proton


To F1 and Beyond: Lotus reportedly considering Le Mans, GT and Indy teams

Arguably more than any other automaker in the world, Lotus is ripe for a return to racing. Its products are uniquely track focused. Its history is rife with motorsport heritage. And its new chief executive comes to the company after stints at Red Bull and Ferrari, two outfits deeply involved in top-tier racing. Unfortunately, as Dany Bahar points out, the formative Lotus F1 Racing team set to join the grand prix circus next season has little to do with the sportscar manufacturer and engineering concern which he now heads. Instead, the ... Read more →

Malaysian-backed Lotus F1 Racing gears up for 2010 Noah Joseph

It's been fifteen years since Lotus last competed in Formula One, but that dry spell is about to come to an end as the British engineering firm and sportscar maker is set to join the grid once ...

Lotus CEO says automaker will again take on Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati Jonny Lieberman

When most people think of Lotus, a few different thoughts tend to enter their head. One is of little teeny Toyota-powered Elise/Exige track toys buzzing around a racetrack. Another is of an ...

Lotus back in F1, BMW Sauber gets new ownership Jeremy Korzeniewski

Two major announcements came hot on the heels of one another on Tuesday that seem set to shake up the always turbulent Formula 1 series even further in 2010. First, Team Lotus will indeed be back ...

REPORT: Proton could take the reins from BMW Sauber, return Lotus to F1 Sam Abuelsamid

When BMW announced several weeks ago that it would be withdrawing from Formula One at the end of the 2009 season, the automaker left open the fate of the operations it bought from Peter Sauber. ...

REPORT: Detroit Electric signs deal with Proton, plans two new electric cars 7 months ago on Autoblog

Last September, the revived Detroit Electric brand announced in Malaysia that it planned to produce a new line of electric vehicles by the end of 2009. At the time, nothing was official, but the electric cars on display were based on the guts of Proton Savvy and Persona sedans, leading us to wonder ...

Proton to pick up Subaru's mantle in the WRC? 10 months ago on Autoblog

Before Subaru entered the World Rally Championship in the Nineties, it was little more than an obscure Asian automaker. Though its rallying efforts helped to put it on the map, Subaru has decided to ditch the WRC this season. But another little-known Asian automaker may be ready to pick up what ...

Protection for Proton by Malaysian government ends 1 year ago on Autoblog

The Malaysian government has decided to end its protection of Malaysia's Proton Motors. In addition to the import duties and taxes levied against foreign carmakers, Proton was also the recipient of tax breaks and "other government incentives." The decision could be seen as a blow to Proton, but ...

Melbourne '08 Preview: Proton R3 Satria hints at future hatch hotness 1 year ago on Autoblog

click above for high-res gallery of the Proton R3 Satria Malaysian automaker Proton will offer up a teaser of its next-generation hot hatchback when it shows the R3 Satria, a performance variant of the Satria Neo, at the Melbourne Motor Show next week. R3 is Satria's in-house performace wing -- ...

Another Malaysian automaker interested in buying Lotus? 1 year ago on 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 ...

Volkswagen to Proton: I'm just not that into you! 2 years ago on Autoblog

After several months of discussions with the Malaysian government about working with Proton, Volkswagen has decided to call it quits. The Malaysian government is the largest shareholder in the local company that also owns Lotus. Lotus has been doing fairly well of late thanks to their continuing ...

Volkswagen/Proton on-again, off-again deal back on again? 2 years ago on Autoblog

Late last year reports first surfaced that Volkswagen was interested in taking a controlling interest in Malaysian car maker Proton. But by March the talks had apparently broken down. Now for the first time Volkswagen has actually made a statement about Proton. Volkswagen is picking up the pace in ...

UPDATE: No Chinese-built Lotus on the horizon 2 years ago on Autoblog

Contrary to a report that surfaced Monday, Lotus has no intention of partnering with the Malaysian state-owned automaker, Proton, to build cars in China. This announcement debunks what Jinhua Neoplan has asserted throughout a number of articles in the Chinese press – including the ...

Proton partner to build Lotus Europa in China 2 years ago on Autoblog

The guys over at China Car Times are super-stoked over news that Proton has inked a deal that will see the Lotus Europa built in China. According to a China Daily report, Proton is working with its Chinese partner, Jinhua Neoplan Vehicle Co., to produce for Proton the Europa and a four-door sedan ...

Lotus going Dutch? Spyker mulls acquisition 2 years ago on Autoblog

Poor Lotus is the orphan child of the automotive industry. The small British sportscar maker has bounced around owners so often, it would make your head spin trying to connect the dots. After company founder Colin Chapman tragically died in 1982, the company has been bought and sold by General ...

VW & Proton deal on shaky ground 2 years ago on Autoblog

Looks like the talks between Proton and Volkswagen aren't going as well as they could... again. Both companies have said that talks are continuing, but The Edge business newspaper is reporting that no agreement appears likely in the near future. They reported that VW has been "less keen" about the ...

Enter the rumormill: VW won bid to control Proton 2 years ago on Autoblog

Motor Authority came across an article in XFN-Asia that says VW won the bidding contest for controlling stake of Malaysia's Proton. Although the report is light on details, it seems that a source who was privy to the deal confirmed that Volkswagen will be purchasing the required 51-percent of ...

GM may make bid for Proton 2 years ago on Autoblog

GM has thrown its hat into the ring, along with VW and PSA Peugeot Citroen, to purchase floundering Malaysian carmaker Proton. Over the past three months, Proton has lost 250.3 million ringgit (or about $71.5 m US) due to increased competition from Malaysian-based Perodua Motors and Naza automakers. ...

VW getting serious about Proton. Again. 2 years ago on Autoblog

After many months of deal / no deal, it looks like Volkswagen is ever closer to being a part owner of Malaysian automaker Proton, which, as you know, owns Lotus. According to the Associated Press, VW is looking at conducting a pre-Christmas audit of Proton, a move that would indicate VW is serious ...

Lotus Engineering to play key role for Chinese automaker 3 years ago on Autoblog

Lotus Engineering has agreed to help Chinese car company Jinhua Youngman develop a range of cars under a new brand over the next five years. The Lotus press release (in full after the jump) gives few details about the lineup, but does say the first car to be developed would be a four door saloon. ...

Proton recruits expertise from Peugeot 3 years ago on Autoblog

Following earlier reports of talks between the two firms, Malaysian automaker Proton and PSA group (Peugeot/Citroen) have signed an agreement for inter-company collaboration. Proton, which once enjoyed a practical monopoly in its domestic market, is facing higher competition after the Malaysian ...

Proton launches Satria Neo hatchback 3 years ago on Autoblog

Malaysian carmaker Proton looks like it finally may be getting some mileage out of its U.K. subsidiary, Lotus. The company's new Satria Neo, an evolution of the Satria GTi, was apparently designed in partnership with Lotus, and the result is a handsome, if somewhat generic, two-door hatchback. ...

PSA Peugeot Citroen examinining Proton alignment 3 years ago on Autoblog

PSA Peugeot Citroen may soon be adding a little Malaysian flavor to its French automotive cuisine. A company spokesperson has verified that the firs are in talks regarding a larger-scale joint venture. The splendiferously-named Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohd Tahir, Proton's managing director admitted ...

Proton to build SUV, MPV with Lotus and/or Chinese assistance? 3 years ago on Autoblog

Proton will build be adding a few new acronyms to its model lineup. The Malaysian concern announced yesterday at the Kuala Lumpur Auto Conference that it has designs on revamping its offerings to include an SUV and an MPV, and the vehicles could speak with a British or Chinese accent. Confused? ...

Proton ready to pair up with Chinese car maker this week 3 years ago on Autoblog

Malaysian automaker Proton will likely announce this week which Chinese automaker it’s chosen as a dance partner. Any foreign automaker wishing to break into the highly lucrative Chinese auto market must buddy up with a local automaker in order to do business in the communist country according ...

New free trade agreement expected to clear way for Proton, Perodua in U.S. 3 years ago on Autoblog

With American buyers just beginning to wrap their heads around inexpensive Chinese cars coming to market, a new free trade agreement between Malaysia and the U.S. promises to add a few unfamiliar names to the likes of 'Geely' and 'Brilliance.' The pending FTA (expected to be approved next year) ...

Volkswagen and Proton's tug of war at an end? 3 years ago on Autoblog

Sources close to Volkswagen have reported that the German automaker looks like it is dropping its insistence in having controlling shares in the Malaysia automaker, Proton. According to these sources and analysts' interpretation of Volkswagen's latest move, the company could be relinquishing the ...

Proton sells controlling stake in MV Agusta for one dollar 3 years ago on Autoblog

It may sound a bit like a lowball bid from the Price Is Right, but automaker Proton has sold its 57.7 percent stake in Italian motorcycle manufacturer MV Agusta for the princely sum of one euro (about $1.18 USD). It isn't that the Malaysian concern was just feeling particularly generous... far from ...






Autoblog Podcast #153: With Phil Berg

Phil Berg puts his reputation on the line and hangs with the podcast crew.

 
 

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