Lotus Engineering is expanding its involvement in the emerging markets with a key consultancy role with a Chinese OEM and a new technical centre in India.
Lotus will take the key role in the engineering and development of a four model range of passenger cars for Jinhua Youngman Automobile Manufacturing Co.
Youngman is new to this market, coming from the commercial vehicles sector in China. The new products will be rolled out over the next five years under a new brand name; the company intends to offer the brand in export and domestic markets.
The first program under development is a four door saloon, with work starting early next year at Lotus’ Hethel headquarters in Norfolk, UK, where it has a technical centre dedicated to the Chinese automotive industry, and other engineering centres around the globe.
Pang Qingnian, chairman, Jinhua Youngman Automobile Manufacturing Co, said: “Lotus Engineering is a globally recognised leader in automotive technology and vehicle engineering and in our recent work together we recognised its formidable professional capabilities. As a result Youngman identified Lotus Engineering as the ideal consultants to support the development of our new range of cars over the next five years.”
Lotus is working with a number of customers in China and India – its Chinese office, opened three years ago, will be joined in six months by a similar operation in India.
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