GM to bid on Proton Group...think Lotus
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 764
From: Crystal Falls, MI USA
GM to bid on Proton Group...think Lotus
Looks like I may be able to justify the new Lotus Esprit as a GM product afterall....
http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=43324
http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=43324
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,713
From: The Golden State
General Motors has OWNED Lotus before. 
They bought Lotus in '86 and sold it in 93 to Bugatti to raise cash after the Roger Smith years.
As for Proton, they're sold in Australia, and are very stylish little cars. I don't know a thing about how well made they are, but they are pretty sharp for a cheap econobox.
They bought Lotus in '86 and sold it in 93 to Bugatti to raise cash after the Roger Smith years.
As for Proton, they're sold in Australia, and are very stylish little cars. I don't know a thing about how well made they are, but they are pretty sharp for a cheap econobox.
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,502
I had never heard of this company, but here's the deal from the source article:
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_New...8.txt/Article/
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_New...8.txt/Article/
Proton at that time was the dominant player in the Malaysian car market, which is South-East Asia's largest passenger car market. Since then, its fortunes have come under pressure.
Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua), the country's second national carmaker, has led vehicle registrations every month since at least March last year, the Malaysian Automotive Association said in October, while Proton's fiscal second quarter loss widened as sales sank to their lowest in seven years.
Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua), the country's second national carmaker, has led vehicle registrations every month since at least March last year, the Malaysian Automotive Association said in October, while Proton's fiscal second quarter loss widened as sales sank to their lowest in seven years.
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,712
From: Ontario
Proton at that time was the dominant player in the Malaysian car market, which is South-East Asia's largest passenger car market. Since then, its fortunes have come under pressure.
Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua), the country's second national carmaker, has led vehicle registrations every month since at least March last year, the Malaysian Automotive Association said in October, while Proton's fiscal second quarter loss widened as sales sank to their lowest in seven years.
Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua), the country's second national carmaker, has led vehicle registrations every month since at least March last year, the Malaysian Automotive Association said in October, while Proton's fiscal second quarter loss widened as sales sank to their lowest in seven years.
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 664
From: Hanford, CA, USA
I am interested. Their small cars don't look too bad overall. Plus, if it goes through like GM asked, they have control over everything, and can move in, make changes where it needs to be made, and really get the ball rolling.
And of course getting pack "in bed" with Lotus seems like an extremely bright spot of this deal.
I can see this helping out Opel and Holden in their small car markets as well.
And of course getting pack "in bed" with Lotus seems like an extremely bright spot of this deal.
I can see this helping out Opel and Holden in their small car markets as well.
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 689
Y'all have Lotus to thank for the LT5, y'know -- they designed it.
Lotus these days is mainly a top-drawer engineering consulting firm. It's a great thing for GM to have in its worldwide portfolio -- odds are good they'll make better use of it than they did 20 years ago.
Lotus these days is mainly a top-drawer engineering consulting firm. It's a great thing for GM to have in its worldwide portfolio -- odds are good they'll make better use of it than they did 20 years ago.
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Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 1,873
From: South Jersey
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,977
From: SeVa
Not that impressive when you consider the Elise is really just a glorified go-kart, What can they do for the rest of GM? Other than provide some nifty "Suspension Tuned by Lotus" badges (Impulse anybody), At best they are niche operation riding on the coattails of past innovation and a guy named Colin Chapman.
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,428
Not that impressive when you consider the Elise is really just a glorified go-kart, What can they do for the rest of GM? Other than provide some nifty "Suspension Tuned by Lotus" badges (Impulse anybody), At best they are niche operation riding on the coattails of past innovation and a guy named Colin Chapman.
BTW, I wouldn't call the Elise a go-kart.
