Report: VW interested in Buying Lotus?
Rumors are flying and with VW's deep pockets this seems very possible

According to a report by pistoneahds, VW apparently has interest in purchasing the famed, yet troubled British sports car maker, citing the engineering side to the company would be enormously valuable to VW.

"The multi-part drama that is Lotus took another twist today on news that VW is considering buying Lotus parent company Proton.

The information is sketchy and hasn't been confirmed by VW or Proton, but normally reliable news agency Reuters quotes a source as saying that VW wants the company to increase its foothold in the huge SE Asian market. VW has tried to buy Proton before and if it's successful this time, of course it would mean the German giant would get to plant its flag on a little piece of Norfolk."

Reports Nick Gibbs from Pistonheads.com

Stay tuned for more details as they emerge as this would be very interesting to see. Follow to pistonheads for more on the report.

 

Vw is buying everything.

 

I am not excited about a 2.0T Elise.

 

They did say they wanted to be the biggest global car manufacturer by 2018. If they do buy them hopefully they stick to the Lotus formula of lighter weight, tossable cars.

 

A new, VW Polo-based TDI fwd Lotus roadster might not be super-fun, actually ... but you just KNOW VW will be smart enough to have the Lotus guys check out the GTi's suspension.

I may have been looking at this backwards. Crappy Lotii? Maybe ... Awesome(r) VWs? Absolutely!!

 

I think they are spreading themselves to thin and if there is no competition in the market then things are no longer exciting. VW would have no point in making their cars better and better if they have no one to compete with.

 

This works out in two ways.

Lotus get bailed out from the Danny Bahar era.

VW brings money to the table to bring Lotus back to it's roots.

 

Fits in line with VW's branding strategy.
Could they build a lightweight sports car that competes against Lotus? Of course. But will their sports car take significant market share from Lotus? Probably not, most of their buyers would already be VW owners and loyal to the brand.
Lotus already owns "lightweight tossable sportscar" in the consumers mind, they own that category. So VW buys that category by buying Lotus.
I think it would be a good call, hope the rumors are true.

 

oh cause a Celica engine is so great?

 

Or an RSX motor.