imagine are looking for someone to finance the developement or even design for them a new car that they can make.
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The Rover/Proton deal was about Proton's new platform - Gen2.
Proton have a new car, it's been seen at Hethel at Lotus who did large amounts of engineering for it. The main difference with the Rover deal was it was a technology share and platform share with Proton. Gen2 was seen as a 45 replacement or a small medium with RD/X60 being the large medium replacement.
VW do not do this with their partners only by acquisition, otherwise what would be the point of platform sharing with the Skoda and Seat marques? VW are more interested in farming out f***D kits to these kinds of operations in return for operating capital and a cut of profits.
Proton needed cash, they are in a real fix as the Malaysian Government is opening its domestic market to more overseas competition and Proton have no presence except Asia.
Rover rejected Proton as it would seem the Gen2 cars had issues, namely quality.
Seems then that VW and Proton would be a match made in heaven then.
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Er, that's C K D kits....
And a Lotus deal would have suited them better working with Rover, Rover do not have that kind of engineering set up and need one, instead they farmed it out to TWR. Lotus/Rover would have been a good match seeing as Lotus have pots of experience supping up K-series engines for the Elise and Exige.
If VW are going into partnership with Proton, I cannot see how this benefits Lotus, Proton have had a very hands-off approach giving Lotus a lot of automony, if you pardon the pun.
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Lotus have just announced redundancies of up to 350 people in their none car production areas. Apart from admin areas that means a lot of people going from the R&D engineering side. What of future new Lotuses, what of future new Protons, what of the future?
Perhaps many will think that being taken over by Proton?s parent company originally wasn?t such a good thing now.
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