As part of the claim, Bahar is seeking 6.7 million pounds (approximately $10.6 million) in damages from Lotus, though no mention of his prized Esprit has been made.
DRB-Hicom has since announced in a stock exchange filing that it believes it was acting properly when it made the decision to fire Bahar and that it will vigorously oppose the claim. The Malaysian conglomerate came into owning Lotus following the acquisition of Lotus’ original parent, Proton, at the start of this year.
Since firing Bahar, DRB-Hicom has confirmed it remains committed to Lotus, though it has scratched Bahar’s turnaround plan for the loss-making sports car firm that was first announced at the 2010 Paris Auto Show. The overly ambitious plan called for the launch of six separate models over a five-year period and seemed to include participation in almost every form of motorsport.
A new plan, which is expected to be finalized over the next six to 12 months, is said to be much more realistic. Currently presiding over Lotus is Malaysian exec Aslam Farikullah. A successor for Bahar is yet to be found.
