Europe’s largest carmaker, Volkswagen AG, having over-taken Toyota last year to be the second largest auto manufacturer in the world – adamant on dethroning General Motors from the top seat by 2018; has responded to recent rumours that zee Germans are looking to acquire our very own Malaysian auto-manufacturer – Proton.
With Proton having undergone some internal house-keeping, after being acquired by DRB-HICOM, there were initial rumours that VW was soon going to buy its way into the South East Asian (SEA) region’s automotive market by either becoming a minority shareholder of Proton, or becoming it’s new owner. Since DRB-HICOM does help to produce VW’s Jetta and Passat for the region, speculation were abound that the German car manufacturer may use this door-way to further instigate a plan that would see Proton being absorbed into the group.
But after having since acquired Scania, Porsche and just recently Ducati via Audi, Bernd Osterloh has revealed that VW “…already has 12 brands and we first have to stabilise the group, even though further sales and production sites in SEA are important, there is no support from the labour side for a purchase of Proton.” – yet?
Again, the answer isn’t a definitive ‘no’ from the German auto giant, making it a ‘no’ now, but it still isn’t a ‘not ever!’, which still leaves the idea open for future speculation ever since it first appeared sometime back in 2005. Now 7 years on and the idea still lingers fueling more speculation.
But if the idea were to follow through, we’d imagine that the the focus of attention would then be placed onto the Toyota-powered English-sportscar manufacturer – LOTUS. Would the English company be ‘hacked’ or ‘helped’? And if it were to be helped, would VW allow their engine technology to filter into their hands? Only time will tell.
