Tuesday 29th May 2012

Lotus: not for sale (yet)

Proton/DRB-Hicom confirms that it's holding on to Lotus

---

The fallout from Dany Bahar's suspension has led to an inevitable wave of fresh speculation about the future of Lotus, not least whether or not the company is for sale. Rumours still persist but an official statement from the PR agency hired to manage the post-Bahar crisis insists that Proton, via new owner DRB-Hicom, remains committed. The statement is reproduced below in full...

[Official statement from Proton/DRB-Hicom]
LOTUS NOT FOR SALE
PROTON today reiterated that its holding company DRB-HICOM Berhad (DRB-HICOM) is not selling Lotus, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PROTON, despite recent media reports based purely on speculation and rumours.

Executive Chairman of PROTON Dato' Sri Haji Mohd Khamil Jamil said: "We acknowledge that Lotus can provide value to PROTON.

" Lotus is an iconic brand with global presence and positioning, coupled with unsurpassed engineering expertise and a talented workforce."

Earlier this month, Dato' Sri Haji Mohd Khamil visited Lotus facilities at Hethel in Norfolk. In conjunction with the visit, Dato' Sri Haji Mohd Khamil also had constructive meetings with South Norfolk MP Mr. Richard Bacon and British Business Secretary, Dr Vince Cable.

Commenting on the meetings, Dato' Sri Haji Mohd Khamil said: "They were both very supportive of our views and developments with regard to the future plans for Lotus.

"Subsequent to the meetings, the British Government has agreed to consider reactivating the £10 million Regional Growth Fund pledge to support Lotus's vehicle development plans in Norfolk."

[vdubbin]

It's definitely for sale then?

[Twincam16]

Come on Toyota, you know you want to!

please...

[Slurms]

Who was it who said that the only thing missing from this story was a mention of government aid to lotus...

"Subsequent to the meetings, the British Government has agreed to consider reactivating the £10 million Regional Growth Fund pledge to support Lotus's vehicle development plans in Norfolk."



I really hope this gets sorted out and Lotus doesn't go the way of so many others.

[Beefmeister]

'Dato' Sri Haji Mohd Khamil Jamil'

Try saying that with a mouthful of pork scratchings!

[V8 FOU]

Fingers crossed, breath held, wood touched, etc, etc.....
Let's hope they install some good top management. Someone who understands Lotus...

[housen]

Slurms said:

Who was it who said that the only thing missing from this story was a mention of government aid to lotus...

"Subsequent to the meetings, the British Government has agreed to consider reactivating the £10 million Regional Growth Fund pledge to support Lotus's vehicle development plans in Norfolk."



I really hope this gets sorted out and Lotus doesn't go the way of so many others.

10mm hahahahahaahahahahahaahaha they need more than that

thats 10mm will be wasted money ..it will evaporate

its a great brand , but sadly money is tight these days ...might aswell wait till its offered at 1£ like all the others ...it then might get into a bidding war and go to 5£

[Twincam16]

V8 FOU said:

Fingers crossed, breath held, wood touched, etc, etc.....
Let's hope they install some good top management. Someone who understands Lotus...

given the overwhelming response to their recent new model releases, this could be a positive turning point rather than yet more bad news.

I still like the idea of Toyota taking over and installing Tetsuya Tada as boss.

[ssuh]

Beefmeister said:

'Dato' Sri Haji Mohd Khamil Jamil'

Try saying that with a mouthful of pork scratchings!

That is wrong on so many levels

[roystinho]

Renault to buy so they can use Lotus chassis and knowhow to make Alpines

[350Matt]

so thats one official denial

two makes it true.....

[Frimley111R]

Its unbelievable how many people suddenly started assuming the company might be instantly for sale/wound up etc. as soon as DB was suspended. He's jsut one man, the acquirers had already said that they were ok with the plan (although may make some changes).

[Twincam16]

roystinho said:

Renault to buy so they can use Lotus chassis and knowhow to make Alpines

I don't think the buyer should build a rival product. That way platform-sharing lies, and we end up with a kind of 'BL-isation' where a marque is distilled down to pure marketing rather than engineering integrity.

Lotus needs to be bought by someone who would benefit from their handling and performance expertise, and by contrast Lotus needs a supply of good engines.

Toyota is the most obvious fit, given that they currently supply engines, and they don't have a credible performance 'brand' - the GT86 is playing in a different market, but there's something very Lotus about its engineering approach (down to Tada-san, which is why I reckon he'd understand Lotus well - certainly better than Bahaha), and other than that there are some fast Lexuses, but they're primarily about comfort and automation.

Lotus could become to Toyota what Ferrari is to Fiat.

Also, imagine a Lexus Lotus-IS. Bye-bye M3...

[Tyre Tread]

ssuh said:

That is wrong on so many levels

Like rape in a lift or murder in a multi storey car park!

Never believe anything until its officially denied. (c) Yes Minister

Now where's Mr Smolenski?

[eddie man]

What an insult. Why not take an Alpine, strip it down and make a Delorean. Chapman did this already

roystinho said:

Renault to buy so they can use Lotus chassis and knowhow to make Alpines

[The Don of Croy]

Could we not get Honda onboard - it's time enough now that they've probably gotten over the whole Rover thing...

If not, some form of partnership with Yamaha (engines), Audi (build quality), Ford (marketing), Skoda (pricing).

[rtz62]

Hahahahahahaha, hahahahahahaha!
Yet again, something as English as the Union flag has fallen into the hands of Johnny Foreigner (no problem with that as long as they don't equity mine it) and WE then give them £10m as a regional development bks to make them even happier!!!
Un bloody believable.
Very soon we will be giving £billions in aid to china and India (2 of the fastest growing world economies) who will blow large wads of it on space programmes and nuclear programmes!
.....what's that? We ARE giving £billions to them?
I GIVE UP!
Signing off, whilst simultaneously buying tickets to the afore mentioned countries where I can at least benefit from my (ie the taxpayers) money!!!!!!!

[Hellbound]

rtz62 said:

Hahahahahahaha, hahahahahahaha!
Yet again, something as English as the Union flag has fallen into the hands of Johnny Foreigner (no problem with that as long as they don't equity mine it) and WE then give them £10m as a regional development bks to make them even happier!!!
Un bloody believable.
Very soon we will be giving £billions in aid to china and India (2 of the fastest growing world economies) who will blow large wads of it on space programmes and nuclear programmes!
.....what's that? We ARE giving £billions to them?
I GIVE UP!
Signing off, whilst simultaneously buying tickets to the afore mentioned countries where I can at least benefit from my (ie the taxpayers) money!!!!!!!

Such utter nonsense. We're not giving billions in aid to China and India. That's the sort of bare faced lying you get on the BNP and EDL forums.

Also, Lotus has been foreign owned for quite some time. It's been wholly managed by Brits, so you've got 'your own' to blame for Lotus not making a profit.

Anyway, given Vince Cables recent 'victories' ensuring British jobs in the motor industry, things could still be a lot worse. Dialogue is better than no dialogue.

[clanger]

I think you may well be surprised to learn that the chap who made this statement has now been sacked himself together with the Proton Finance Director

Or is it someone with a similar name?

http://paultan.org/2012/05/29/datuk-seri-syed-zain...

Edited by clanger on Tuesday 29th May 13:05

Edited by clanger on Tuesday 29th May 13:10

[car95]

Tomorrow's PH headline: "Speculation rife that Lotus might be for sale at some point"?

Silly.

[bunyarra]

http://www.just-auto.com/the-just-auto-blog/compan...