GM remains open to Proton tie-up

Malaysian carmaker Proton has been linked with a number of international carmakers including the likes of General Motors, Volkswagen, and PSA Peugeot-Citroen for the past several years over the possibility of a tie-up. However, in June of last year, the carmaker with the best chance of securing a deal with the state-run company, Volkswagen, ended talks after negotiations went sour.

Since then there have been no major developments but latest reports indicate that GM is ready start negotiation once again with Proton. Speaking at a press conference in Thailand, GM’s president for Southeast Asian operations, Stephen K. Carlisle, said the American carmaker was always open for any opportunities that arose for it to further strengthen its presence in the region.

"If Proton wants to talk, we are ready as we are always interested about collaborating with them," he told Reuters reporters at the event.

Last year, Proton's original plan to collaborate with GM fell through as the Malaysian government felt the carmaker could improve its financial performance on its own given sufficient time.

Proton’s manufacturing base is a valuable to non-Asian carmakers that see it as an opportunity to fast-track local production in the South-East Asian region. Some of the major markets include Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand.