Photo: Peugeot
Groupe PSA, the French corporation that controls Citroen, Peugeot, and DS, is reportedly one of the bidders interested in purchasing Proton and Lotus.
The two brands, belonging to a Malaysian holding company, have been up for sale since last year, and various reports have placed several automakers as potentially interested parties.
Among the mentioned brands that could have secretly placed a bid for Lotus, Proton, or both, are Renault, Suzuki, and China’s Geely.
A previous report from Reuters that quoted undisclosed sources that were claimed to be close to the matter, noted that Renault and Suzuki had lost interest in the purchase of Proton and Lotus, but the Chinese at Geely are still discussing the possibility.
Meanwhile, Groupe PSA might be Geely’s main rival in its attempt of buying the Proton and Lotus brands from their Malaysian owners.
As some of you know by now, Groupe PSA was also interested in the possible acquisition of General Motors’ European arm, which consists of the Opel and Vauxhall brands. The French conglomerate could have the finances behind it to complete both deals, as it has a partnership with the Chinese at Dongfeng, which could supply a financial backing.
Moreover, the Proton and Lotus brands are not reportedly sold for a massive amount when large corporations are concerned so that Groupe PSA might afford it without any outside assistance. Officials of the French organization have told Financial Times that they “regularly explore new business opportunities.”
The answer provided by Groupe PSA regarding the situation is standard practice, as the Australians at CarAdvice noted, and we would not be surprised if they offered the same reply when inquired by a different representative of the media regarding the situation.
In other words, Peugeot and Citroen’s parent company is not interested in unveiling if it does want to buy Proton and Lotus, but it could do it regardless of these statements.
Groupe PSA could benefit from Lotus’ engineering expertise, while the British brand will get a reliable partner to supply it with technology and fund its next products. The French conglomerate already has a partnership Lotus’ Japanese engine suppliers, Toyota, so Lotus will still be able to get motors from them if it desires.
Meanwhile, Proton could help Peugeot and Citroen sell more of its platforms and technologies on an emerging market. Peugeot is interested in achieving significant sales volumes, and these could also come from Malaysia if the deal is finished.
Do not place your bets just yet, as these discussions might be concluded with a different buyer for Proton and Lotus. Regardless of their new owner, it is more important to petrolheads to keep the brands alive instead of seeing them disappear from the market.
Among the mentioned brands that could have secretly placed a bid for Lotus, Proton, or both, are Renault, Suzuki, and China’s Geely.
A previous report from Reuters that quoted undisclosed sources that were claimed to be close to the matter, noted that Renault and Suzuki had lost interest in the purchase of Proton and Lotus, but the Chinese at Geely are still discussing the possibility.
Meanwhile, Groupe PSA might be Geely’s main rival in its attempt of buying the Proton and Lotus brands from their Malaysian owners.
As some of you know by now, Groupe PSA was also interested in the possible acquisition of General Motors’ European arm, which consists of the Opel and Vauxhall brands. The French conglomerate could have the finances behind it to complete both deals, as it has a partnership with the Chinese at Dongfeng, which could supply a financial backing.
Moreover, the Proton and Lotus brands are not reportedly sold for a massive amount when large corporations are concerned so that Groupe PSA might afford it without any outside assistance. Officials of the French organization have told Financial Times that they “regularly explore new business opportunities.”
The answer provided by Groupe PSA regarding the situation is standard practice, as the Australians at CarAdvice noted, and we would not be surprised if they offered the same reply when inquired by a different representative of the media regarding the situation.
In other words, Peugeot and Citroen’s parent company is not interested in unveiling if it does want to buy Proton and Lotus, but it could do it regardless of these statements.
Groupe PSA could benefit from Lotus’ engineering expertise, while the British brand will get a reliable partner to supply it with technology and fund its next products. The French conglomerate already has a partnership Lotus’ Japanese engine suppliers, Toyota, so Lotus will still be able to get motors from them if it desires.
Meanwhile, Proton could help Peugeot and Citroen sell more of its platforms and technologies on an emerging market. Peugeot is interested in achieving significant sales volumes, and these could also come from Malaysia if the deal is finished.
Do not place your bets just yet, as these discussions might be concluded with a different buyer for Proton and Lotus. Regardless of their new owner, it is more important to petrolheads to keep the brands alive instead of seeing them disappear from the market.
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