Autoblog

According to a report by Reuters, a Malaysian company has approached Proton Holdings and asked if the automaker would be willing to part with its controlling stake in Lotus. The unnamed company is interested in purchasing the 63.75-percent of shares of the British automaker and automotive consultancy firm that Proton purchased back in 1996.

It's certainly not coincidental that this offer came in a few weeks after Proton and Volkswagen ended talks about a possible alliance, causing Proton's stock to drop by some 18-percent. Although the financial windfall gained by Proton may be beneficial in the short-term, the Malaysian automaker is dependent on Lotus' technological innovations for future products. We doubt anything will come of it, but we're curious as to what company made the offer and how it would benefit from the purchase.

[Source: Reuters, InsideLine]