Proton Will Build Lotus Cars With China's Goldstar Heavy Industrial Co.

Proton has signed a cooperation agreement with China's Goldstar Heavy Industrial Co. The agreement will see Proton producing Lotus-brand vehicles in the city of Quanzhou in Fujian.

The announcement posted on the Quanzhou municipal's website did not elaborate if the Lotus-brand vehicles referred to are 'genuine' Lotus sports cars that we all know, or are merely rebadged Protons.

At the moment, two Proton models (Persona and Gen.2) are assembled and sold by China's Youngman Automobile Group as the L3 Sedan and L3 Hatchback respectively. Although these cars are branded as a Lotus, it uses a different logo as this Lotus takes its name from another subsidiary of Proton, Lotus Automotive Technology Engineering (the consulting arm) rather than Lotus Cars that makes the iconic Elise, Exige and Evora.

However, the Quanzhou municipal government did reveal that the cooperation will see the construction of a new car and engine production plant, as well as an establishment of an R&D centre.

The announcement did not mention any timelines for the project.